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, which 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 the whole egg. This gives a richer and more flavorful taste to the cake, and there is no question of what to do with the leftover egg yolks. 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 this recipe is so great:
Easy and no waste – There are many variations out there, but what I like about this recipe is that there are an even number of egg whites to egg yolks used, so there is no waste. I kept the flavoring simple with just vanilla, but you can add some lemon zest or a touch of almond extract as well. The rest of the ingredients are all your usual pantry staples. 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. 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 to make 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)
- You start by sifting the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center. Add the egg yolks, vegetable oil, water, and vanilla. Set aside.
- Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar together until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- Using the same beaters, combine 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.
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 corn starch. 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.
- 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 grease the bottom of the pan (not the sides) to make it easier to remove the cake. 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 grease only the bottom of the pans. Once the cakes are done, cool upside down on a cooling rack.
FAQ:
- How to store chiffon cake – You can cover it in a sealed airtight container or tightly wrap in saran wrap and store it at room temperature for 3-4 days.
- Can you freeze chiffon cake? Yes, you can. Once 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.
You might also like:
- Chocolate Chiffon Cake
- Japanese Cheesecake
- Angel Food Cake
- Peaches and Cream Cake
- Vanilla Bean Magic Cake
You can serve this cake as is or with some whipped cream and fresh fruit. You can also cut it horizontally and make it into a layer cake with your favorite frosting. The choice is yours; just enjoy and have fun with it.
Did you make this recipe? Please kindly leave a comment with your star rating below.
PrintVanilla 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
- 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, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Make a well and add the egg yolks, vegetable oil, water, and vanilla. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add in the cream of tartar and continue beating 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 a sealed 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.
Recipe adapted from Allrecipes.com. This post was originally published on June 16th, 2016 and has been recently updated with more information and step-by-step photo instructions.
Hi. I have not made this yet. But I
want to so badly. What would happen if I cut the sugar, and if possible, by how much can I cut it down without altering the recipe too much.
The cake is already not that sweet, but if you insist, you can reduce the sugar to 1 cup without altering the structure of the cake too much. I hope this helps and enjoy!
Great recipe! Thanks for sharing. Perhaps, a mocha flavor chiffon cake next time?
You’re welcome and thank you for your kind words! Mmm…added to my to-do list. In the meantime, I do have a chocolate and lemon version if you are interested:)
This has become my go-to vanilla cake. So satisfying and versatile.
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.
Can this be made in a Bundt pan? Would the bake time be the same?
Hi Sandy, I would not recommend using a bundt pan because it would be too difficult to remove the cake. A tube pan is best or two 3″ deep round cake pans.
This is now my go-to cake. Light, airy and delicious, and sturdy enough to handle fillings. I baked in 2 cake pans for a double-layer cake with passion fruit curd.
Hi please tell me if cooking time is the same if I use a round tin instead.
Thanks
No, the cooking time would be less in 2 round tins. Enjoy and happy baking!
Could I make this in a slab tin & use for lamingtons? Or possibly angel cake? Thanks!
Hi Amy, for Lamington cakes it’s better to use something like a butter cake that is a bit firmer. Here’s an easy recipe for you: https://www.littlesweetbaker.com/butter-cake/ I hope this helps and enjoy!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! This one was the most successful cake for me! Do you have a small batch of this recipe? I do want to use for a 6 in cake pan. 🙂
You’re very welcome and I’m so happy that you liked it. I don’t have a small batch version but my suggestion for one 6″ tube pan is to reduce the recipe by half and for one 6″ round cake pan is to reduce the recipe by a third. I hope this helps and have a great say!
This is a great recipe! Thank you so much for sharing it. I baked in two 9″ cake pans (only took 30 minutes but my oven is hot.) I cut both layers in half and layers with whipped cream and berries. I also used olive oil because I didn’t have any vegetable oil and it still came out light and fluffy and delicious!
You’re very welcome, Sara! Thank you for your wonderful feedback and that sounds like one delicious layer cake!
What is the difference between this easy chiffon cake and victoria sponge cake? can they both be used in decorative cake, or which should I use…please suggest
Chiffon cake is more moist and fluffy while Victoria sponge cake is more firm and less moist. They can both be used to make a decorative cake. I personally prefer chiffon.
can i frost the cake or will it crumble? i’m planing on using this recipe for a vanilla cake with mocha frosting,
Yes, you can certainly frost this cake once it’s completely cooled. Btw the mocha frosting sounds delicious!
Can you make chiffon cupcakes with this recipe??? I know I would have to bake them for MUCH less time, but do you think it could work? 🤔
Yes, I’ve done it before, a while ago. It makes about 24 cupcakes. I think I baked them for about 20 minutes and lay them on their side to cool.
It came out perfectly. Thank you
You’re very welcome, Lee! Enjoy!
Thank you for sharing your recipe….
Hi Lily! Have you ever used this recipe to make regular sized or mini cupcakes? If so, do you have any specific instructions on either for baking successfully? Thanks in advance!
I have and it makes 24 regular-sized cupcakes. Tip: use the tulip paper liners because they have more height for the cupcake to rise and lay the cupcakes on their sides to cool. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden on top and a toothpick comes out clean. Enjoy!
Hi Lily! Thank you for this, I’m just about to try it 🙂 My 9in pans are only 1.5 deep, can I know if this might work with that height?
No, this cake rises quite a bit so the pan should be at least 3″ deep. Do you have a springform pan?
Can I add cocoa powder to this to make it a chocolate chiffon cake and if so how much should I add???
I have yet to make a chocolate version, but it’s on my long to-do list, lol. In the meantime, here’s one from Taste of Home: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/chocolate-chiffon-cake/ I hope you like it!
If I use two 8″ pans or two 9″ pans how long will it take to cook?
Can I use Caster Sugar instead of granulated? Would it stillbe 300 grams?
Do you know what 235 grams cakeflour and 300 grams sugar is in ozs
Two round cake pans will take about 25-30 minutes or until golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Yes, you can use caster sugar and yes, use the same weight. 235g = 8.3oz and 300g = 10.6oz
Never said when to put the water, oil and vanilla in…..now have to start over!!!
It’s in step 2 and also written in the in-post instructions. However, I can see how it was missed. I’ll update the recipe to make it clearer.
If you weren’t clear about when to add the liquids, maybe asking for clarification prior to attempting to make cake would have made your life much easier. Then you wouldn’t have to start all over! Step 2 was pretty clear to me 🙂