Strawberry Chiffon Cake

This strawberry chiffon cake is not only quite healthy but very yummy!
It is probably one of my favorite cake recipes because of it's very fluffy texture, and melt-in-the-mouthiness!
Chiffon cake is known for it's use of many eggs and using no butter. Its lovely by itself and with a whipped cream and strawberry filling which doesn't make it as dry, and it is very easy to make. This is a tasty cake, providing you like strawberries!

You will need:

For the cake:

1 1/3 cup plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
7 eggs (5 separated, 2 whole)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 tbsp water
1 1/2 tsp strawberry flavoring or 2 tsp strawberry paste
1/4 tsp pink food colouring paste (forget about this if you are using coloured strawberry paste. And if you want to have a lighter colour just try to "experiment")
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cream of tar tar

For the filing: (optional)

1 1/4 cups of whipping cream
1- 2 cups of chopped strawberries
1/4 - 1/2 cup icing sugar/ powdered sugar

Preheat your oven to 325 F (165C)

First you will need to prepare a "large" tin.

Then you will need to sieve your flour, baking powder and salt.

Place egg yolks and whole eggs in a large mixing bowl and beat on medium high speed until lightened in color, about 3 mins.

With the mixer still running, add in 1 cup of sugar (you will use the rest later)  in a slow, steady stream and continue to beat until the mixture is light and increased in volume, about 5mins longer.

With the mixer still running, slowly pour in the oil and continue to beat for 1 min longer.

With the mixer on low speed, add in 1/3 of the flour mixture, then 1 tbsp water. Repeat with the remaining flour & water. Then add the strawberry flavoring/paste, vanilla extract and food colouring.

You will now need to thoroughly clean your mixing bowl for the egg whites.

Now whip the egg whites on the medium speed until forthy. Add cream of tar tar and continue to beat on medium speed until the egg whites begin to turn white.

With the mixer still on medium speed, pour in the remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a slow, steady stream and whip until the whites hold stiff peaks.

Fold in 1/4 of the yolk mixture into the egg whites to lighten. Then fold the whites into the yolk mixture, gently but thoroughly, try to do this as effectively as possible.

Pour the batter into a prepared tin and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Bake the cake until it is light brown on the top and the top springs back with you touch it, which will be 55 mins-1 hr.

Make sure you don't put the cake too high up in your oven, or else it will burn, as the cake tends to rise quite high up.

Let cool upside down for about 1 hour before taking it out of its tin.

For the filling you will first need to chop the strawberries if you haven't already.

You then start whisking the whipping cream in a bowl, add in the sugar at a steady pace while whisking, continue to whisk until stiff.

Now add in the strawberries using a spoon or fork.

Try not to over mix, you still want white cream instead of pink... unless pink is what you are going for then go ahead with the thorough mixing.

So now that your cake is cold (yes?)

You will need to cut your cake in half horizontally and using a spatula or pallet knife spread your filling evenly over your cake.

Now sandwich your cake together, and then....

WHAM!

Congratulations you have made a strawberry chiffon cake! Enjoy!