April Showers Chiffon Cake
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 15 to 20 servings
- Total: 4 hr 25 min (includes cooling time)
- Active: 1 hr 5 min
Ingredients
Cloudy Sky Tier and Pink Chiffon Egg Yolk Batter:
7 large egg yolks
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon superfine sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup cake flour, sifted
1 teaspoon royal blue gel food color
1/2 teaspoon pink gel food color
Cloudy Sky Tier and Pink Chiffon Meringue:
9 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
Blue Sky and Grass Tier Egg Yolk Batter:
7 large egg yolks
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon superfine sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup cake flour, sifted
1 teaspoon sky blue gel food color
1 teaspoon green gel food color
Blue Sky and Grass Tier Meringue:
9 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
Cake Assembly:
3 tablespoons white sprinkles
Prepared marshmallow cream or vanilla frosting, for piping
16 to 18 yellow confetti sprinkles
Directions
Special equipment:
a 2-piece 6-inch aluminum chiffon pan; a 2-piece 9-inch aluminum chiffon pan; a 15-by-10-inch or larger jelly roll pan; a 1.5-inch flower-shaped cookie cutter or fondant plunger cutter; a squeeze bottle or piping bag- Preheat the oven to 320 degrees F. Place a large tray of water on the lowest rack in the oven.
- For the cloudy sky tier and pink chiffon egg yolk batter: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment, beat the egg yolks and sugar at high speed until pale and thick, about 5 minutes. Decrease the mixer speed to medium and gradually add the oil, water and almond extract. The mixture will become thin. Add the sifted cake flour and fold it into the yolk batter using a rubber spatula. Fold until no streaks of flour remain. Divide the mixture into two portions. Fold the royal blue food color into one portion using a rubber spatula. Leave the other portion untinted. Set aside.
- For the cloudy sky tier and pink chiffon meringue: In a spotlessly clean bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar on high speed until frothy, about 15 seconds. Add half the sugar and beat on high speed until soft peaks form. Add the remaining sugar and beat on high speed just until firm peaks form. Fold half of the meringue and the blue yolk batter together in a large bowl; use a rubber spatula to gently fold the meringue into the batter to prevent the meringue from deflating too much. Mix until no streaks of white meringue remain. In a separate large bowl, fold the remaining meringue into the plain egg yolk batter.
- Pour a small amount of the royal blue batter into the bottom of an ungreased 2-piece 6-inch aluminum chiffon pan so that it covers the bottom (filling the pan to about 1/4 inch). Use a damp paper towel to remove any splatters of batter on the sides of the pan that may result from pouring batter into the pan. With a spoon, dollop mounds of white batter around the sides of the pan to create clouds. Pour blue batter over the cloud portion until the batter is level. Repeat spooning for another cloud layer. You will have leftover white batter; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for future use. Pour in a final layer of blue batter. Rap the bottom of the pan on a work surface to remove any large air pockets.
- Bake for 15 minutes, and then decrease the oven temperature to 280 degrees F and bake for 20 minutes more. The cake is done when a toothpick tester inserted near the center comes out clean. Turn the cake upside down on a wire rack to cool completely. When the cake is cool, gently push the cake away from the pan's edges using your hands. When the edges are free, remove the cake with the center tube piece attached. Run a small knife around the top edge of the cake to loosen it from the tube. Set the cake aside, uncovered.
- Increase the oven temperature to 320 degrees F. Line a large jelly roll pan (15-by-10-inch or larger) with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Remove the reserved white batter from the refrigerator and add the pink gel food color. Fold it into the batter using a rubber spatula. The mixture will be thinner than when it was first mixed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly to 1/4 inch thick. Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool completely before peeling the chiffon cake sheet away from the parchment.
- Check the water level in the tray on the lowest rack in the oven. Refill using a teakettle or large pitcher, if needed. Make sure the oven is still preheated to 320 degrees F.
- For the blue sky and grass tier egg yolk batter: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment, beat the egg yolks and sugar at high speed until pale and thick, about 5 minutes. Decrease the mixer speed to medium and gradually add the oil, water and almond extract. The mixture will become thin. Add the sifted cake flour and fold it into the yolk batter using a rubber spatula. Fold until no streaks of flour remain. Divide the mixture into two portions. Fold the sky blue food color into one portion using a rubber spatula. Tint the other portion with the green food color. Set aside.
- For the blue sky and grass tier meringue: In a spotlessly clean bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar on high speed until frothy, about 15 seconds. Add half the sugar and beat on high speed until soft peaks form. Add the remaining sugar and beat on high speed just until firm peaks form. Fold half of the meringue and the sky blue yolk batter together in a large bowl; use a rubber spatula to gently fold the meringue into the batter to prevent the meringue from deflating too much. Mix until no streaks of white meringue remain. In a separate large bowl, fold the remaining meringue into the green egg yolk batter.
- Pour the sky blue batter into the bottom of an ungreased 2-piece 9-inch aluminum chiffon pan. Use a damp paper towel to remove any splatters of batter on the sides of the pan that may result from pouring batter in the pan. Pour the green layer on top of the blue layer. Rap the bottom of the pan on a work surface 2 to 3 times to remove any large air pockets.
- Bake for 15 minutes, and then decrease the oven temperature to 280 degrees F and bake for 20 minutes more. Decrease the temperature again to 260 degrees F and bake for 10 more minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick tester inserted near the center comes out clean. Turn the cake upside down on a wire rack to cool completely. When the cake is cool, gently push the cake away from the pan's edges using your hands. When the edges are free, remove the cake with the center tube piece attached. Run a small knife around the top edge of the cake to loosen it from the tube. Set the cake aside, uncovered.
- For the cake assembly: Level the cakes if needed. Place the 9-inch layer with the green side down onto a cake stand or serving plate. Center the 6-inch cake on the top center of the 9-inch cake.
- Place white sprinkles vertically on the sides of the top tier to create a rain shower effect. The sides of the cake should be naturally sticky and the sprinkles will adhere easily. If the sprinkles do not adhere naturally, lightly mist the cake with water using a kitchen-dedicated spray bottle. Let stand 5 minutes or until the sides of the cake are tacky when touched. Proceed with decorating.
- Use a 1.5-inch flower-shaped cookie cutter or fondant plunger cutter to stamp 16 to 18 shapes from the pink chiffon cake sheet. Place the marshmallow cream or frosting in a squeeze bottle or piping bag with a tiny hole cut in the end. Pipe a small amount into the center of each flower and place a yellow confetti sprinkle on top. Pipe dots on the outside of the bottom cake and attach the chiffon flowers.
- Serve the cake immediately, or cover loosely with plastic wrap and store at room temperature.