Coffee Chiffon Cake

Because I am such a glutton when it comes to chiffon cake, I do not allow myself to bake too many in a month. Well, it is for the best really, otherwise I may not be able to fit through my kitchen doors.😛😛

I love the aroma of coffee brewing and I am an avid coffee lover, so why not married the love of coffee and cake together!

This chiffon cake is so so soft and fluffy and has enough coffee aroma but is not overpowering. I also added some Camp Coffee in this chiffon cake. It's so perfect for that morning breakfast or with that afternoon tea/coffee break!

Ingredients:

• 1½ tbsp (10g) instant coffee powder, 2 tbsp if you want a more stronger coffee flavour
• 1 tbsp hot water
• 5 egg yolks
• ¼ cup (50g) castor sugar
• ¼ cup (60ml) vegetable or sunflower oil
• ¼ cup (60ml) milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1½ tsp camp coffee*
• 1 cup (100g) cake flour or plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 5 egg whites
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• ½ cup (100g) sugar

Method:

You will need a 23cm chiffon cake pan.  Do not grease the mould.  Preheat oven to 170ºC/160ºC for fan assist oven.

Before starting making the cake, add 1 tbsp hot water with the coffee. Mix well and set aside. 

Separate the eggs to yolks and whites. Put the egg yolks in a large bowl with the coffee mixture. Mix until all incorporated well. 

Add in the ¼ cup sugar, ¼ cup oil, vanilla extract, camp coffee until all the ingredients are mix well.

Add in the ¼ cup milk.

Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until smooth and free from lumps. Set aside while you whisk the egg whites.

In a stand mixer, whisk the egg whites on medium low speed until opaque, foamy and bubbly. Increase the speed to high and add in the ½ cup sugar slowly in small increments. It takes about 2-3 minutes until stiff peaks form. To check on stiff peaks, pull up your whisk and see if the egg whites go straight up and just the tip is soft enough that it folds over.

Using a whisk, fold in 1/3 of the egg whites in the batter until the mixture is homogeneous. Fold in the rest of the egg whites in 2-3 increments and mix gently until the mixture is homogeneous.

Pour the batter into the ungreased 23cm chiffon cake pan in the same location to prevent from forming more bubbles.

To prevent or remove air pockets before baking, run a skewer or spatula through the batter and then drop the pan gently on the kitchen worktop a few times.

Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean and the top of the cake springs back when gently pressed. 

As soon as you take out the cake pan from the oven, drip it gently on the kitchen worktop to stop shrinking. The cake must be cooled upside down in its pan so that it stretches downward instead of collapsing. Let it cool completely.

To remove the cake, run a thin sharp knife around both the outer and inner edge of the cake. Remove the cake from the pan and run the knife on the bottom. Move onto a serving plate.

Dust with icing sugar on top, if you like, and enjoy!