Lemon Chiffon Cake with Fig Mascarpone Icing 🍋
Yesterday, I decided to invite my pal Megan over for dinner since PK and I were making seafood pasta so of course, I had to make dessert! I only had 2 eggs and wanted something light since the weather outside felt like I was in Barcelona during the HOT summer. I've also been baking a bit too much so I didn't want a big cake which would last in the fridge forever alas I knew I had to make a chiffon cake since they are light, delicious and simple to make! Follow the recipe below if you want to make this in a 6-inch tin which is just about the perfect size for 4 people or 3 very hungry friends.
I used my basic Pandan Chiffon Cake recipe but changed it up. Chiffon cakes are easy to make once you have made it a few times and know what the deal is. Also please don't attempt this with a non-stick pan as the cake will def flop once you take it out of the oven since it has nothing to cling itself onto. I used a PME anodised cake tin which worked as the sides would need buttering and flouring to make it non-stick. If you have any questions, please reach out! Feel free to also use whatever fruits you have at home or whatever is in season. This is the perfect summer cake so I hope you give it a try and don't forget to let us know when you do 🤗
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Level 3
Wow factor: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ingredients
Phase 1:
2 egg yolks
16gr caster sugar
Dash of salt
35ml flavorless oil (e.g. sunflower or vegetable oil)
43ml milk (I used unsweetened almond as I wanted to use it up but feel free to use whatever milk you want)
1/2tsp vanilla extract
1/2tsp lemon extract
1 to 2tsp lemon zest for more lemon flavas
48gr flour
1/4tsp baking powder
1/4tsp baking soda
Phase 2:
2 egg whites
40gr sugar
Icing:
100gr mascarpone cheese
100ml double cream
2tbsp caster sugar
2 to 3 tbsp fig conserve if you want it a bit Figgy (tbh I couldn't really taste it and the icing is already delicious on its own anyway so do what you feel is right. `you can also use other jams or conserves if you fancy it)
Topping:
Seasonal fruits of your choice, I used blackberries, blueberries and pomegranate seeds just because I had them in the fridge
Lemon zest
Icing sugar for dusting
Instructions
Let's deal with phase 1 first. In a large mixing bowl, tip in egg yolks, caster sugar, and salt. Whisk using an electric whisk until somewhat airy and you can see bubbles. Pour in the oil, milk, vanilla extract, lemon zest and lemon extract. Mix well and set aside.
In a separate bowl, sift your flour, baking powder and soda.
Pre-heat your oven to 170 degrees celsius.
Now take your dry ingredients and slowly add it to the yolk mix in a few batches. Ensuring you incorporate it well and gently using a handheld whisk (NOT AN ELECTRIC ONE) after every addition. Set aside so we can deal with phase 2.
Make sure that you have washed your electric whisk beaters and wiped them down real good so no yolk bits are left on them.
In a big bowl, add your egg whites. Beat using an electric mixer until they start foaming and frothing. They should triple in size after 3 to 5 minutes.
When the egg whites are starting to show some structure, gradually add in your caster sugar a few tablespoons each time. If your egg whites are not increasing in size then most likely there are egg yolks in your whites. Please see tip on how to fix this here.
If it is starting to look like shiny meringue then you have succeeded! Stop before you overbeat. One way to check is to turn the bowl upside down over your head, if it doesn't flop over then it's ready.
Using your trusted whisk or spatula, mix in 1/4 of the meringue to the phase 1 mixture. Repeat this step until all the meringue is incorporated in the phase 1 mixture. Be careful not to overmix as you don't want the meringue to fully lose its fluffiness. If you want your chiffon fluffy and soft, heed this warning. When mixed, set aside.
Take your cake tin, and if it does not have a loose bottom, don't forge to add baking paper just on the bottom. Now sprinkle a bit of water all over the inside of the tin. If you have a spray bottle, you can also use it to spray the tin with water.
Pour your cake mix into the tin and to ensure there are no bubbles in your cake by tapping the cake tin on the counter a few times. Doing so will bring the bubbles to the surface and level out the top of your cake, too.
If the oven is pre-heated, pop it in. As my oven is quite hot, I turned it down to 160 degrees as soon as the cake was in. You can do this too if you know your oven is hot. I would say try to keep this between 165 - 160 degrees as it is a small airy cake so it will cook quite fast.
I baked mine in the oven for around 28 minutes. Once I could see that the top is no longer growing, I used a wooden skewer and it came out clean so I knew it was ready. Please don't open the oven too early as the cake might flop if you do!
Once done, take your cooling rack, cool the cake upside down. This is how we can make sure the cake doesn't plop back down. Let it cool for an hour at least before taking this out of the tin.
To take it out of the cake tin, take a palette knife or spatula and run it through the sides. You should now be able to remove the cake from the tin smoothly. If using loose-bottomed tin: scrape the bottom as well before trying to force the base off of the cake. If using a tin without a loose-bottom, then just peel off the baking paper afterwards.
For the icing: beat your mascarpone cheese, sugar and double cream until thick and creamy in consistency. This should hold its structure, but if not, just keep adding sugar until it does. If adding conserves or jam, add it once the icing is at the consistency you desire. Just mix it well with a spatula and it's ready for your cake!
To decorate: I just used a spoon to plop the icing on top and an off-set spatula to create a semi-naked cake look. Top it with your fruits, add the zest and dust some powder icing sugar on top. This cake is READY FRIENDDSSS. Serve immediately and enjoy with your loved ones.
