PENANG DURIAN COTTONY CAKE [OGURA CAKE]

Again now, it's Durian [king of fruits] season in Penang.  I loved using Penang durians to bake cakes because the flesh is especially pungent, the texture is fine and soft.    The fine flesh texture makes the cake texture fine and soft too as there are no coarse/fibery pieces.   BTW, I got this durian 'free' with courtesy [hehehe] from the durian vendor.  At the durian stall, I requested for a small durian.  Told him I needed just a little to bake cakes.  Without hesitation, he said no problem.  He opened up a fruit and dumped 1 'pangsa' of durian [about 3-4 pieces] into a plastic container.  He handed it to me and said 'free for you'.  I asked 'really?, okay, thanks, I'll bake the cake and bring some for you'.  He gave me a broad smile.   What a wonderful day.

While the cake was baking, I could smell the aroma of durian coming from the kitchen,  hmmm.... awesome if you are a durian lover.

The next day , I brought several slices of this cake to the vendor.  He was so happy and wanted to give me a whole fruit this time [I didn't accept but thanked him for it].   He told me to see him whenever I need the fruit again to bake cakes.   Next time I know where to go for free durians, hehehe....... 

Ingredients

[8 or 9 inch square baking tin]

5 egg yolks

1 egg

60 ml corn oil [I used 50 ml]

70 ml milk

75 gm cake flour  - sifted - set aside

60-80 gm durian flesh - mashed into a smooth paste

1/4 tsp salt

5 egg whites
60 gm sugar [less as the durian is already sweet]
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1. Line base of a 9" 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].
2. Preheat oven to 160 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.   Add in durian paste, beat until well combined.  
4. Fold in sifted flour, stir until batter is smooth.  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 two portions until well combined. 
   
7. Pour the batter into prepared cake tin.  Shake the pan lightly and the batter will spread out nicely and evenly or 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 160 degrees C for 10 minutes, then lower heat to 150 degrees C and continue to bake for 55-60 minutes [by then the water bath would have dried up]. 
   
9. Remove cake and invert it to cool for about 3-5 minutes [otherwise the cake base may be moist because of vapour from steam-baking].   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 it is low in gluten.
   
   
   
10. Turn the cake over when completely cooled.  Refrigerate before slicing if preferred.