Berry Legg of Miz Gooz Berry, the quaint establishment we featured in this month’s Get It Lowveld, very kindly shared her recipe for her divine lemon chiffon cake with us.
A light chiffon cake with a citrus flavour, ideal for summer, this can be served with cream, custard or berry coulis.
Preheat oven at 180°C.
Ingredients:
• 500ml cake flour
• 375ml sugar
• 15ml baking powder
• 5ml fine salt
Sieve all dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
Make a hole in the centre.
Add the following, beating after each ingredient:
• 125ml sunflower oil
• 190ml cold water
• 7 extra-large eggs’ yolk (place the egg whites in a clean, grease-free bowl)
• 10ml freshly grated lemon rind
• 10ml vanilla essence
Ensure that it is all beaten and that no lumps remain.
Method:
Using a clean whisk beater, beat the egg whites with 2,5ml cream of tartar, until medium peaks are formed.
Fold the egg whites in three batches into the cake batter using a spatula. Do not bang the spatula against the side of the bowl.
Pour into an ungreased chiffon pan (this pan has a loose bottom with a funnel in the centre and it has legs around the top edge for standing once the cake is removed from oven Bundt pan). If you do not have a chiffon pan, use two round, ungreased, 23cm springform pans.
Place in the centre of the oven for approximately 35 minutes. Ensure there are no draughts in the kitchen, as oven temperatures can drop.
Round pans should be inverted onto a cooling rack once baked. Two single pans will bake faster than the chiffon pan.
Test the cake with a long skewer. The skewer must come out clean.
Once baked, remove from the oven and invert immediately to allow the cake to hang upside down until it is completely cool. Release the cake from the pan with a flat-edged knife.
Finish:
• 375ml icing sugar
• Freshly grated rind of 1 large lemon
Squeeze lemon and use sufficient icing sugar to form a thick glaze.
Place glaze on the cake.
Decorate with fresh, seasonal fruit and food-safe flowers.
This cake will serve eight generous slices. It keeps well in an airtight container (without fresh fruit topping) for four days.
Enjoy!
