Ah, Chiffon Cake—light, airy, and wonderfully fluffy, somewhere between a sponge cake and an angel food cake. Here’s a classic recipe:
Ingredients (for a 9-inch cake)
- Dry ingredients:
- 2 ¼ cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar, divided (1 cup + ½ cup)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- Wet ingredients:
- 7 large eggs, separated
- ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
- ¾ cup (180 ml) water or milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Optional: 1 tsp lemon zest or orange zest for flavor
- For egg whites:
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
Instructions
1. Prepare your pan
- Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).
- Do not grease a tube pan (angel food pan). Chiffon cake needs to cling to the pan to rise properly.
2. Mix dry ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. Mix wet ingredients
- In another bowl, whisk together egg yolks, oil, water (or milk), vanilla, and optional zest.
4. Combine wet and dry
- Gradually add wet mixture to dry ingredients, mixing until smooth.
5. Beat egg whites
- In a clean bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
- Gradually add remaining ½ cup sugar while continuing to beat until stiff peaks form.
6. Fold egg whites
- Gently fold ¼ of the egg whites into the batter to lighten it.
- Carefully fold in the remaining egg whites until no streaks remain, but do not overmix.
7. Bake
- Pour batter into ungreased 9-inch tube pan.
- Bake for 55–60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and the cake springs back lightly when touched.
8. Cool
- Invert the pan immediately onto a bottle or funnel to cool completely (prevents collapsing).
- Once cooled, run a knife around the edges and center tube to release the cake.
9. Serve
- Slice and enjoy plain, dusted with powdered sugar, or topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit.
If you want, I can also give a chocolate or coffee variation that keeps the light chiffon texture but adds rich flavor—perfect for special occasions.
Do you want me to give that version too?
