Unlock the secrets to creating a wonderfully light, fluffy, and airy vanilla chiffon cake that's both easy to make and perfect for any occasion. Top it with fresh fruits or whipped cream for an irresistible treat!
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What is chiffon cake?
Vanilla chiffon cake is a delightful treat known for its light and fluffy texture, resembling a cross between a sponge cake and an angel food cake. It's a must-try among soft sponge cakes, offering a delectably airy and flavorful experience.
Chiffon cakes are made from whole eggs, flour, sugar, baking powder, vegetable oil, water, and vanilla extract. What sets it apart is the unique preparation method: egg whites are separately whipped until stiff peaks form, then gently folded into the batter, giving the cake its distinctive light and airy texture.
This fluffy chiffon cake recipe goes well with many fillings and is perfect as a layer cake like in my Strawberry whipped cream cake recipe. But we like to eat it simply with a sprinkle of confectioner's sugar and fresh seasonal fruit.
Why you'll love this recipe
Looking for more fluffy cakes? Give these a try, Molly cake sponge, Egg white sponge cake and 6 inch vanilla cake.
Ingredients Notes
You need these ingredients to make a vanilla chiffon cake:
- Eggs: Use room temperature whole eggs.
- Sugar: Use extra fin granulated sugar for sweetness.
- Flour: Opt for cake flour to achieve a lighter texture.
- Baking Powder: This acts as a leavening agent for rising.
- Salt: A pinch of fine salt enhances flavor.
- Vegetable Oil: Choose vegetable oil to keep the cake moist.
- Water: It's used to create the cake batter.
- Vanilla Extract: Use a pure vanilla extract or vanilla seed, vanilla bean paste.
- Cream of Tartar: Used to stabilize whipped egg whites. Alternatively, you can use white vinegar or lemon juice.
How to Make Fluffy Vanilla Chiffon Cake
Here are some quick visual instructions. Don't forget that full recipe instructions with exact ingredients can be found in the recipe card below!
Step 1: Start by mixing the dry ingredients, cake flour sugar baking powder, and salt. Then sift them together at least twice to get a homogeneous mixture and place the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Step 2: Add the egg yolks previously beaten with the vanilla extract, vegetable oil and water.
Step 3: Mix with a hand whisk for 1 to 2 minutes until smooth and well combined.
Step 4: Place the room temperature egg whites in the mixing bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a large mixing bowl with the electric hand mixer. And beat the egg whites on medium speed for about 3 to 4 minutes until you have a foamy mixture with air bubbles.
Step 5: Add cream of tartar and increase high speed for about 5 minutes until stiff peaks form.
Step 6: Start by adding ¼ of the egg whites to the egg yolk mixture and mix quickly with a soft spatula to loosen the batter.
Step 7: Then pour in the remaining egg whites and fold in gently, using circular motions from the inside to the outside, until you have a lump-free and fluffy texture.
Baking
Step 8: Preheat oven to 325°F / 165°C and prepare your nonstick tube pan (angel food cake pan), which should not be greased or lined. Gently pour the cake batter into the tube pan to avoid trapping air in it (run a knife through the batter to make sure there are no air bubbles)
Step 9: Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes until golden brown on top. Check for baking with a knife blade or with a toothpick inserted into the center until it comes out clean and without any traces of wet batter.
Let cool: Remove the cake from the oven and immediately invert the chiffon cake pan onto your work surface and let cool the cake upside down.
Unmold: When cool, run a sharp, toothless knife around the outer and inner edges to loosen them. Unmold the removable bottom of the tube pan to release the cake and run the knife again to loosen the bottom.
Enjoy! Place the vanilla chiffon cake on a plate and sprinkle some icing sugar on top and serve with fresh whipped cream berries.
Serving Suggestions
- Fresh Berries and Whipped Cream: Top your chiffon cake with a medley of fresh berries like strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. Add a dollop of mascarpone frosting for a delightful combination.
- Chocolate Ganache: If you're a chocolate lover, pour a rich and velvety chocolate ganache over the cake for a decadent treat.
