Is it a cake from Africa that can fly.........?

           As I was looking through the recipes that I've compiled over the years,  I sometimes wondered how  some of the creators of the recipes decided on the names of  their creations because, by just looking at the names, you'd never be able to guess what exactly they are. The only clue in the name is 'cake', 'cookie', 'roll', etc. For example, the original name of the Jelly Tip Roll that I baked recently is actually Secret Sunset Roll....Do you see any resemblance when you see the cake and its original title? I don't. So I decided to change it. ( Errr.....am I allowed to do that?) Another example is Fly African Cake....but  this time I'm sticking to the original because I think I've just figured out why the name is such....& it does make sense!

          I've had this recipe for decades & made this many times but never questioned the name until recently when my good friend & baking product taster, Nura, commented about the cake. (By the way, this lady always makes me think....about everything, even the mundane things....so I thought!) I gathered she didn't really like the cake because it's not rich like butter cake. She wondered if it's a healthy cake.... Well, you can say it is a healthy cake because it uses only 2 egg yolk but 12 egg white. So the taste is lighter than butter cake but still delicious......I think. It's so light that it can 'fly'....... you reckon.....?  'Africa' is associated with zebra & maybe this cake is supposed to have strips like a zebra. Hence the name 'Fly African Cake'!

          Ok...so much for names. Let's talk about the real thing, the cake itself! This recipe was given to me by my cousin about 30 years ago. She was the one who introduced me to weekend baking classes. I used to bake a lot of this. For one, it's simple to make and taste delicious (as far as possible, use the butter oil essence as it makes a lot of difference). The main reason is, it helps me to use up some of the leftover egg white after making layered cakes. Do try it especially if you have some egg white!

Fly African Cake

A

12 ...........................egg white (about 500g)

2..............................egg yolk

200g........................sugar

250g .......................cake flour

1tsp.........................baking powder

50g .........................cold water

1 tbsp..................... ovelette

B

3 tbsp..................... sweetened condensed milk

200g....................... butter (melted)

1 tsp......................  butter oil essence ( I used pure vanilla paste but I like this cake with butter oil essence better)

C

1 tbsp..................... chocolate paste ( I used 1 tbsp cocoa powder &  1tbsp canola oil, mixed into paste.)

100g....................... walnut (chopped into small pieces)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to180 deg C.
2. Line a 10x10 inch cake pan & grease lightly.
3. Combine A into a mixing bowl and beat at high speed until thick & fluffy for about 8 minutes.
4. Add in B & mix thoroughly, preferably using hand.
5. Divide mixture into 3  parts. Add C into 1 part & stir thoroughly. Leave the other two parts plain.
6. Place the mixture into the prepared pan by alternating spoons of plain mixture and chocolate mixture. Scatter walnuts after every plain mixture. Then, with the end of a wooden spoon or stick, gently draw swirls through the mixture to marbleize it. Don't over mix or you won't have the marble affect.
7. Bake at 180 deg C for 20 minutes.Then reduce temperature to 160 deg C & bake for 20 more minutes or until stick inserted comes out clean.
8. Remove from pan and leave to cool.