Chocolate Chiffon Cake

By norsegal8

It is a rare thing indeed that so intensely chocolate a cake can boast a miniscule cholesterol count. It happened behind my back.
I never liked chocolate chiffon cakes because the oil did not seem to enhance the flavor of chocolate the way butter does and because the lower part of the cake always seemed heavy and gummy. But my mother so loudly sang the praises of its possibilities that I decided to give it one last try. I took advantage of the synergistic effect of chocolate and walnut by replacing some of the vegetable oil with walnut oil. Cocoa offered richness, and extra whites and 1 less yolk perfected the texture so beautifully that I now use a total of 10 whites for the orange and lemon chiffon cakes as well. A serving of this cake contains only 110.6 mg. cholesterol.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa
• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 1 3/4 cups sifted cake flour
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablspoon walnut oil
• 2 tablespoons safflower oil
• 6 large eggs, separated + 4 additional whites
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 1/4 teaspoons cream of tartar

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Use one ungreased 10-inch tube pan (angel food pan).

In a medium bowl, combine the cocoa and boiling water and whisk until smooth. Cool.

In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, all but 2 tablespoons of the sugar, baking powder and salt and beat 1 minute to mix. Make a well in the center. Add the oils, egg yolks, chocolate mixture and vanilla and beat for 1 minute or until smooth.

In another large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy, add the cream of tartar, and beat until soft peaks form when the beater is raised. Beat in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form when the beater is raised slowly. Fold in 1 heaping cup of egg whites into the chocolate mixture with a large balloon wire whisk, slotted skimmer or angel food cake folder. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites until just blended.

Pour into the tube pan. Run a small metal spatula or knife through the batter to prevent air pockets, and bake for 60 minutes or until a cake tester inserted near the center comes out clean and the cake springs back when lightly pressed in the center. Invert the pan, placing the tube opening over the neck of a wine or soda bottle to suspend it well baove the counter, and cool the cake completely in the pan.

Loosen the sides with a long, metal spatula and remove the center core of the pan. Dislodge the bottom and center core with a metal spatula or thin, sharp knife (a wire cake tester works well around the core). To keep the sides attractive, press the spatula against the sides of the pan and avoid any up-and-down motions. Invert onto a greased wire rack and reinvert onto a serving plate. Wrap airtight.