Orange Chiffon Cake

Before you start

Chiffon cake is a hybrid: an oil-based batter rich with egg yolks, lightened with a meringue of whipped whites and baked in an ungreased tube pan. The oil keeps it soft and moist for days and even straight from the fridge, while the meringue makes it tall and airy. It is richer and more tender than angel food cake but lighter than a butter cake.

The key steps are mixing the yolk batter smooth, whipping the whites to firm but not dry peaks, and folding the two together without losing volume. Like angel food cake, chiffon must cool upside down so its delicate structure does not collapse. Fresh orange juice and zest give this version a bright, clean flavor.

Ingredients

• Yolk batter250 g (2 cups + 1 tbsp) cake flour
• 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ¾ tsp fine salt
• 120 ml (½ cup) neutral oil
• 6 large egg yolks — room temperature
• 180 ml (¾ cup) fresh orange juice — room temperature
• 1 tbsp finely grated orange zest
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• Meringue240 g (about 8 large) egg whites — room temperature
• ½ tsp cream of tartar
• 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar

Method

1. Heat the oven to 165°C (325°F) with a rack in the lower third. Do not grease the pan.
2. Whisk the cake flour, 200 g sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add the oil, yolks, orange juice, zest and vanilla. Whisk from the center outward until completely smooth.
3. In a clean bowl, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium until foamy, then on medium-high to soft peaks. Gradually add the 100 g sugar and whip until the whites are firm and glossy with peaks that stand up straight but still look moist.
4. Stir a quarter of the whites into the yolk batter to lighten it. Add the remaining whites in two additions and fold gently with a large spatula until no white streaks remain.
5. Pour the batter into the pan, run a knife through it to release large air bubbles and smooth the top.
6. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until the cake is golden, springs back when pressed and a skewer in the middle comes out clean.
7. Invert the pan immediately onto a bottle neck or its feet and cool completely, about 2 hours. Run a thin knife around the sides and tube, lift out the center, then release the bottom.

Tips for success

• Use 8 eggs: 6 yolks for the batter and all 8 whites for the meringue. The 2 extra yolks can go into custard or curd.
• Glaze the cooled cake with 120 g powdered sugar whisked with 2 tbsp orange juice for a sweet, tangy finish.
• A shiny, dense line at the base of a slice means the batter was not folded well enough or the whites deflated.

Substitutions

Orange juice

Use cold water and 2 tsp vanilla for a classic plain chiffon. Lemon juice with lemon zest gives a sharper citrus cake.

Cake flour

Use 220 g all-purpose flour plus 30 g cornstarch. The crumb is slightly coarser.

Cream of tartar

Use 1 tsp lemon juice. The meringue is slightly less stable, so fold very gently.

Variations

Pandan chiffon

Replace the orange juice with coconut milk and 1 tsp pandan extract; omit the zest.

Matcha chiffon

Whisk 2 tbsp sifted matcha into the dry ingredients and use water instead of orange juice.

Troubleshooting

Cake shrank or fell out of the pan

It was underbaked, the pan was greased, or it was cooled right side up. Bake fully and invert immediately.

Dense, eggy layer at the bottom

The yolk batter and whites were not folded together well. Fold until no streaks remain, lifting from the bottom.

Cracked, overflowing top

The oven ran hot or the whites were overwhipped. Check the oven temperature and whip to firm but moist peaks.

Storage

Keep covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. Because of the oil, chiffon stays soft in the refrigerator, where it keeps up to 5 days. Wrapped slices freeze for up to 2 months.

Safety notes

The batter contains raw eggs and flour, so do not taste it before baking. Contains wheat and egg.