Chiffon Cake - Pulut Hitam/Black Glutinous Rice

My family and I really love to eat chiffon cakes. They are so light, soft and yet full of flavour. To me, it's like sponge cake, but more fluffy and moist. I have been regularly making chiffon cakes, and my family and friends have all loved the chiffon cakes I made. It is quite an easy cake to make as long as you get the recipe and steps right.

This chiffon cake uses black and white glutinous rice. You can opt to use ready made glutinous rice flour or be like me, get the glutinous rice and grind them up yourself. This cake has a nice unique black glutinous rice aroma to it. The coconut milk adds a 'lemak' feel to the cake but not overpowering nor oily. The glutinous rice needs to be prepared at least 24hrs beforehand, better if it's prepared 48hrs. If you do not prepare it well, there will be hard crumbs in your chiffon cake, which some might not like it. Afterall, chiffon cakes are meant to be soft and fluffy.

back & white glutinous rice ground into fine powder

cooked ground glutinous rice

coconut milk cooked to a thick consistency

I always use the best vanilla for all my recipes. I have found this brand Nielson Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract to be the best. It has the very distinct natural vanilla aroma unlike the cheaper ones that you usually get from the supermarket.

egg whites beaten to stiff peaks

use a large balloon hand whisk to incorporate the egg whites and egg yolk mixture

the batter after all the ingredients have been mixed together

invert the cake onto a small bowl to cool the cake completely

use a flat blade knife and run it along the sides of the tube pan

run flat knife along the base of the tube pan

Chiffon Cake - Pulut Hitam/Black Glutinous Rice

Ingredients:

8 egg yolks (55g eggs - room temperature)
400ml thick coconut milk*
160g black glutinous rice }
20g white glutinous rice   } **
1tsp vanilla essence
100g cake flour (sifted)
10g baking powder (sifted)
120g castor sugar

10 egg whites (55g eggs - room temperature)
120g castor sugar
3g cream of tar tar

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180C (top & bottom heat without turbo fan) or 160C (top & bottom heat with turbo fan)
2. Using an electric mixer with the balloon whisk attached, whisk the egg whites on medium high speed till foamy. Add in the sugar and cream of tar tar. Whisk till stiff peaks form (see pic) - do not over whisk else it will be a bit harder to incorporate it to the egg yolk mixture. Set aside. 
3. Using the same balloon whisk attachment, whisk egg yolks, cooked coconut milk, prepared pulut hitam, vanilla essence, cake flour, baking powder and sugar together. Whisk on high speed for 3 mins or till there are no lumps in the mixture.
4. Take 1/3 of the egg white mixture and fold it into the egg yolk mixture. Do this with a large balloon hand whisk. Mix well, then add in the rest of the egg whites - fold gently, taking care not to deflate the egg whites. Batter is ready when it is in uniform color.
5. Pour batter into a 25cm tube pan. Do not grease or line the pan. Place it into the preheated oven and bake for 80mins.
6. Cake is done when cake tester/skewer comes out clean.
7. Immediately invert the cake and leave to cool completely (see pic).
8. Once cake is completely cooled, use a flat knife and run it along the sides and base of the tube pan (see pic).
9. Place on a plate & serve. Cake should preferably be consumed within 3 days.

*Coconut Milk:
Place 420ml thick coconut milk into a shallow pan and cook over medium high heat till it becomes very thick in consistency (see pic). Keep stirring as you cook to prevent it from burning. Leave to cool before use.

**Glutinous Rice:
Mix both glutinous rice together and grind into a fine powder. Place it into a tupperware container, add enough water to cover it well. Leave in the fridge for 24-48hr. After it has been well soaked, pour away excess water leaving 420ml of the mixture. Microwave this mixture on high for 3 mins. Stir well and leave aside to cool before use.