Almond and Cheese Chiffon Cake

This is my first baking moment back in Houston. It had been an eventful weekend with a wedding and a funeral at the same weekend. I had a totally wonderful time during the wedding - every moment of it was very warm, fun, and memorable. I am very happy for my friends! I wish them all the love and joy in their marriage.

The funeral, on the other hand, was really depressing for me. I never would have thought that the last time I saw her (in December 2008 before my vacation to Indo) was the last time I ever saw her. I was really sad and confused. This incident really shook me up and made me realize that my time here is limited - I should make the best out of it.

Anyway - back to the Chiffon. When I was in Indo, my mom's friend came over to the Villa and cooked for us. She also taught me to bake a Chiffon cake with coconut milk (a new recipe!). But more than the new recipe, she gave me an idea to mix almond into the batter to give the cake a more unique feel. In this cake, I folded in grated cheddar cheese (Kraft from Indo) and sliced almonds.

I actually think that this is the best looking chiffon that I had ever made. The complexion of the cake was uniform throughout and the way the almonds and cheese showed up at the top was really nice too. The texture of the cake was also very soft and moist. Alvin ate 2 slices at once. And I think Ryan ate a couple of slices too. I ate a good slice myself too! I still have some leftover at home - let me know if you're interested! :)