This cake is my family’s favourite, is simple and perfect for a lazy weekend. It’s perfect alone or served with powdered sugar or whipped cream. This cake is best made in a time pan, if you don’t have one, you cann use a bundt pan that is well-buttered and dusted with flour. Start by beating the egg whites with a pinch of salt until foamy then gradually add half of the powdered sugar and continue beating until it reaches a stiff peak but be careful you do not overbeat.

Transfer the meringue into a clean bowl and set that aside. Add the egg yolks into the bowl with the remaining powdered sugar in start beating on low speed then gradually increase the speed and add oil once the oil is well mixed in, add warm water then the vanilla extract and beat that for about five to ten minutes or until it doubles in volume.

Sift the dry ingredients into the egg yolks mixture and mix it in then introduce the meringue into the batter and carefully fold it in with a spatula.  This is the most important step in the recipe, do not stir the meringue into the batter but fold it so you do not deflate the egg whites. Divide the batter into two then add cocoa powder to one portion of the batter and mix it well until you get a homogenous mixture.

Add vanilla batter halfway into the tube pan making sure the batter does not spread to the other half portion of the pan then pour the chocolate batter into the other half. Bake in a 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted at the centre comes out clean. Once baked, invert it onto a wire rack and serve with whipped cream or powdered sugar.

Ingredients;

• 5 eggs, separated and at room temperature
• 2 cups (240 grams) powdered sugar, divided
• 2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (118 ml) oil
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) warm water or milk
• 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
• pinch cream of tartar or use 1/2 tsp lemon juice or vinegar (it helps to stabilize egg whites, if you don’t have any of these, skip it)

Instructions;

1. Lightly butter and grease a tube pan or bundt pan then preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176-180C).
2. In a large bowl, sift together flour(2 cups) and baking powder(2 tsp), salt(1/4 tsp) set aside.
3. Separate the yolks from the egg whites then pour egg whites into a clean bowl of your mixer. If your eggs are too cold place them into warm water in their shells for about 5 minutes to warm them up to room temperature.
4. Into a clean bowl add 5 egg whites at room temperature then beat egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy.
5. Gradually add half of the powdered sugar(1 cup) and beat it in with a wire beater until stiff and glossy peaks are formed, remove the meringue and set it aside in another bowl.
6. Into the same bowl, you used to make the meringue pour all of the egg yolks (5 egg yolks). Add remaining powdered sugar(1 cup) and beat egg yolks and powdered sugar with a wire attachment on medium-high speed until it reaches a ribbon stage and the mixture has doubled in volume.
7. Add oil(1/2 cup) to the egg yolk mixture and mix it on medium-low speed then add in lukewarm milk or water( 1/2 cup) and beat for 5 minutes then add in vanilla extract for flavouring.
8. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture into the egg yolk mixture and carefully fold the flour in with a spatula, then add about 1/3 of the meringue and fold it in. Continue with the rest of the flour and meringue until no streaks are visible and all the dry ingredients are moistened.
9. Take about 2-3 cups of sponge cake batter and pour it into an empty bowl then add sift cocoa powder(3 tbsp) over the cake batter and fold the cocoa powder into the yellow cake batter.
10. Pour about 1/2 of the remaining yellow batter into the prepared bundt or tube cake pan halfway into the pan then pour the cocoa batter on the side.
11. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 30-35 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes then invert the cake onto a cooling rack and let it cool completely…