This is my attempt at combining the fragrance and unique taste of gula Melaka with the soft pillowy texture of chiffon cake. I like the result but will add more gula Melaka to the mix.
INGREDIENTS
(for a 8 inch chiffon cake tin)
- 5 egg whites
- 50 gm sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 50 gm gula Melaka (syrup) *Refer to Note below
- Pinch of salt
- 50 ml rice bran oil
- 100 ml coconut milk
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 90 gm flour
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 1 tsp baking powder
*Note: Add 10-20 gm more gula Melaka for a more fragrant and sweeter version. There is no need to dissolve the gula Melaka into a syrup.
METHOD
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C.
- Gather all the ingredients.
- Separate the egg yolks from egg whites.
- Use an electric whisk and ship the egg whites until frothy. add the sugar and continue whisking until firm peaks are formed. Set aside.
- Whisk the egg yolks. Add gula Melaka and continue whisking.
- Then, add salt, oil and coconut milk and whisk to combine after each addition. Add vanilla essence and stir to mix.
- Put flour, cornflour and baking powder in a bowl and stir to mix.
- Sieve the flour mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Fold gently to combine.
- Add 1/3 of the whipped egg whites (meringue) into the batter. Fold in gently. Fold in another 1/3 of the meringue. Finally pour the batter into the remaining 1/3 meringue and mix well gently.
- Stir gently with a skewer to remove any large bubbles.
- Place on the lowest shelf in the oven. Place another oven tray on the top shelf. This will help prevent the top from burning before the centre is cooked.
- Bake at 180°C for 25 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 160°C and continue to bake for another 20 minutes. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR (or the cake will collapse).
- When baking is finished, invert the cake tin over a bowl stand. This will prevent the cake from collapsing while it cools.
- Cut the cake only after it has cooled.