Yema Cake

I've been seeing some of my Filipino friends posting photos of yema cake the past few weeks, and I promised myself I will try to make it when I get the chance. "What is yema?", you may ask. Well, yema is a custard candy in the Philippines that is made from egg yolks and condensed milk. It is usually in a pyramid shape wrapped in colorful cellophane. A few years ago, it was brought into another level by turning it into a type of cake. I honestly haven't tried one because I haven't been to the Philippines in a long time. But I've heard and read so much about it...and learned that it's actually just a chiffon cake frosted with yema. So yesterday, I decided to try making it using the chiffon cake recipe that I normally use and my yema recipe which I tweaked a little to make it spreadable...and this is what I came up with!

The yema cakes I've seen on the web all look plain so I added some almond slices to make it fancy! I am not sure if my cake tastes like the original yema cake in the Philippines, but there's one thing I'm sure about...my family and I enjoyed it! The chiffon cake is nothing new...but the yema on it made it such a wonderful treat! 

Try it and let me know what you think...


Ingredients:

Yield one 10-inch cake

For the Chiffon Cake:

• 1¼ cup cake flour
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 4 eggs (yolk and white separated)
• ½ cup evaporated milk
• ¼ cup olive oil or canola oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ½ tsp cream of tartar

For the Yema Frosting:

• 1 14-oz. can condensed milk
• ½ cup evaporated milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 3 Tbsp butter, softened
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Instructions:

For the cake:

1. Slightly grease one 10" round baking pan. Preheat oven to 350ºF.

2. In a bowl, mix flour, ½ cup sugar, baking powder and salt until well combined. Make a well in the middle and add the egg yolks, milk, oil and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. In another bowl, combine 4 egg whites and cream of tartar. Using a mixer on high speed, mix until soft peaks begin to form. Gradually add the remaining ¼ cup of sugar and continue mixing on high speed until the mixture forms stiff peaks.

3. Fold in the meringue (egg white mixture) into the flour-yolk mixture until well combined. Pour mixture over the prepared baking pans. Bake in preheated oven for 25-28 minutes or until cake tester/toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

5. Remove from oven and allow to cool down in pan for about 10 minutes. Remove from pan and transfer on a wire rack. Allow to completely cool down.

For the frosting:

1. In a saucepan, mix all ingredients using a whisk until well combined. Cook with constant stirring over low heat for 30 minutes or until thick and spreadable.

2. Remove from heat an allow to cool down.

To assemble:

Carefully cut the cake into two even layers. Place the first layer on a cake dish. Spread about 3/4 cup frosting on top. Put the second layer on top. Spread the remaining frosting on the top and sides of the cake. Using a fork, create lines on the frosting. Sprinkle almonds on top. Slice and serve.

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