Red Pomelo Cake

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 80 g flour
• 20 g red pomelo flesh
• 15 ml oil
• 80 ml water
• 15 g sugar

Method

Whisk the eggs and pomelo flesh together in your 18 cm aluminium foil pan until broken and roughly combined. The fruit provides both moisture and a subtle citrus note that cuts through the richness of the egg-based batter. Add the oil and tilt the pan to coat the base — this prevents sticking during the long cook and contributes to a tender crumb.

Combine half the flour (40 g), half the water (40 ml), and half the sugar (10 g) directly into the pan. Stir clockwise with chopsticks or a fork until you reach a smooth, pale yellow mixture with no dry flour visible. The clockwise motion isn't theatre; it builds structure by aligning gluten strands without overworking them. Add the remaining flour, water, and sugar, then stir again until the batter is homogeneous and luminous. Stop when you see no lumps — overmixing past this point toughens the cake by overdeveloping gluten.

The air-fryer at 180 °C is your oven here. Set the pan on the basket and bake for 15 minutes. The cake sets from the outside inward; at the 15-minute mark, the edges will be springy and golden, but the centre will still wobble slightly when you shake the pan. Carefully remove the pan using tongs or a thick cloth — the foil conducts heat fiercely — and flip the cake using two chopsticks or a spoon. This inversion exposes the uncooked underside to direct heat and encourages even browning on both surfaces.

Return to the air fryer for 8 minutes at the same temperature. Watch the surface for a light caramelisation around the edges; the cake is done when a skewer inserted into the centre comes away with a few wet crumbs clinging to it, not batter. Remove, cool for 2–3 minutes in the pan so the structure sets, then turn out onto a plate and serve warm. The pomelo flavour will be understated but present — a whisper rather than a shout.