Nonna Angela's Cake Sbattuta
Nonnina’s mother-in-law, Nonna Angela would make this version of a classic Chiffon Cake very frequently when Nonnina’s kids were growing up. She got this recipe from her good friend and family relative, Nicoletta Di Lello. Nonna Angela didn’t bake much as she took more to cooking however, she made this cake to perfection! She called this cake La Torta di la Paprella because they would use Swan's Down cake flour which can't be found in Canada now. This flour had a swan on the box and that's why she nicknamed the cake “La Torta di la Paparella” - it’s funny how things stick! Nonna Angela lived in Guelph and every time Nonnina and her family would go and visit her, she would have it freshly made ready to eat when they arrived to visit after a long car ride from Toronto. The house would smell of tomato sauce boiling on the stove and she would cut us a piece of cake with coffee. It was a definitely a favourite of Nonnina’s as well as both of her children.
INgredients:
8 eggs
1 cup of sugar
3/4 cups of oil (a light oil like vegetable, canola or sunflower)
1/2 cup of water
3 TSP of baking powder
1.5 cups of cake flour
1 TSP cream of tartar
Optional: 1 - 1.5 TBSP of cocoa
directions:
Preheat the oven to 350° F
Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks.
Beat the egg yolks and the sugar until it starts to get creamy white.
Reduce the speed and add the oil, mixing slowly until its all incorporated and creamy white.
Finally, add the water and mix thoroughly and set aside.
In a separate mixing bowl, beat egg whites for about 30 seconds then add the cream of tartar. Beat until stiff peaks form but not too dry, about 1 - 1.5 minutes.
Nonnina's tip: If you don't have cream of tartar you can use a pinch of salt.
Once the egg whites are beaten to stiff peaks, begin to fold them in to the egg yolk and sugar mixture, being careful not to overmix.
In another bowl, mix together the baking powder and flour and begin to gradually sift into the egg mixture, gently folding together, being careful not to over mix. You don't want to mix it too much because having some air bubbles is important to the composition of the cake.
Once all combined, pour it in to an UNGREASED chiffon pan.
Nonnina's tip: An aluminum chiffon pan is best and DO NOT grease the pan otherwise the cake will not rise on the sides. It has to be free from all grease and fat.
You add flavor to this cake in many different ways like adding vanilla, almond extract, cardamom spice or orange rind. Nonna Angela use to add cocoa to some of the mixture to create a marbled affect. To create this affect - take about 1 - 1.5 cups of the batter and sift the cocoa in to it, mixing well. Then take the chocolate batter and pour it straight into the center of the plain batter that you have already poured into the pan. Using a knife or large skewer, create swirls in the dough.
Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Nonnina's tip: When you take it out of the oven, tap the pan on the counter a couple of times to shock the cake so it does not shrink.
Cool the cake upside down in the pan so that it stretches downward further preventing it from shrinking.
Once fully cooled, run a knife around the outer edge and the inner edge of the pan. Take it out of the pan and run the knife on the bottom of the pan and slide out of the centre tube.
Dust with icing sugar to finish.
Buon Appetito!
With Love From, Nonnina