STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM MATCHA CHIFFON LAYER CAKE

strawberries and cream matcha chiffon layer cake

HAPPY SUMMER! 

There's nothing like fresh local strawberries in the summer!

I created this unique sky-high matcha cake recipe to celebrate my best friend's birthday as she's a matcha lover.  

I am entering this original recipe I developed for BCEgg (a non-profit organization that regulates BC's egg farms) because it uses a lot of eggs!  I chose a chiffon cake for this contest because quality eggs play a significant role in chiffon cakes.  I prefer chiffon to angel food cake because it uses the entire egg rather than just the whites and the crumb is tender and moist.   This recipe in particular uses 7 large free-range eggs.  There is no butter; instead vegetable oil is used to maintain a moist crumb.  I used avocado oil but any neutral vegetable oil will do.  Mechanical aeration of the egg whites helps to leaven the cake layers to achieve a light, fluffy sponge.  Ordinarily, a chiffon cake is baked in a tube pan but my recipe doesn't do this. 

VOTE FOR MY RECIPE BY CLICKING RIGHT HERE!

You have to be 18+ and living in BC, Canada to vote and you can vote once every day until the end of the contest on Sept 8, 2019.  There is no purchase necessary, but you have to fill out a form on THIS LINK and prove residency in BC. 

matcha chiffon layers will appear a vivid green and contrast against the white slightly sweetened whipped cream once you cut into it.  

Make sure to follow my specific techniques in the recipe below because it deviates quite a bit from a traditional chiffon technique.  You will require 3 8-inch round cake tins and will need to line just the bottoms with a circle of parchment.  As well, you should not grease the sides of the tins because if made properly, the cake will shrink from the sides anyway after it is baked.  Chiffon batter needs to cling to the sides while baking in order to achieve maximum rise.  When you remove the cakes from the oven, you should also ensure that there is a cooling rack underneath so that when you invert it the cake lands onto the rack as it cools.  It should naturally release itself from the pan effortlessly if you have lined the bottoms properly as the cake will shrink back upon cooling.  You are not required to split the layers; instead you will just stack the layers upside down and mound the stabilized sweetened whipped cream frosting on top.  Other berries or fruit can also be employed such as raspberries, blueberries and blackberries.  Allow some of the berries to peek out along the edges of the cake so that you have a lovely contrast of colours.  The cake is best served fresh on the day of baking; but will keep well covered in the refrigerator for a few days.

fluffy mounds of whipped cream frosting and fresh fruit make for an easy yet elegant presentation

STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM MATCHA CHIFFON

special equipment:  3 8-inch round cake pans lined with circles of parchment paper on the bottom *NB do not grease sides of pans

MATCHA CAKE LAYERS

• 1 1/2 cups evaporated cane sugar
• 1 1/3 cups cake flour (measure unsifted)
• 2 tbsp matcha powder 
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 7 large eggs, 2 left whole; 5 separated (at room temperature)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 3/4 cup water

SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 package of gelatine

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract 

2 pints of fresh local strawberries, some left whole for decoration. Some halved and sliced

MATCHA CAKE LAYERS

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325°F.  Sift together sugar, flour, matcha, baking powder and salt together into a large bowl. Whisk in two whole eggs, five egg yolks (reserve 5 whites in another bowl), water, oil and vanilla extract until batter is smooth.
2. Pour reserved egg whites into large bowl; beat at low speed with electric mixer until foamy, about 1 minute. Add cream of tartar, gradually increase speed to medium-high, then beat whites until very thick and stiff, just short of dry, 9 to 10 minutes with handheld mixer or 5 to 7 minutes in standing mixer. With large whisk, fold whites into batter, smearing any blobs of white that resist blending.
3. Divide batter equally amongst 3 ungreased pans lined with circles of parchment paper on the bottoms (8 inch diameter).
4. Bake cakes on lower middle rack in oven until wire cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Immediately turn cakes upside down on cooling racks to cool. The cakes will most likely dislodge and flop onto the cooling rack.  Let cake layers cool completely.  Peel off and discard parchment circles.

SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING

1. In a microwaveable bowl add water and sprinkle with the gelatine.  Allow gelatine to bloom for 10 minutes.  Then microwave for 10-15 seconds or until gelatine has dissolved 
2. In a large stand mixer with whisk attachment combine the heavy whipping cream with the vanilla extract and confectioners sugar. Whip on med-high speed until soft peaks form.  Then add dissolved gelatine mixture.  Continue whipping until stiff peaks form. 

CAKE ASSEMBLY

Place a matcha cake layer bottom up on a cake circle and stand or cake plate.  Layer with sweetened whipped cream.   Scatter some sliced strawberries on the frosting.  Place another matcha cake layer on top and continue assembling in same manner with remaining layers; allowing for slightly more whipped cream frosting for the top.  Make large swirl patterns on the top and decorate with more whole and halved strawberries. 

Store covered in refrigerator until ready to serve. 

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