Yema Chiffon Cake

Yema Chiffon Cake

"Yema Cake is a Filipino dessert cake made with a filling of egg yolks and condensed milk. I have made a Yema cake earlier using cream cheese. This time I tried a different recipe, which is a chiffon cake."

Ingredients

For the Chiffon Cake:

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tbsp corn starch

1 ½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

6 tbsp granulated white sugar (for egg yolks)

6 tbsp granulated white sugar (for egg whites)

¼ cup vegetable oil (except olive oil)

4 eggs, separated, at room temperature

1/3 cup water

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon lemon or lime extract

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

For the Yema filling & frosting:

1 can condensed milk

6 egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp lemon extract (or almond)

¼ cup butter

½ cup or more finely grated processed cheese for topping

Directions:

For the Chiffon Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degree F or 180 degree C and line the bottom of a 8″ x 3″ (or two 8″ x 2″) aluminium round pan with parchment paper. Do not grease the sides of the pan.

Combine flour and corn starch. Sift 3 times.

In a bowl, separate the eggs. In the bowl of your stand mixer, add egg yolks and the rest of the ingredients, except the sugar (6 tbsp) for egg whites and cream of tartar. Beat on high until combined. Remove the mixture and set aside in a bowl.

With your mixer turned on, mix your egg whites on low until bubbles form then add cream of tartar. Set your mixer to high and beat until frothy, gradually add sugar by tablespoon until stiff (but not dry) peaks are formed.

Gently fold in the egg whites into egg yolk mixture.

Pour the batter in the baking pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes for 8″ x 3″ (20 to 23 minutes for 8″ x 2″ pans) until the top springs back when lightly touched. Invert pan immediately and cool completely in wire rack.

To release the cake from pan, gently run a thin knife or spatula around the edges, then invert.

For the Yema:

In a non-stick pan, combine the milk and the egg yolks and cook over low heat while stirring constantly until it thickens enough to spread. Turn off heat and add the extracts, stir, then add butter then stir until well combined. Set aside to cool completely.

To assemble the cake:

Divide the cake into two (if using the 3″ high pan), add some filling. Cover with the remaining half. Cover the entire cake with the remaining yema then top with grated cheese.