Totoro Black Sesame Chiffon Cake

It's quite a happening week over here in Singapore as our General Election are upcoming. And my boys are having a one week school holiday, happy to have a break so I can sleep a little longer every morning. I will be taking a break from making cute food next week, but you will probably still see me posting both on the blog and on Instagram, as I still have things on backlog to share.


It's been so so long since I last made a chiffon cake. Chiffon cakes are one of my favourite, love the light airy texture. And looking at the ingredients used as compared to other cakes, it also seems slightly healthier. This time, I tried making a black sesame chiffon cake, and then I decorated it into Totoro. :)


I love black sesame and IT does not mind it. However, black sesame bakes can be a hit-and-miss thing with LT. He does not really like the taste of black sesame, if it's too overpowering, he'll probably refuse to eat anymore after the first bite. But he is fine if the taste is more subtle, and I guess the taste of this cake lean more towards subtle, as he was okay with eating the cake. I think the whipped cream helped too.


LT started singing the song from Totoro when he saw the cake. -_- My boys loved the bottom half which was covered with whipped cream, I regretted not keeping some of the leftover whipped cream to serve with the top half.


I'm sharing the recipe of the cake below. Hope you like it. :)

BLACK SESAME CHIFFON CAKE

Ingredients:
3 egg yolks
20g caster sugar
30ml fresh milk
20ml corn oil
30 g black sesame paste
48g cake flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder

Meringue Batter:
3 egg whites
40g caster sugar
5g cornflour

Whipped cream:
50g heavy cream
5g castor sugar

Method:

1. Beat egg yolks, caster sugar, and salt over a water bath until the sugar and salt have completely dissolved, and the egg yolks are creamy. 

2. Add in black sesame paste and milk to the egg yolk mixture and continue to mix them well over the water bath. Leave to cool down, stir in oil.

3. To make the meringue, beat the egg whites with a mixer on low speed until they become white and frothy. Gradually add the sugar and cornflour in intervals and beat until stiff peaks have formed. 

4. Add 1/3 of the meringue to the egg yolk mixture and mix well. 

5. Sift in the cake flour and baking powder and mix to combine. 

6. Fold in the rest of the meringue. 

7. Transfer to a 5 inch chiffon cake mould. Tap against the table to allow air bubbles to escape.

8. Bake in a preheated oven at 170C for 20-25 minutes. Remove and rest the cake tin upside down. Make sure it is completely cool before unmouldng.

9. For decoration, beat the heavy cream and sugar until soft peaks form. 
10. Frost bottom half of chiffon cake. 

11. Place a little whipped cream in pipping bag and pipe out Totoro's eyes.

12. Use melted chocolate to pipe on eyes, nose, whiskers, and details on its stomach. 

13. Make small incisions on the side of the cake for its ears. Use almond and dip the ends in as 'glue' and attach the ears.