chiffon cake a foam (sponge) cake?
Chiffon cakes, the third member of the foam cake family, are like sponge cakes with the addition of a secret ingredient. They came on the national scene in 1947. Before then, twenty years earlier, Harry Baker earned a reputation for his special cake among Hollywood luminaries. Mr. Baker, an insurance salesman by trade and a cooking hobbyist, would not divulge his recipe. Until, that is, he sold it for an undisclosed sum of money to General Mills. The following year, 1948, “Chiffon cakes became a national obsession” according to Jean Anderson (The American Century Cookbook, 1997). I have a little booklet from 1948, Betty Crocker Chiffon Cake Recipes and Secrets, containing many recipes and variations, icings, and serving suggestions. The booklet’s cover proclaims, “Never before such cakes as these. . . an amazing new cake family!” And inside, the cake is hailed as “The biggest kitchen news in 100 years.”
Mr. Baker’s secret ingredient, oil, gives the cakes a tenderness missing from sponge cakes. Another thing in their favor is they keep nice and fresh for several days at room temperature. I’m a great fan of these cakes. Because the cakes contain oil, which makes the batter a bit heavy, they do profit from a bit of chemical leavening. But I reduced the typical amount called for (3 teaspoons) to 1 teaspoon just to see what would happen—the cake rises spectacularly! And unlike angel food cake and sponge cake, I do preheat the oven first.
What are some baking tips for a great sponge cake?
As in sponge cake, it’s important to beat the egg yolks for chiffon cake until they are thick and lemon colored and form a slowly dissolving ribbon. It’s also important to beat the egg whites until they’re stiff and shiny, but not so stiff that they’re dry. The whites should look creamy and hold a stiff peak. You make one basic batter and flavor half with chocolate and vanilla and the other with almond extract. The “feet” of the pan are not long enough to keep the cake’s top from touching the counter top, so be sure you cool the cake upside down suspended by a bottle.
What is a marble cake?
Marble cakes are made when part of a light-colored cake batter is colored to make it stand out. The two batters may be swirled together or spooned into the cake pan in alternate layers, as in this recipe. When cut, the cake has an attractive haphazard pattern of light and dark. Marble cakes seem to be an American invention. The first recipe I found is from Marion Harland’s, Common Sense in the Household, published in 1874. She darkened part of the batter with molasses. In this cake, half the batter is mixed with cocoa and vanilla, and the other half is flavored with almond extract. This is a tall, tender, moist, delicious cake.