Walnut Chiffon Cake
Walnuts and walnut oil provide a wonderful nutty flavor to this cake. Serve plain or with whipped cream and fresh fruit.
Recipe type: Dessert | Chiffon Cake
Serves: 12 to 14
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Recipe Notes
Pan: One 10" Angel Food with Removable Bottom Pan Prep: Ungreased Oven Temp: 325o Storage: Covered, Room Temperature
Help: Cake Hints and Tips
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Help: Cake Hints and Tips
TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast,
accurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.Ingredients
Batter:
- 2¼ cups sifted cake flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
- ⅓ cup firmly packed light brown sugar, divided
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup walnut oil or, use a combination of walnut oil and vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup water
- 1 cup walnuts, finely chopped by hand, not ground
- 6 large egg whites
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. The cake will be baked in one ungreased, 10 inch Angel Food cake pan, preferably with a removable bottom.
Batter:
- In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar and brown sugar; stir to mix.
- In a large bowl of an electric mixer, add the egg yolks and the whole egg and beat 3 to 5 minutes on medium-high speed until the egg foam becomes thick and lemon colored. With the mixer on medium speed, slowly add 1 cup of the sugar mixture to the eggs, either one tablespoon at a time, or in a very slow steady stream, taking from 4 to 5 minutes to add all of the sugar, and beating until the eggs and sugar are fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. The mixture will be thick and a pale yellow color.
- With the mixer on medium speed, slowly pour the oil into the batter in a slow steady stream. Add the vanilla and continue mixing for another 1 minute until well blended.
- With the mixer on low speed, add about one third of the flour mixture, mix just until the flour is almost completely blended. Scrape the bowl down, and add about one half of the water, blending just until mixed. Scrape the bowl down again and continue alternating with the flour mixture and water, ending with the last portion of the flour, and stirring just until blended.
- Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold in the walnuts.
- In another large mixing bowl and using clean beaters, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until foamy, add the cream of tartar, and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining ⅓ cup sugar mixture; continue beating until stiff peaks form. Using a balloon type whisk or large rubber spatula, gently fold the beaten egg whites into the batter.
- Bake: Spoon the batter into the ungreased Angel Food pan and smooth the surface with the back of a large spoon. Bake 60 to 70 minutes or until the cake is golden brown on top and springs back when lightly touched. Remove from oven and immediately invert pan. Let the cake cool completely in the pan, upside down.
- To remove cake from a pan with a removable bottom, run a thin bladed kitchen knife around the side of the pan to loosen the cake, and then run the knife around the center tube. Holding the center tube, lift the cake and remove it from the outer rim. Run the knife under the cake to loosen it from the pan bottom. Invert the cake and remove the tube section. Transfer to a cake platter top side up.
Source: Malgieri, Nick, Perfect Cakes, HarperCollins Publishers, New York, 2002
Walter, Carole, Great Cakes, Random House, New York, 1991
Walter, Carole, Great Cakes, Random House, New York, 1991