Banana Chiffon Cake is a light and airy cousin to angel food cake and sponge cakes but with a tender bite and rich banana flavour. It’s full of banana flavour yet supremely tender. You must properly separate the egg whites from the yolks. Eggs separate more easily when cold, so separate them immediately after taking them out of the refrigerator.
Even the tiniest bit of yolk can inhibit the beating quality of the whites. It’s best to separate each white into a small bowl. Then transfer the white to the extra-large bowl you will beat them. Place the yolks in another mixing bowl. This way there’s no chance of any yolk contaminating the whites. Allow the egg whites to come to room temperature to ensure they easily come to stiff peaks. Use a clean, dry, non-plastic beaters and mixing bowl.
A speck of oil or egg yolk on either one can minimize the volume of the beaten egg whites. Do not overbeat or under beat egg whites—your cake may fall. Banana Chiffon Cake relies on upon stiffly beaten egg whites for its height and airiness. Combine whipped egg whites of an angel food cake and the beaten egg yolks of sponge cake with canola oil instead of butter make for a light and airy cake with incredible tenderness and rich flavour.
And since It’s is substantially less sweet than angel food cake and it’s sturdiness and rich flavour can stand up to almost anything you put on it, you can really get creative with glazing, frosting and garnishing. Although whipped cream and berries or a scoop of vanilla ice cream is pretty much perfection.
Ingredients;
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 medium banana ripe
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 7 large eggs
- 1 small lemon zested and juiced
- 1 teaspoon dark rum or vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
Instructions;
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Immediately when the eggs are removed from the refrigerator, separate the whites and the yolks, placing the yolks into a medium bowl and the whites into your stand mixer bowl or another large bowl for beating.
- Let the whites sit on the counter until they come to room temperature, no longer than 30 minutes.
- Beat the room temperature egg whites on low speed until foamy.
- Add 2 teaspoons lemon juice and beat on medium or medium-high until the whites are smooth and glossy and stand straight up ‘stiff peaks’. This may take upwards of 3-5 minutes, but be careful not to overmix.
- Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Add ripe banana to the egg yolks and mash. Mix in oil, 3/4 cup cold water and dark rum.
- Pour banana mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until light and smooth, at least 1 minute.
- Slowly pour banana mixture over the beaten egg whites and gently fold until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Pour into ungreased and bake 55 minutes or until the top slightly springs back when you press it and a toothpick inserted in the top comes out clean.
- Invert pan onto legs and cool at least 45 minutes before reinverting pan.
- Carefully run a knife around the edge of the pan just to release the cake and turn onto a cake plate. Remove the top in the same way.
- Glaze with lemon icing, slice with a long serrated knife and serve.
