Ahh, Chiffon cake—light as air, soft, and perfectly balanced between sponge and butter cake 🍰✨
It’s fluffy thanks to whipped egg whites and stays moist from oil.
Here’s a classic chiffon cake recipe with clear steps so it comes out tall and tender.
Classic Chiffon Cake Recipe
Makes one 9–10 inch tube or chiffon pan
Ingredients
Egg yolk batter
- 6 large egg yolks
- ¾ cup sugar, divided (½ cup + ¼ cup)
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup water or milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
Meringue
- 6 large egg whites
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
Instructions
1️⃣ Preheat oven
- Preheat to 325°F (165°C).
- Do NOT grease the pan (important for rise).
2️⃣ Make yolk batter
- Whisk egg yolks with ½ cup sugar until pale.
- Add oil, water (or milk), and vanilla.
- Sift in cake flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Mix until smooth.
3️⃣ Make meringue
- Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy.
- Gradually add remaining ¼ cup sugar.
- Beat to stiff, glossy peaks (not dry).
4️⃣ Fold
- Gently fold ⅓ of meringue into batter to lighten.
- Fold in remaining meringue carefully until just combined.
5️⃣ Bake
- Pour batter into ungreased pan.
- Bake 50–55 minutes, until top springs back.
6️⃣ Cool upside down
- Invert pan immediately onto a bottle or rack.
- Cool completely before unmolding.
Key Tips for Success
✔ Use cake flour (or make your own)
✔ Don’t overmix or deflate the batter
✔ Stiff peaks = structure
✔ Cooling upside down prevents collapse
Flavor Variations
- 🍋 Lemon chiffon (add zest + lemon juice)
- 🍊 Orange chiffon
- 🍫 Chocolate chiffon
- 🥥 Coconut chiffon
- ☕ Coffee chiffon
If you want, I can also give you:
- Eggless chiffon-style cake (different method)
- Pan substitutions
- Troubleshooting (collapse, dense texture, cracks)
- Frosting ideas that won’t crush it
Just tell me 😊
