Chocolate Chiffon Cake recipe from 1949

This spongy chocolate chiffon recipe appeared in a newspaper dated January 12, 1949.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 ½ cups sifted cake flour (250g)
• 1 ½ cups fine sugar (300g)
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 5 egg yolks, unbeaten
• ¾ cups boiling water
• ½ cup cocoa powder (40g)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup egg whites (7 or 8 eggs)
• ½ tsp cream of tartar

Note: All ingredients should be room temperature unless otherwise stated.

Method:

• Preheat oven to 325°F/175°C
• Need: Ungreased 10-inch aluminum tube pan (not non-stick)

1. In a small heat-proof bowl, add cocoa powder to boiling water. Stir until smooth. Set aside to fully cool.
2. Sift flour and measure.
3. In a large bowl, sift pre-sifted flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
4. Make a well in the centre, add oil, unbeaten yolks, cocoa mixture, and vanilla.
5. Beat together with a spoon or spatula until smooth.
6. In a medium-sized bowl, add egg whites. Sprinkle cream of tartar on top. Beat until stiff.
7. Gradually add the first mixture to the egg whites, a little at a time. Gently fold until fully incorporated after each addition.
8. Pour batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan.
9. Gently cut through the batter with a knife to remove any big bubbles.
10. Bake in a preheated oven at 325°F/175°C for about 1 hour. (Start checking after 50 minutes.)
11. Invert pan until fully cool.
12. Once the cake is cooled, remove from pan and ice as you like, or serve plain. 

Enjoy!

Note:

• An ungreased pan is important because the batter needs to cling to the sides of the pan to rise properly. For that reason, non-stick pans should not be used.

Original newspaper clipping: