Here’s a clear, classic guide to Chiffon Cake — light, airy, and moist, somewhere between sponge and butter cake 🍰
What Is a Chiffon Cake?
A chiffon cake is:
- Made with oil instead of butter (for extra moisture)
- Leavened with whipped egg whites (like a sponge cake)
- Very light, fluffy, and tender
- Baked in a tube or angel food pan and cooled upside down
Classic Chiffon Cake Recipe
Ingredients (10-inch tube pan)
Dry
- 2¼ cups cake flour
- 1½ cups sugar (divide: 1 cup + ½ cup)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
Wet
- ½ cup neutral oil (vegetable or canola)
- ¾ cup water or milk
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Meringue
- 5 large egg whites
- ½ tsp cream of tartar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C).
Do not grease the pan. - Mix dry ingredients (except ½ cup sugar).
- Add wet ingredients to dry mixture and mix until smooth.
- Whip egg whites with cream of tartar.
Gradually add remaining ½ cup sugar.
Beat to stiff, glossy peaks. - Fold meringue into batter in 3 additions, gently.
- Pour into pan and smooth top.
- Bake 50–60 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.
- Cool upside down completely before removing from pan.
Key Tips for Success
- ❌ Do not grease the pan — the cake needs to cling
- Use oil, not butter
- Fold gently to keep air in
- Cool fully before unmolding or it will collapse
Popular Variations
- Orange chiffon (replace water with orange juice + zest)
- Pandan chiffon
- Lemon chiffon
- Chocolate chiffon
- Coffee chiffon
If you’d like, I can:
- Adjust this for a smaller pan
- Give a no-tube-pan method
- Troubleshoot collapsed or dense cakes
- Share a specific flavor version
Just tell me 😊
