Full question
I printed a copy of the Yogurt Pot Cake recipe that calls for 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour and 2/3 cup cornstarch and the cake is delicious but feels a bit dense. I decided to rewatch the Nigellissima episode and she demonstrated only the use of 2 yogurt pots of cornflour or whatever other flour. And from the close-up on camera the cake was a lot airier. Please advise. Thank you.
Our answer
Nigella's Yogurt Pot Cake (from NIGELLISSIMA) is made with a combination of plain (all-purpose) flour and cornflour (cornstarch) or potato starch. The inclusion of the cornflour helps to give the cake a finer, more tender crumb. Nigella's television shows are edited and the extra pot of flour was not shown in the episode, but the on-line and printed versions of the recipe are correct.
The cake is not as airy as some sponge cakes as it does not include any chemical leavening agents (such as baking powder). The only leavening is the air in the whisked egg whites and it may be that too much air was knocked out of the egg whites when they were folded into the cake batter, giving it a slightly heavier texture. It may help to first fold a quarter of the whisked egg whites into the cake batter, to lighten it, then fold in the remaining egg whites.
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