Classic Chiffon Cake
This recipe is flavored with orange juice and orange zest. For a vanilla flavored cake you can use water in place of orange juice, leave out the zest and increase the vanilla to 2 teaspoons
Servings 12
Cost 5
Equipment
- Stand Mixer Preferably one with two bowls
Ingredients
- 2 cups cake flour (225 grams)
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, divided (300 grams)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil (neutral)
- ½ cup egg yolks (120 grams yolks) -- from 7 eggs
- ¾ cup orange juice (or use half orange juice half water)**
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups egg whites (300 grams whites) -- from 10 eggs
- 1 ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Have ready an ungreased 10-inch removable bottom tube pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, preferably a stand mixer bowl, sift together the cake flour, all but 2 tablespoons (24 grams) of the sugar and the baking powder. Add the salt and whisk until ingredients are evenly blended.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the oil, egg yolks, orange juice, orange zest and vanilla. Attach the paddle and beat for one minute or until blended.
- In the second bowl, using a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and the cream of tartar until soft peaks start to form, then gradually add the reserved 2 tablespoons of sugar, beating until whites are just starting to form stiff peaks. Do not let the egg whites get too dry.
- With a heavy duty scraper, fold the whites into the egg yolk mixture. Be sure everything is evenly blended, then pour into the tube pan.
- Pour into a tube pan and run a knife or scraper through the batter to prevent air holes. Bake for 55 minutes.
- Invert the tube pan. If it has legs you don't need to suspend it on anything. If it doesn't, suspend it over a wine bottle or something similar. Let cool for about 1 ½ hours.
- Release the Cake: Once cooled, run a knife around the sides and center tube of the pan to release the cake. Gently remove it from the pan. Loosen the core piece and remove.
- Serve: Serve plain, dusted with powdered sugar, or with a glaze, frosting, or fresh fruit and whipped cream if desired.
Notes
If you can't get ¾ cup of orange juice out of 1 large orange, you can dilute it with water to make 170 grams. Most of the orange flavor comes from the zest anyway.