If a traditional white cake had a baby with an angel food cake, the product would be this classic Southern chiffon cake. The cake is insanely light and airy yet rich and tender. Serve with whipped cream and fresh berries for a elegant and timeless dessert everyone is sure to love.
I made this chiffon cake the other night for a dinner party. We had a shrimp and grits bar, where everyone made their own bowl, and this chiffon cake was served with fresh whipped cream and berries for dessert. It didn't matter how full people were from dinner. That cake was downed in two seconds...before I could even get great pictures of the cake. Even friends who said they didn't really care for vanilla cake loved this one because it's not a vanilla cake exactly. And it's not an angel food cake. It's a chiffon cake!
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email below, and I'll send it to you. Plus, you'll get delicious new recipes from me!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Worn Slap Out
Why You'll Love this Cake
- The cake is so fluffy. Think a hybrid between an angel food cake and a traditional white cake.
- Much less sugar than a lot of other chiffon cakes. I've played around with the recipe as not to give you a tooth ache.
- Crazy easy to make. This cake only requires 15 minutes of your time. The rest of the time, the oven is doing the work.
- A classic dessert everyone loves. I have a daughter who seems to only like chocolate desserts...until she met this cake. It's the kind of cake that everyone loves even if you're not a vanilla cake kinda person. Make it for birthdays, family events, a random Tuesday...it'll be a hit no matter the occasion.
If you love this cake, be sure to check out my Copycat Nothing Bundt Cake, Easy Rainbow Cake, and the ever-popular Double Chocolate Bundt Cake.
Jump to:
Angel food cake vs. chiffon cake
Angel food cakes uses only egg whites, while a chiffon cake uses the whole egg. Despite using the whole egg, the chiffon cake still whips up the egg whites separately and folds them into the rest of the cake batter so it's still very light and airy. The yolks gt mixed with the rest of the wet ingredients.
Also, angel food cake only uses flour, eggs, and sugar. There's no butter or oil. I've used oil in this recipe instead of butter to increase the moistness. Oil also make it not as crazy rich so it doesn't feel heavy in your stomach.
Ingredients You'll Need
You don't need any fancy ingredients for this cake except for cake flour. The rest of the ingredients you likely already have in your pantry.
- Cake flour: I definitely recommend using cake flour over all-purpose flour. Your cake will be much more tender, which is essential to get that chiffon cake lightness. This is because cake flour has less protein.
- Sugar: Use standard granulated sugar. You could also use superfine sugar if you'd prefer.
- Baking powder: Helps the cake grow beautifully tall and fluffy (along with the egg whites)
- Salt: The ever important ingredient in baked goods (or any good!)
- Eggs: You'll separate the yolks from the whites and will use both the yolks and the whites.
- Oil: Using oil instead of butter keeps this cake super m-o-i-s-t
- Water: Feel free to use milk if you'd prefer.
- Vanilla Extract: Always use the pure stuff. You can use vanilla bean paste if you prefer.
- Cream of Tartar: This helps the egg whites get nice stiff peaks so they'll make the batter airy and light.
The recipe card below has the exact measurements for the chiffon cake.
How to Make A Chiffon Cake
Making a Southern chiffon cake is easy. Just follow these simple instructions to create a light, airy and quintessentially Southern chiffon cake your grandma would be proud of.
- Step 1: Sift the cake flour, 1 cup of sugar, baking powder, and salt together.
- Step 2: Add the egg yolks, oil, water, and vanilla extract. Stir until just combined.
- Step 3: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until it starts to get lighter and frothy. Add the remaining ¼ cup of sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
- Step 4: Stir ⅓ of the egg white mixture into the rest of the cake batter. Then gently fold the remaining ⅔ of the egg whites into the batter, trying to keep as much air in the batter as possible.
- Step 5: Pour into a greased tube or bundt pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes.
- Step 6: Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Then run a knife down the side of the bundt pan before flipping over. Completely cool before serving.
Chiffon Cake's Quintessential Tube Pan
Chiffon cakes are typically baked in a tube pan, so when it is sliced it almost resembles a pound cake with it's flat top and bottom.
I don't own a tube pan, and if you know me, you know I try to be a kitchen minimalist. Instead, I use my bundt cake pan. This chiffon cake recipe works beautifully in a bundt cake pan. Maybe one day I'll break down and buy one. Today ain't that day!
Some people don't grease the pan before baking a chiffon cake to ensure the cake rises rather than falls. I've never had this problem before, and I always worry not greasing the pan will cause the cake to come out of the pan in large chunks (which always ruins your dessert).
What to Serve with Chiffon Cake
- Lemon Curd (it's hard not to eat this by the spoonful)
- Fresh berries and whipped cream
- Chocolate ganache (this is the ganache I always use)
- Cookie butter glaze (the top layer of this cheesecake)
- Strawberry topping
Storage
Store the cake at room temperature wrapped in plastic wrap. The cake will stay fresh for 2-3 days. You can also put the cake in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
This cake also freezes well for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap then put in an airtight freezer bag.
More Cakes & Cheesecakes
Check out these other cake recipes on the website!
All Desserts
Browse a whole lot of other desserts you'll surely love!
Classic Southern Chiffon Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar divided
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 7 large egg yolks room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup cold water
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 7 large egg whites room temperature
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 F. Generously coat a bundt or tube pan with cooking spray and flour.
- Sift the cake flour, only 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.
- Add the egg yolks, vegetable oil, water, and vanilla. Stir until just combined.
- In a bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites until frothy. Add in cream of tartar. Continue beating, slowly adding ¼ cup of the remaining sugar. Continue beating until stiff peaks form (when the merengue keeps its shape).
- Stir ⅓ of the egg white mixture into the cake batter bowl. Fold in the remaining ⅔ of the egg whites using a spatula to create as much air as possible. No white streaks should remain.
- Pour into a greased 10" bundt pan or tube pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cool for 10 minutes before flipping it over and removing from the pan. Slice and serve with whipped cream and fresh berries.
Comments
No Comments