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–+ servings

Bamboo Charcoal Cake

Charcoal doesn't taste of anything. It just makes the cake black. The unusual colour makes the cake stand out.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Resting Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 35 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 6
Calories 246 kcal

Ingredients
  

Cake

  • 1 tsp bamboo charcoal powder
  • 45 g full-fat milk
  • 10 g castor sugar
  • 45 g egg yolks
  • 35 g corn oil plus extra for greasing
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 45 g cake flour
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/16 tsp salt
  • 105 g egg whites
  • 1/16 tsp cream of tartar
  • 35 g castor sugar

Whipped cream

  • 150 g dairy cream 35% fat, cold
  • ¼ tsp vanilla extract
  • 1½ tbsp sugar

Instructions
 

  • Trim 5 mm thick corrugated cardboard to fit sides of 23 x 15 cm cake pan. Wrap each piece of cardboard in aluminium foil, shining side facing out.
  • Line bottom of 20 x 12 x 7.5 cm cake pan with 2 layers of parchment paper. Lightly grease top layer with oil.
  • Preheat oven to 160°C. Measure and prep ingredients as detailed above.
  • Add charcoal powder to milk. Stir thoroughly.
    1 tsp bamboo charcoal powder, 45 g full-fat milk
  • Whisk 10 g castor sugar with egg yolks till dissolved. Add corn oil. Whisk till just combined. Add charcoal milk and vanilla extract. Whisk till just thoroughly mixed. Sift cake flour and baking powder into mixture. Add salt. Whisk till just thoroughly mixed.
    10 g castor sugar, 45 g egg yolks, 35 g corn oil, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 45 g cake flour, 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/16 tsp salt
  • Separately whisk egg whites till frothy. Add cream of tartar. Whisk till thick foam forms. Gradually add 35 g castor sugar whilst still whisking. Continue to whisk till firm peak stage.
    105 g egg whites, 1/16 tsp cream of tartar, 35 g castor sugar
  • Thoroughly whisk yolk mixture, scraping bottom of bowl. Add half of egg whites. Mix with whisk till almost even. Add remaining egg whites. Mix with whisk till almost even. Scrape down and fold with spatula till just evenly mixed, banging mixing bowl against worktop 2-3 times.
  • Pour batter into 20 x 12 x 7.5 cm cake pan, slowly and from about 30 cm high. Jiggle pan and tap lightly against worktop till batter is level. Place in bigger cake pan. Tuck cardboard between 2 pans. Bake in bottom of oven till cake doesn't make squishing sound when gently pressed around the middle, 50-55 minutes.
  • Remove pans from oven. Set aside outer pan and cardboard. Drop pan holding cake from about 30 cm high, twice. Invert pan onto wire rack. Leave till just cool. As soon as cake is cool, slide knife along sides of pan. Unmould cake. Remove parchment paper.
  • To make whipped cream, place cream and sugar in a bowl. Whisk till cream is just stiff. Add vanilla extract. Mix evenly.
    150 g dairy cream, ¼ tsp vanilla extract, 1½ tbsp sugar
  • To frost cake, slice cake horizontally into 3 equal pieces. Invert what was top of cake so that cut side faces up. Spread evenly with whipped cream, about 2 mm thick. Top with what was middle of cake. Spread whipped cream as before. Place what was bottom of cake on cream, cut side down. Spread whipped cream as before. Chill till cream is firm. Trim 1 cm from edges. (Trimmings are, of course, perfectly edible.) Refrigerate till ready to serve.