Sakura Chiffon Cake ~樱花戚风蛋糕

I adapted the recipe for this Sakura Chiffon Cake from my previous Coffee Chiffon with Cocoa layering  but tweaked it a bit by adding Cointreau and orange zest and placing the Sakura flowers at the base of the chiffon pan.  This chiffon cake is soft and moist with a subtle taste of Cointreau and a nice fragrance of orange.

Sakura Chiffon Cake  ~樱花戚风蛋糕 (adapted from 'here')

Ingredients (A)

• 70 gm plain flour
• 5 large egg yolks
• 20 gm caster sugar
• 60 ml water
• 2 tsp Cointreau
• 70 ml vegetable oil
• 1.1/2 tsp orange zest
• 8 to 10 pickled Sakura flowers

(B)

• 5 large egg whites
• 80 gm caster sugar  )  Mix well
• 10 gm cornflour      )   

Method

1. Rinse the pickled Sakura flowers to remove the salt and soak them for about 45 to 60 mins.  Gently pat dry the flowers with kitchen paper.  Line the flowers on the base of an ungreased 23 cm chiffon cake pan.
2. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar, add in the oil, water, Cointreau and orange zest, mix well.
3. Sieve in the plain flour and mix till well incorporated.
4. In a clean mixing bowl, beat the egg whites till foamy, then gradually pour in the sugar and cornflour mixture.  Beat till stiff peaks but not dry.
5. Fold in 1/2 of meringue into the egg yolk mixture, mix well.  Then pour the mixture into the remaining meringue, fold in gently and mix well but taking care not to deflate the egg whites.
6. Scoop the mixture onto the prepared pan, taking care not to ''shift'' the Sakura flowers.  Lightly bang the pan to remove air bubbles.
7. Bake in a preheated oven @ 170 deg. C for about 50 to 55 mins. till golden brown.  Test with skewer till it comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and immediately invert the cake on a wire rack to cool completely before removing by hand.