Vanilla Chiffon Cake (video)
This classic chiffon cake is tender and light as air. It has the richness of a butter cake and the fluffiness of a sponge cake. Check out my easy method of making this wonderful and special cake that fits any occasion.
What is chiffon cake?
Chiffon cake is a type of foam cake that has a high ratio of eggs to flour and is leavened mainly from the air beaten into the egg whites. It’s similar to an angel food cake, but instead of using just egg whites, chiffon cake recipes use egg yolks as well. This gives a richer and more flavorful taste to the cake. It’s also similar to a sponge cake, which is basically just eggs, sugar, and flour, but there is oil added to the batter. This makes the texture of a chiffon cake more moist and silky, which is why it’s my favorite type of cake out of the three. It’s a very light and simple, yet delicious cake. So it’s a nice change from all the heavy, decadent desserts out there.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Easy streamlined method – The method of this recipe is easier than most. The dry ingredients and all of the wet ingredients, except for the egg whites, are prepared in the same bowl. The meringue and the egg yolk batter are prepared using the same beaters. So there is no mixing of everything separately or using a bunch of different utensils.
- No leftover egg whites or yolks – There are many variations out there, but what I love about this recipe is that it uses the same number of egg whites and egg yolks, so there is no waste and no pressure of what to do with the leftovers.
- Perfectly light and fluffy – The most distinctive feature of chiffon cake is its airy, light texture and soft, tender crumb. The texture is also smooth and velvety, offering a luxurious mouthfeel.
- Here are some reviews:
“Thank you so much for sharing this awesome recipe. I made this cake today and turned out so perfect!! My first time making a chiffon cake but this recipe did not fail me. So thank you very much.” – Ana
“Love this recipe, it’s simple and yields great results. No waste with the eggs too!! I’ve added different infusions such as pandan and every time it comes out perfect.” – Shaleen
How to make chiffon cake:
(the ingredient amounts are listed in the printable recipe card further below)
- Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and add the egg yolks, oil, water, and vanilla. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add in the cream of tartar. Continue mixing and slowly add in the sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- Using the same beaters, beat the egg yolk mixture until smooth.
- Fold in 1/4 of the egg whites into the egg yolk batter to lighten it up. Then gently fold in the rest of the egg whites in two equal parts until no white streaks remain.
- Pour the batter into an ungreased 10″ tube pan and bake at 325F for about 1 hour.
- Invert and let cool completely before unmolding.
Expert tips:
- Beat your egg whites to stiff peaks – Since the meringue is the main leavening agent in this cake, it is really important to take the time to beat your egg whites to stiff peaks to ensure your cake has a nice rise and fluffy texture. Once your egg whites reach medium peaks (a tip that folds over), continue beating but check often and once you reach stiff peaks (a tip that points straight) STOP. You don’t want to over-beat your egg whites. They could possibly break and will be harder to fold.
- Fold in stages – Start by folding in only 1/4 of the meringue into your egg yolk batter to lighten the density of the batter, making it easier to combine the rest. Then fold in the remainder of the meringue in two equal parts using an under-and-over motion with your rubber spatula. Be gentle so you maintain as much of the air bubbles as possible.
- Do not grease your tube pan – The batter needs to be able to stick to the sides of the pan to help it rise to its maximum height.
- Cool upside down – As soon as you remove it from the oven, flip the cake over and cool it upside down in the pan to prevent it from collapsing. The reason is the structure of the cake crumb is not stable until it’s completely cooled. Some tube pans have feet that you can flip and stand it on. You can also set the tube pan over a bottleneck or two drinking glasses like I did.
How to serve:
Serve plain or with a dusting of powdered sugar, with coffee or tea. It also pairs well with fresh fruit and a dollop of whipped cream or creme fraiche for special occasions.
Substitutions:
- Cake flour – It’s best to use cake flour for the most tender and soft chiffon cake. You can make your own cake flour by mixing 2 cups of all-purpose minus 4 tablespoons mixed with 4 tablespoons of cornstarch. If you don’t have cornstarch, you can use straight all-purpose flour in a pinch, but please note the texture of the cake won’t be as soft.
- Cream of tartar – You can substitute the 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar with 1 teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice.
- Vanilla extract – Can be substituted with lemon or orange zest or different extracts like ube or pandan.
- Tube pans – It’s best to use a 10″ tube pan with a removable bottom. The shape of a tube pan is perfect for the height of this cake and the hole in the center actually helps it bake evenly. If using a tube pan without a removable bottom, you can line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper to make it easier to remove the cake.
- Cake pans – You can also bake this chiffon cake in two 8 or 9-inch round cake pans. Just make sure they are at least 3″ deep and line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper. Once the cakes are done, cool them upside down on a cooling rack.
