Marble Zebra Castella Cake ~ 长崎蛋糕

What's for tea?  A soft, light and non-greasy Marble Zebra Castella ~  Kasutera cake.  I didn't line the pan with foil this time, only with parchment paper and was very pleased that the bottom of the cake didn't stick onto the paper and yielded a perfect brown base.  Indeed a delicious cake to be enjoyed at any time of the day.

 Marble Castella Cake  ~    长崎蛋糕

Ingredients

• 120 gm high protein flour, sift twice
• 5 egg whites
• 5 egg yolks
• 100 gm caster sugar
• 20 ml honey
• 4 tsp Cointreau
• 1/2 Tbsp cocoa powder + 1/2 Tbsp hot water

Method

1. Line an 8 inch square pan with parchment paper, set aside.
2. Mix honey with Cointreau, set aside.
3. Beat egg whites till foamy, add in sugar gradually and beat till firm but not dry.
4. Add in egg yolks one @ a time, on low speed and combine till creamy.
5. Add in sifted high protein flour in 3 batches, mix on low speed till no traces of flour are visible.
6. Add in honey Cointreau mixture on low speed.
7. Pour batter through a sieve into a large bowl, weigh out 120 gm and in cocoa mixture.  Mix well.
8. Spoon 4 heapful tablespoon plain batter into the middle of the pan, then 1 tablespoon of cocoa mixture on top.  Continue alternating the batter until it's finished.
9. Slightly shake the  pan and use a skewer to drag the batter from inside out to form a spider web pattern.
10. Tap the pan and bake in a preheated oven @ 160 deg.C for 50 to 55 mins. till golden brown.  Test with a skewer till it comes out clean.
11. Remove pan from oven and drop from a foot high onto the counter top to prevent shrinkage.  Let cake cool.
12. When the cake is cool enough to  handle, overturn the warm cake onto a fresh sheet of parchment paper, wrap it up and put in a plastic or ziplock bag, place in the fridge overnight.
13. Trim off edges with a serrated knife before slicing to serve.