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Seeing a cake so pale and ashen could make you think it's tasteless. But this featherlight sponge manages to pull off a combination of airy nothingness with a gently sweet vanilla flavour. It remains moist with an even delicate crumb, and so light, you won't feel guilty having a second helping.
Ingredients:
120g cake flour
65g icing sugar
60ml water
4 eggs separated – yolks & whites
4 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp cream of tartar
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
Method:
Preheat oven to 160c. Grease and line an 8” springform cake tin.
Separate the egg yolks from the whites and place the yolks in a bowl with the icing sugar, beat well until the mixture has turned a paler yellow. Add the water, oil, vanilla and mix.
Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon, then add this to the egg yolk mixture a third at a time until all is just incorporated.
In a large bowl whisk the egg whites on medium until bubbles form, then add the cream of tartar and whisk on high until stiff peaks form. Gently fold a third at a time of the egg whites into the batter, trying not to deflate the egg whites.
Once everything is mixed pour the batter into the prepared cake tin. Place a large deep baking tray in the oven, put the cake tin in the tray and then add 2 inches of water to the tray.
Bake for appx 50 mins at 160c, then turn down to 135c and leave for a further 10 mins. A skewer inserted into the centre of the cake will come out clean when the cake is ready. Turn the oven off, open the door and leave the cake there for 30 mins, then take out and place on a wire rack to fully cool.
Enjoy
Gaby Van Clarke
This bánh flan or Vietnamese crème caramel is similar in texture to an Italian panna cotta, though crème caramel is made without gelatin or starches, as the eggs thicken the mixture themselves giving you a perfect velvety texture, that's smooth and compact.
