Gluten-Free Vanilla Chiffon Sponge Cake

Happy New Year!  Wishing you all Prosperity, Good Health and Happiness for 2013!  

My New Year's Resolution:  to try cut out as much gluten as possible.  My tummy troubles are better when I eliminate gluten/wheat from my diet.  My test for Celiac's disease came back negative but I may be sensitive instead of allergic.  

I decided to make a gluten-free vanilla chiffon sponge cake. It was a success!  Sorry about the presentation of the cake, I had to quickly take these pictures before the whole cake was DEVOURED!

I found this recipe from SeriousEats and it is almost exactly the same as my regular chiffon cake except for the use of a gluten-free flour blend of tapioca starch, white rice flour, potato starch and xanthan gum.  The texture was beautifully fluffy, feather-light, not gummy and heavenly.  The taste was slightly powdery, but with a bit of whipped cream, sliced fresh strawberries and canned peaches, it tasted like a "real" (wheat) chiffon cake! 

Gluten-Free Vanilla Chiffon Cake

Gluten-free flour blend*
1 1/4 cup white rice flour (I used a Thai brand from an Asian supermarket, very finely milled)
1/2 cup potato starch
1/4 cup tapioca starch (I used an Asian brand)
1/2 tsp xanthan gum

Cake:
1 cup granulated sugar 
3 teaspoons baking powder 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
3/4 cup water (I used 1/4 cup milk + 1/2 cup water)
1/2 cup vegetable oil 
2 teaspoons vanilla 
5 egg yolks (or 7 if using all-purpose flour)
1 cup egg whites (8 eggs) 
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar 

Move oven rack to lowest position. Heat oven to 325°F. In large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat in cold water or milk, oil, vanilla and egg yolks until smooth.

In large bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gradually pour egg yolk mixture over beaten egg whites, folding with rubber spatula just until blended. Pour into 2 ungreased 10-inch angel food (tube) cake pans.

Bake about 40-45 minutes or until top is golden brown and springs back to touch. Immediately turn pans upside down onto heatproof funnel or bottle. Let hang until completely cool, about 1-2 hours. Loosen side of cake with knife or long, metal spatula; remove from pans. 

* if not gluten-free, you can use 2 cups all-purpose flour or  2 1/4 cups cake flour

- Adapted from Serious Eats:  Gluten-Free Chiffon Cake

My kiddies LOVED this chiffon cake.  They didn't notice anything different from my regular recipe and even wanted some for breakfast today! 

Enjoy!