Yema Cake

If you are like me and you always find yourself with tons and tons of leftover eggyolks
and would like to find new ways to use them up, then this post is especially for you.
Yema cake is another one of those cakes that seem to be a hit among Filipinos. Its
popularity is to the extent that the people of Metro Manila would literally flock to
the source of the best version, over 140 kilometers away. Looking at photos online,
this cake appears to be very unappealing and sloppily done. It looks as though it is
drowning in its own runny icing! But, if something so plain-looking is attracting this
much attention and praise, then it must be really, really good, right?

Image credit: L - Let's Talk, Let's Eat, Let's Wander; R - Rodillas Facebook page

The Spanish word 'yema' translates to 'eggyolk'. In the Philippines, however, yema
refers to a custard candy, evolving from the Spanish type of just mainly eggyolks and
sugar to something more milky with the addition of condensed milk.
If you google for a yema cake recipe, everything you will find have the condensed
milk/eggyolk combination for the filling and icing. I'm sure that's delicious as well but
I was told that the Rodillas yema icing was not the milky kind but instead was more
eggy in taste, true to its Spanish origin. The cake itself is a simple chiffon.
Armed with just that knowledge (and my leftover eggyolks), I experimented on my own
yema cake. (By now, surely you should know, cloning cakes is my kind of thing!)

My yema icing (which is also the filling) is made mostly from eggyolks, with some
butter and a minimal amount of milk to give it more flavour and spreadability. This
type of spreadable yema is adapted from my aunties' filling recipe for another Filipino
favourite, the Brazo de Mercedes. As you can see from the photo above, the icing is
like very bright, golden yellow. Eggyolks here in Australia (as far as I have observed),
whether they are from caged or from free to roam chickens, are very orange rather
than pale yellow.

I am not definite if my cake is close to the Rodillas cake but one thing is sure...I did
enjoy it! The chiffon cake is of course, nothing new. Yema on a cake, however, is a
pleasant first for me.

YEMA CAKE
(Since this cake requires a lot of eggyolks, this recipe is only for a small 8" cake.
Recommended pan is an 8x3 round or square.)
Ingredients:
Chiffon Cake:
{A}
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sifted cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/8 cup white sugar
{B}
1/4 cup corn/canola oil
4 egg yolks, from large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon lemon or lime extract

{C}
4 eggwhites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
{D}
3/8 cup white sugar
Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius. Line bottom of baking pan with parchment
paper. Do not grease pan. Do not use non-stick.
2. In a large bowl, combine {A} well. Add in {B}. Beat with electric mixer or by hand
until smooth and well blended.
3. In a separate bowl, beat {C} on high speed until frothy. Gradually add in the sugar
{D} and beat until stiff peaks are formed. Gradually and gently fold in egg whites into
egg yolk mixture. Pour batter into baking pan.
4. Bake for about 45-50 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Invert
pan into wire rack immediately and cool completely.
5. To release cake from pan, carefully run a thin knife around sides of pan, then invert.
For easier handling, wrap your cake very well in cling film, then refrigerate overnight
before frosting.
Yema filling and icing:
Ingredients:
12 eggyolks **
1/2 cup melted butter, cooled
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup + 2T evaporated milk
1 1/2 tsps vanilla extract
**Since eggyolks vary in size and use of small eggyolks may result to a runny icing, it is
better to weigh them. A large eggyolk is around 19 grams so use approximately a total
of 228 grams.
Combine all the ingredients in a medium-sized heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a pan
of simmering water and mix continuously with a whisk until quite thick but still of
pourable consistency. This should not take too long. It will thicken a bit more upon
cooling.

To assemble cake:
You will also need grated cheese (as much as you want!) for topping. Use a strong
tasting cheese, if possible.
Slice your cake horizontally into two equal pieces. Place one cake layer (top piece) on
your cake board, cut side up. Spread a thin layer of yema over the cake. Place the
other cake layer over the bottom layer, bottom side up. Frost the cake with the
remaining yema then top with grated cheese.