Mango Yogurt Cotton Cake

It has been a long while since I baked cotton cakes or ogura cakes. At one time, these cakes were the rage and were featured in many baking blogs.

This Mango Yogurt Cotton Cake has been in "your all time favorite" on my sidebar for the longest time (together with some other bakes). When I first baked this cake, I was a greenhorn with a "fail also never mind" attitude.

Well, I had my fair share of heartaches when baking, from collapsed Japanese Cotton Cheesecake to tops of cakes peeling off when inverted on the baking rack.

When I attempted this cake previously, I baked at a lower temperature - 140C for about 55 minutes. This time, I decided to go 160C just to see how it goes and my cake was done in 40 minutes. 

After taking the cake out of the oven, I dropped the cake pan from a height onto my dining table twice, a method I learnt which apparently minimizes the shrinkage of such cakes. It seemed to work although the top of the cake got all wrinkly.

The mango flavor from the yogurt is not prominent since it is "diluted" by the other ingredients. What you will get mostly is the eggy aroma, much like sponge cake. Perhaps the addition of mango essence could enhance the mango flavor.

The texture of this cake is cottony soft and everyone who has eaten this cake loves the texture. I could easily devour half of this cake if I allowed myself to but of course I won't be so naughty to do that. Hah!

Mango Yogurt Cotton Cake

Recipe source : Adapted from an old post

Ingredients :

(1) Egg Yolk Batter :

- 70g flour (can use plain/superfine flour, I used self raising)

- 5 egg yolks

- 1 whole egg

- 50ml flavorless vegetable oil (I used grapeseed oil)

- 1 tub mango yogurt (125g)

- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional, I added just for extra aroma. Mango essence would be great.)

(2) Egg White Batter :

- 5 egg whites

- 60g caster sugar

Note : You need to steam bake this cake. For the method, please refer to my old post.

Method :

1. Prepare the egg yolk batter first. In a mixing bowl, whisk egg yoks, whole egg, oil, mango yogurt and vanilla (if using) until well mixed and emulsified. Sift in the flour and continue to whisk till well combined. Set aside.

2. Using a hand held mixer, beat the egg whites till foamy.

3. Add sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks.

4. Take 1/3 of the egg while mixture and fold into the egg yolk batter to lighten it.

5. Pour the egg yolk batter into the egg white mixture and fold the two batters using a spatula or your bare hand (I used my hand) until evenly combined (no streaking).

6. Pour batter into  lined and greased 8" baking pan and bake at 160C for about 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of the cake comes out clean.

7. Remove from oven and drop the pan from a height onto work surface twice. 

8. Let cool on a baking rack and remove from pan to cool completely.

Note : I used a pan with removable bottom.