Since there was a special offer on oranges last week which I bought for making fresh orange juice, I decided to bake an Orange Chiffon Cake to pair with it for afternoon tea and at the same time make use of those lovely orange rinds which enhance the taste and aroma of the cake.
ORANGE CHIFFON CAKE
(Using: 17cm Chiffon Tin | Preparation: 15 minutes | Baking: 30 minutes)
Ingredients:
80g Top Flour
25g Caster Sugar
3 Egg Yolks
2 Tablespoons (30ml) Vegetable/Corn Oil
1 Teaspoon Cointreau, optional
60ml Freshly Squeeze Orange Juice
1 Teaspoon Orange Rind
Some Shredded Orange Peel, optional
4 Egg Whites
45g Caster Sugar
Orange Icing: (optional)
200g Icing Sugar, sieved
50ml Fresh Orange Juice
1/2 Teaspoon Cointreau, optional
Method:-
1. Whisk egg yolks and 25g caster sugar for 2 minutes till slightly pale in colour, stir in oil and freshly squeeze orange in sequence until everything is well combined.
2. Next slowly whisk in the sieved flour into the egg mixture till no trace of flour is found. Stir in the orange rind and set the mixture aside.
3. Preheat the oven to 180°C (degree Celsius).
4. Beat egg whites and 1/2 of the remaining 45g caster sugar with an electric mixer until mixture becomes frothy and foamy.
5.Add in the other 1/2 of the sugar and continue to beat on medium speed until stiff peaks form. (the whole process takes less than 5 minutes and the egg whites remains in the bowl when it is overturn)
6. Using a balloon whisk carefully whisk in the stiff egg white into the egg yolk batter in 3 separate additions, with the 1st addition to incorporate the whites into the yolk mixture till combined leaving no trace of whites.
7. Next add in the 2nd and 3rd addition of whites using the balloon whisk in a gentle manner in order not to knock off the air in the whites, just fold till no trace of whites and the mixture are well combined.
8. Lastly lift up the bowl to height, pour the mixture into the tube pan and tap the pan once or twice on a table top to get rid of any trapped air bubbles in the batter.
9. Bake the cake in the preheated oven (2nd lower rack) for about 30 minutes or when the surfaces turns golden brown. (you can insert a skewer into the centre and test if it comes out clean)
10. Remove it from the oven and invert the pan immediately to let it rest on top of a cup. Make sure it cool completely before unmould.
11. To remove the cake from the pan, run a thin-bladed knife (i use a small plastic spatula) around the inside of the pan and the center core.
12. Release the cake and run the knife/spatula along the base of the pan to remove the cake. Cut into serving size and serve with a glass of freshly squeeze orange juice for extra flavour.
13. TO MAKE THE ORANGE ICING:- Slowly whisk orange juice and Cointreau (if using) into sieved icing sugar to achieve pouring consistency. (you might need slightly more or less orange juice to achieve the right consistency)
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