- Chiffon Cake Parfait: Layer slices of chiffon cake with yogurt and fruit to create a delicious chiffon cake parfait.
- Ice Cream: Serve a slice of chiffon cake with a scoop of your favorite ice cream for an indulgent dessert.
- Coffee or Tea: Enjoy your chiffon cake with a cup of coffee or tea for a delightful afternoon treat.
- Toasted Coconut: Sprinkle toasted coconut flakes on top of your chiffon cake for added texture and flavor.
- Caramel Sauce: Drizzle warm caramel sauce over your chiffon cake to enhance its sweetness.
Tips for this recipe
Storage instructions
At room temperature: Store chiffon cake can be stored up to 5 days at room temperature. Wrap it in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container box to keep it fresh and prevent it from drying out.
In the freezer: Place in a storage box or wrap in cling film to keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Recipe Variations
Recipe Questions
Yes it is possible but the best is to use a special mold that is not nonstick and with a removable bottom. You can use an aluminum layer cake pan and let it cool upside down on a wire rack.
If the cake falls apart, it is because the egg whites were beaten too quickly and were not firm enough.
Or the cake is undercooked (check with the blade of a knife at the end of the baking time that it is well done before removing it from the oven)
And don't open the oven door while the cake is baking to avoid a thermal shock that would cause the center of the cake to fall out.
Yes, you can add a natural food flavoring such as lemon juice, orange blossom water, orange juice, cocoa powder or fruit puree.
More Sponge Recipes
I hope you love this fluffy chiffon cake. If you make it, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Happy Baking!
Print
Vanilla Chiffon Cake
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 slices
Description
Delicious light and fluffy vanilla chiffon cake recipe made in a 8 - 10 inches / 20 to 25 cm tupe pan or a removable bottom cake pan.
Ingredients
- 7 eggs - room temperature
- 250 g (1 ½ cup) Sugar - granulated
- 210 g (2 cups) Cake flour
- 2 teaspoons Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon of salt - fine
- 125 ml (½ cup) Vegetable oil
- 180 ml (¾ cup) Water
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
- ½ tsp. cream of tartar - or white vinegar or lemon juice
Instructions
- Mix together the dry ingredients, flour, sugar, salt and baking powder and sift at least twice.
- Place the dry ingredients in a large bowl and add the beaten eggs, vegetable oil, water and vanilla extract and mix with a whisk for about 1-2 minutes until well blended then set aside.
- Place the egg whites in a large container or in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
- Start beating on medium speed for about 3 to 4 minutes until the whites are bubbly and frothy.
- Add cream of tartar and increase speed to high and beat for about 5 minutes until egg whites form stiff peaks.
- Add ¼ of the egg whites to the mixture containing all the other ingredients and mix quickly to loosen the mixture.
- Then add the rest of the egg whites and fold in gently with a spatula until you have a smooth mixture without lumps.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F / 165°C and pour the batter into the unlined and ungreased tube pan.
- Run a knife through the batter to remove any air bubbles.
- Bake in the oven at half height for about 40 - 50 minutes until golden brown on top. Check for baking with a knife or toothpick by plunging it into the center of the cake - it should come out clean.
- Let the chiffon cake cool completely in its pan and upside down.
- Once cooled, run the blade of a knife along the inside and outside edges of the pan to release it. Remove the bottom of the pan to take out the cake and run the knife again to remove the bottom of the tube cake.
- Place the vanilla chiffon cake on a large plate and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar on top and serve with homemade whipped cream and fresh fruit.
Notes
Storage: at room temperature for up to 5 days in a storage box or wrapped in plastic wrap or up to 3 months in the freezer.
- Use room temperature ingredients.
- Do not line or grease the cake pan and use a non-stick, removable bottom pan.
- Let cool completely upside down before removing from pan.
- You can replace the cream of tart with the same amount of white vinegar or lemon juice.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Cake, dessert,
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 270
- Sugar: 21 g
- Sodium: 140.7 mg
- Fat: 12.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 36.2 g
- Protein: 4.6 g
- Cholesterol: 108.5 mg
Super soft but just a bit hard to remove from the pan, thanks for the recipe.