Vanilla Tea cake
This vanilla tea cakeis light, soft, and delicately flavoured with vanilla and pineapple essence.It’s a simple homemade cake that pairs perfectly with a cup of tea or coffee.
Ingredients
- 3 room temperature eggs separated
- 115 g maida
- 130 g fine grain sugar
- 8 g milk powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 75 ml oil flavourless
- 75 ml milk
- A pinch of salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- A few drops of pineapple essence See notes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 7 inch square or 16x22 cm rectangular cake pan or 7x9 inch rectangular pan with parchment paper.
Separate the eggs
- Place the egg yolks in one bowl and the egg whites in another clean, dry bowl.3 room temperature eggs
- Add a pinch of salt to the egg yolks, mix well, and set aside.A pinch of salt
- Tip: Separate eggs carefully – Make sure no yolk gets into the whites. Even a small amount of fat can prevent the egg whites from whipping properly.
Mix and sift the dry ingredients
- In a bowl, sift together all purpose flour, milk powder and baking powder.115 g maida, 8 g milk powder, 1 tsp baking powder
- Sift the mixture three times to make it light and lump-free.
Whip the egg whites
- Using a hand mixer or whisk, beat the egg whites on low speed (speed 1) for about 1 minute until they become frothy and white.
- Add the sugar in three batches, beating well after each addition.130 g fine grain sugar
- Increase the mixer speed and continue beating until stiff peaks form and the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
Add the egg yolk mixture.
- Add the prepared egg yolks to the whipped egg whites and beat for about 30 seconds until combined.
Add dry ingredients and milk.
- Add the sifted dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with the milk, folding gently after each addition using a spatula with the cut-and-fold method.75 ml milk
- Pour in the oil and gently mix until well combined.75 ml oil
Add the flavorings.
- Add the vanilla extract and pineapple essence and mix until evenly incorporated.1 tsp vanilla extract, A few drops of pineapple essence
- Tip: Check the pineapple essence strength – If using concentrated essence, just a few drops are enough. Too much can overpower the cake’s flavour.
- Pour the batter into the prepared parchment-lined cake pan.
- Gently run a skewer through the batter to remove any trapped air bubbles.
Bake the cake.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Do not overbake. Overbaking can make the cake dry.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for a few minutes, then on a rack. This prevents it from breaking or crumbling.
Notes
Sifting the dry ingredients is important as it removes lumps and helps create a lighter, softer cake texture.
Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks to give the cake a fluffy and airy structure.
Do not overmix the batter, as it can deflate the air in the mixture and make the cake dense instead of soft.
Know the strength of the pineapple essence you are using. If it is a concentrated essence, only a few drops are more than enough, as too much can make the flavour overpowering.