Red and green are often considered the standard Christmas colors. This recipe presents a gentler-colored Christmas cake, featuring a cocoa chiffon base.
**Cocoa Chiffon Cake** – Warm milk/warm water: 65g – Corn oil: 50g – Cocoa powder: 15g – Eggs: 4 – Low-gluten flour: 70g – Fine sugar: 55g **Filling and Frosting** – Strawberries: 120g + 3 for garnish – Fine sugar: 20g + 30g – Lemon juice: 5g – Gelatin sheets: 10g + 2g – Whipping cream: 450g + 150g – Matcha powder: 6g **Instructions** 1. Mix 15g cocoa powder with 60g warm water until smooth. Blend with 50g corn oil until emulsified, then mix in 70g low-gluten flour. 2. Separate 4 eggs. Whip the egg whites with 55g fine sugar until soft peaks form. Mix the yolks into the cocoa batter. 3. The combined cocoa batter should be smooth. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the cocoa batter. 4. Divide the batter between two 6-inch/15cm molds (2/5 in one, 3/5 in the other). Bake in a preheated oven at 140°C for 10 minutes, then reduce to 125°C for 30 minutes. 5. Invert the cakes to cool completely, then slice into 5 layers total. 6. Cook 160g strawberries, 20g fine sugar, and 5g lemon juice into a jam. Off heat, mix in 10g pre-softened gelatin sheets. Let cool. (For a smoother look over texture, this step can be omitted, using food coloring in step 9 instead). 7. Whip 450g whipping cream with 30g fine sugar to a soft peak stage. 8. Dissolve 6g matcha powder in 20g warm water/milk. Off heat, mix in 2g pre-softened gelatin sheets. Let cool, then combine with enough of the whipped cream to make 200g total. Whip to a slightly stiffer consistency suitable for layering. 9. Mix the strawberry jam, 1 drop of Christmas red food coloring, and the remaining whipped cream. Whip briefly to a stiff consistency. 10. Assemble layers: cake, pink cream (~100g), cake, green cream (~100g), repeating. Refrigerate for 2 hours to set initially. 11. Frost the set cake with the remaining pink cream. Refrigerate for 2 hours. 12. (Optional) For a smoother finish, whip 150g cream with 5g sugar and 1 drop red coloring. Apply a final coat and chill for 1 hour. (If the initial pink cream is smooth, you can whip 600g cream total initially: ~200g green, ~400g pink). 13. Shape the frosted surface. For a textured look, use a spatula in upward strokes. 14. Pipe a decorative cream border. Garnish with halved fresh strawberries. Externally, the cake is softly pink and charming. The true appeal is revealed when sliced, showing distinct, beautiful layers. Enjoy a gentle Christmas celebration.