FAQ:
Yes, you can. Once it’s completely cooled, tightly wrap in a layer of saran wrap and a layer of aluminum foil and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Yes, this recipe will make about 24 cupcakes. Fill the cupcake liners approximately 3/4 full and bake at 325F for 20-30 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Yes, but for this recipe, you will need to split the batter into 2 springform pans because of the volume and how high the cake rises.
No, a plain chiffon cake does not need to be refrigerated and is best stored at room temperature.
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Did you make this recipe? Please kindly leave a comment with your star rating below.
Print
Best Chiffon Cake Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 60 min
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 12
- Category: dessert
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
This classic chiffon cake is tender and light as air. It has the richness of a butter cake and the fluffiness of a sponge cake.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (235g) cake flour
- 1&1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar, divided
- 1 tbsp (12g) baking powder
- 1 tsp (5g) salt
- 7 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (125ml) vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup (188ml) cold water
- 1 tbsp (15ml) vanilla extract
- 7 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1/2 tsp (2g) cream of tartar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F.
- Sift the flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Make a well and add the egg yolks, vegetable oil, water, and vanilla. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add in the cream of tartar. Continue mixing and slowly add in the sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- Using the same beaters, beat the egg yolk batter. Scrape the bowl as needed. Beat until combined and smooth.
- Fold in 1/4 of the egg whites into the egg yolk batter to lighten it up. Then gently fold in the rest of the egg whites in two equal parts until no white streaks remain.
- Pour into an ungreased 10″ tube pan with removable bottom. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The top should be golden brown and spring back when lightly pressed.
- Let cool completely upside down. Unmold and serve. Slice using a serrated knife.
Notes
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container or tightly wrap in saran wrap and left at room temperature for 3-4 days.
You can also freeze chiffon cake once it’s completely cooled. Tightly wrap it in a layer of saran wrap and a layer of aluminum foil. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
See above in post for expert tips and substitutions.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 338
- Sugar: 25.3 g
- Sodium: 244.6 mg
- Fat: 14.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 45.2 g
- Protein: 7.1 g
- Cholesterol: 216.1 mg
Recipe adapted from Allrecipes.com. This post was originally published on June 16th, 2016 and has been recently updated with new photos.
Hi Lily,does it matter if the water is cold?
Yes, the cold water keeps the whipped egg whites intact. If the water is too warm it will deflate the batter.
Hi! Do you still bake at 325 for 55-60 minutes if using 2 x 8 inch round pans?
No, just bake for about 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and golden on top. Enjoy!
Hey , thanks for this recipe ,this looks very delicious , but I had a couple of alterations to what I’m gonna bake so I have to check with you before hand,
1: using the same amount of ingredients but removing 1 or 2 eggs from the total 7 , that happens in this case? what possibly changes in the cake?
2: In case i want to flavor it with orange or blood orange (using juice of course) , how should I modify the ingredients and the directions?
also another little question , which is more general but since I was going to add some chocolate to the cake , perhaps in the batter before baking, how can I test the chocolate I want to use to see if it would just melt or actually burns while baking?
I’ve seen recipes with fine chocolate shavings added to the batter before baking so that is an option or I would actually top it with a chocolate sauce or ganache after baking. And just to add, the reason chocolate shavings are used and not chocolate chips is because the batter won’t support the weight of chocolate chips, it would just sink to the bottom. I hope that helps and let me know if you have any other questions. Enjoy!
Hi Ali,
1: Removing 1 or 2 eggs will decrease the volume and might make the cake more dense, so I don’t recommend it.
2: You can replace the water with juice but you’ll also need to add some zest for the flavor to really come through. I suggest reducing the vanilla to 1 teaspoon and add 1 tablespoon of zest.
Hello, please can I cover a chiffon cake with fondant?
You can try, but it’s not recommended. Because of the light texture of the cake, it might have a hard time supporting the weight of the fondant.
Hi Lily,
I made this and followed exactly the procedure but my chiffon cake turned out dense on the lower part and fluffy on top hahaha. Just to clarify, when you say “cold water” would that mean cold water from the fridge? Also since i beat the egg whites first and finally fold it in the egg yolks batter, i noticed that the egg whites melt or turned liquid. Hope to hear from you soon because i really love chiffon cake, and your recipe is easy to follow. Thanks and stay safe
Hi Lily, i made this and follow exactly the procedure but my chiffon cake turned out dense on the lower part and fluffy on top hahaha, just to clarify when you say “cold water” does it mean cold water from the fridge? Also since i whisk the egg whites first and finally fold it in the batter i noticed that the egg whites became liquid again. I really love chiffon cake and your recipe is the most easy to follow. Thank you so much and looking forward to hear from you soon 😊
Hi Joan,
Sounds like the egg whites were over-beaten causing the foam to break down and become watery. Just beat the egg whites a little less next time and you should be fine. The cold water can be from the tap or the fridge, whichever is easier:) Well, I hope the cake turns out better next time and happy Easter!
