Honey-Citron Sponge Cake

.... with cheese slices

... with cheese slices

This Honey-Citron Cake is really moist, super soft and fluffy with a fine airy texture. I love the subtle fragrance of the citron and the cake tasted so much better the next day as the flavour of the citron is more pronounced.

Recipe adapted from Jeannie's Taiwan Old Fashion Sponge Cake recipe.   

(A)  Size of eggs: 60-65g each (with shell)

5 egg whites

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

40g caster sugar

(B)  

5 egg yolks 

1 whole egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

20g caster sugar

50g rice bran oil (or mild flavoured oil)

70g Honey-Citron marmalade with citrus peels

1 tsp lemon juice (optional)

(C)

60g plain flour

10g corn flour

1. Preheat oven to 160°C.  Wrap the bottom of a 7" square pan with two layers of aluminium foil to avoid any water from seeping into the pan.  Lightly grease and line the base of the pan with baking paper.
2. In a clean dry bowl, whisk the egg whites with an electric beater until foamy. Add in cream of tartar.  Continue whisking until soft peaks formed; gradually add in sugar.  Whisk until medium -stiff peaks formed (the tip of the peaks are stiff enough to stand up firmly but with a slight curl at the tip - refer picture below).  Set aside.
3. In another bowl, with the same electric beater (unwashed) beat egg yolks, whole egg, vanilla extract and sugar until pale. Then beat in oil, Honey-Citron marmalade and lemon juice until blended.  Sift in flour mixture and whisk until well combined.
4. Fold 1/3 portion of the meringue into the egg yolk mixture to lighten the batter.  Then pour the batter into the meringue and fold gently until thoroughly blended and smooth.
5. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan.  Tap the pan against the kitchen bench to remove large bubbles trapped inside the batter.
6. Sit the cake pan in a larger pan and pour about an inch of boiling water into the larger pan. Bake (on lowest rack) for 20 minutes at 160°C; then reduce temperature to 150°C and continue to bake for 1 hour 15 minutes.  [Please note that every oven is different, therefore oven temperature and baking time indicated here are as a guide only]
7. Remove from oven and drop the pan from a height a couple of times to minimise shrinkage of the cake.  Unmould the cake and place it on a wire rack to cool.  Allow the cake to be completely cool before cutting.

Note:  If you prefer cheese slices in the cake, in step 5:

• Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared pan, then place cheese slices gently on top.  Top up with remaining batter. 

meringue at medium-stiff peaks