TOPO VANILLA COTTONY CAKE [OGURA CAKE]

A slightly difference in the quantity of some ingredients with no increase in number of eggs.  Custard powder is also used for this cake.  However, the cake texture is soft, moist and cottony like other cottony cakes.

Basic flavour of this cake is vanilla but I used the topo map idea to create a more 'sophisticated' look.  

Ingredients

[8 inch square baking tin]
5 egg yolks
1 egg

55 ml corn oil

70 ml milk

1 tbsp icing sugar [original uses 30 gm]

85 gm cake flour  - sifted

15 gm custard powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla essence

5 egg whites
70 gm sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

some chocolate, green and yellow colouring [can use any colour combination you like]

some cocoa powder for dusting in between layers

1. Line base of a 8" square tin with grease proof paper.   I greased the sides, too and sprinkle lightly with a little flour [this way, the cake can be easily removed from pan after cooling].  I used a 9" pan and the cake is not that tall.  Use 8" pan if you want a taller cake.
2. Preheat oven to 170 degrees C.    Place a baking tray on the lowest rack, pour in enough water [about 1.5 cups] for steam baking, then place a baking rack over it.  
3. Whisk egg yolks and 1 whole egg until creamy then gradually drizzle in the corn oil followed by milk.    Whisk until well combined.
4. Fold in sifted flour and stir until batter is smooth.  Stir in vanilla essence. Set aside.
5. Use a cake mixer, whisk egg whites until frothy, then add in cream of tartar.  Beat until soft peaks then gradually add in the sugar in 3 batches and whisk until stiff peaks formed.  Do not over beat egg whites otherwise it may be difficult to fold in to egg yolk mixture.
6. Fold in 1/3 of the meringue into the egg yolk mixture until combined.   Then fold in the rest of the meringue lightly in 3 portions until well combined.  Divide batter into 4 portions.  Add in the colouring, mix well.
7. Scoop the batters alternately to create the uneven layered effect of the cake into prepared cake tin.  After putting each layer, dust some cocoa powder over it using a small sieve.  Shake the pan lightly and the batter will spread out itself].  Tap baking tray on work surface a few times to release trapped air bubbles before baking. 
   

   

   
   
8. Place it over the baking rack to steam bake cake in a preheated oven at 170 degrees C for 45-50 minutes [by then the water bath would have dried up].    You can also bake the cake at 150 degrees C for 70 minutes.
9. Remove cake and invert it to cool for about 5 minutes [otherwise the cake base may be moist because of vapour from steam-baking]. 
10. Remove baking tin and the paper linings immediately and leave cake to cool on a wire rack [base facing upwards].  The cake may shrink a little when cooled because of less flour used [low gluten cake].
11. Turn the cake over when completely cooled.  Refrigerate before slicing if preferred.