Thank you so much for your tip Lily. I’ll try to do it again. Stay safe.
Hi lily
When I read over the directions I noticed you don’t mention where the water and oil get mixed into the batter can you tell me where? Thank you
Hi Rosalie,
Sorry, it’s not clear but in step 2 it says: Sift the first 4 ingredients into a bowl. Make a well and add the next 4 ingredients. Set aside. I’ll update the post to further clarify so it’s clear for everyone. Thanks for letting me know:)
Thankyou so much . It’s one third gone already! My only error was that the base did not cook even though I had tested it.- perhaps due to being on a cold baking sheet in the Aga, a few more minutes next time. I changed the order to make it in the kenwood: Whisked egg whites and removed them , then whisked yolks vanilla oil and water, added the dry ( I reduced the sugar to 200g – I don’t understand why all cakes have so much – is it just for sweetness or does it have another function I wonder?) then folded in the white peaks. Delicious Thankyou I’ve never made a chiffon before- it won’t be the last 😊
You’re very welcome, Suzanne! Glad you enjoyed the cake so much. The main function of sugar is sweetness. However, it does play a small part in the structure and texture of a cake.
Hi Lily, thanks for your lovely recipe! I’ve baked the chiffon cake twice already but in both cases the top of the cake starts to get a little sticky after I leave it out to cool. Is there anything I can do to stop the top from getting sticky?
Thanks,
Estee
You’re very welcome and thank you for your kind words, Estee!
When cakes cool, it’s natural and expected for the tops to get shiny and feel sticky. As I’ve learned from the Tasty Pastry Kitchen, this is because of the reaction between the sugar in the cake and moisture in the air. Sugars are hygroscopic, meaning they attract water. Therefore the sugars on the surface of the cake will grab water from humid air, creating a moist and sticky top.
I made this cake in 2 cookie lined with parchment paper to make a layer cake with cream & strawberries, I used 4 layers put puffins first then next layer with strawberries & whipped cream finished it with whipped cream frosting. Was great.
Can you tell me what to use for chocolate chiffon & banana chiffon?
I want to make a atomic chiffon cake, it is one layer of chocolate, one layer of banana & one layer of white or yellow chiffon with strawr, pudding, whipped cream.
Thank you
You can probably divide the batter into 3 equal parts and add a small amount of cocoa powder (2 tbsp?) and mashed bananas (1/4 cup?) or even better, banana extract if you have (1/2 tsp?) to make an atomic cake. In theory, it should work but you’ll have to try it for yourself. I hope that helps and let me know how it turns out if you try it:)
I made it yesterday and is was absolutely perfect!! I was afraid to try the chiffon cake since all the recipes were so complicated and the comments and tips intimidating… this recipe is a breeze!!!
Actually I have to say I forgot to add the oil, and the cake came out perfect!!!
I only had problems taking it out of the mold!!! Thankfully it did not break
Glad to hear you found this recipe a breeze and that it still worked even without the oil. Though you should try it with the oil. The crumb will be silkier with the added fat. Thank you for your kind words and have a great week!
Hi, can i use a 9.5 inch tube pan?
Yes, you can. Just remember to grease the bottom and not the sides. Enjoy and have a great day!
Very VERY good! Just the right balance. Not overly sweet but so good it doesn’t need frosting. Love this recipe!
Thank you, Debi! I’m the same way. I love eating this cake on its own (and for breakfast!).
Can we bake in an ordinary round pan
Yes, you can bake this cake in two 8″ or 9″ round cake pans. Just make sure they are about 3″ deep since this cake rises quite a bit.
Hi, can I use plain flour instead of a cake flour?
You can but the texture won’t be as fine, but the cake will still be delicious.
I used half of everything! I just put it in the oven however not sure how long for….
Probably about 30 minutes or until golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
If I want to bake a smaller cake in a 8 inch round pan, can I cut the recipe in half?
Yes, cut the recipe in half and make sure the pan is at least 3″ deep.
Loved this cake. Easy to make also.
Hi! I’ve been wondering if this cake can be levelled into 2 parts? 🙂 Thank you!
Yes, it definitely can. Just make sure you use a sharp serrated knife for a clean cut. Enjoy and have a great day!
Hi! I was wondering if it’s possible to substitute cake flour with almond flour?
No, you cannot replace the cake flour with almond flour. Using almond flour will make the texture completely different. You’re better off using a gluten-free flour mix like Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 baking flour if you’re looking to make this cake gluten-free.