Lemon chiffon cake is my favorite chiffon cake ever. This is because the cake is moist and very airy. Additionally, the lemon adds a zesty taste to the cake and diffuse the taste and smell of the egg whites in the cake.
Chiffon cakes are baked using egg whites and egg yolks. The egg whites are separated from egg yolks during mixing stage. They are then whisked into a meringue which is then gently mixed with the rest of the ingredients. When mixing, utmost care is taken to ensure that the beaten egg whites do not deflate when mixing.
Why you will love this basic lemon chiffon cake
- It’s light and fluffy. The beaten egg whites makes this cake very light and airy.
- The lemon adds a citrusy flavor. The lemon juice and zest added in the cake adds a delightful contrast to the airy cake base.
- This cake is versatile. It can be enjoyed as is, dusted with powdered sugar or topped with a dollop of whipped cream. If these don’t appeal to you, try a lemon glaze for a tangy finish.
If you are allergic to gluten in all-purpose wheat flour, try out our gluten-free chiffon cake option.
How to make a perfect lemon chiffon cake
Baking a perfect lemon chiffon cake requires a delicate balance of ingredients and precise technique. The cake depends on the air formed when whipping the egg whites. Incorporating this air into the batter without deflating it is a make or break for the cake. The air is what gives this cake the characteristic light and fluffy texture that is the hallmark of chiffon cakes recipe.
Ingredients:
- All purpose flour
- Sugar
- Egg yolks
- Egg whites
- Vegetable oil or melted butter
- Lemon zest
- Lemon juice
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Milk
- Vinegar
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 350 °F
In a large bowl, sift flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add vegetable oil, water, egg yolks, vanilla, grated lemon zest, and lemon juice. Using a hand mixer, mix the ingredients until smooth; scraping the bowl to make sure that all the ingredients are mixed well.
In a separate bowl, mix egg whites with lemon juice or cream of tartar or vinegar to stabilize the egg whites.
Use clean beater or whisk attachment to whip the egg whites. Whip them until very stiff.
Fold one quarter of the beaten whites into the egg yolk mixture to lighten it up.
Gradually, in two additions, fold in the rest of the egg whites into the yolk mixture; fold gently until just blended each addition.
Pour the batter into ungreased tube pan. The ungreased pan will provide the cake with a grip that will help it rise.
Bake the cake in the pre-heated oven at 350°F for 50 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven, and cool it upside down, inverted over the neck of a bottle. This helps the cake to maintain its shape without collapsing back.
When completely cool, run a thin-bladed metal spatula or knife between the cake and the pan, and turn the cake out onto a serving plate.
Garnish as desired or serve as is.
Tips and tricks of making lemon chiffon cake
For a perfect lemon chiffon cake, here are tips and tricks that you can use to:
- Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks to provide structure and stability to the cake.
- Ensure that the whisk and the bowl are clean before whipping the egg white. You can wipe them with lemon juice or vinegar to ensure that they are clean.
- Gently fold in the whipped egg whites into the batter to avoid deflating them. You can use a rubber spatula to fold until just combined.
- Use room temperature ingredients to ensure that they incorporate easily and evenly into the batter.
- Chiffon cakes rely on beaten egg whites to rise and for their airy texture. When separating eggs, make sure there are no traces of yolk in the whites, as this can prevent them from whipping up properly.
- Use ungreased tube pan. The batter needs to cling to the sides of the pan for support as as it rises.
- After baking, immediately invert the tube pan onto a wire rack to cool or over the neck of a bottle. This prevents the cake from collapsing as it cools.
Basic Lemon Chiffon Cake
Equipment
- 1 Tube pan
Ingredients
- 1 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup water
- 5 egg yolks
- 5 egg whites
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp Lemon zest
- ¾ tsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp vanila extract
Instructions
Step 1: Preparing
- Pre-heat oven to 350 °F
- Have a tube pan at hand
Step 2: Mixing
- In a large bowl, sift flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add vegetable oil, water, egg yolks, vanilla, grated lemon zest, and lemon juice.
- Using a hand mixer, mix the ingredients until smooth; scraping the bowl to make sure that all the ingredients are mixed well.
- In a separate bowl, mix egg whites with lemon juice or cream of tartar or vinegar.
- Whip the egg whites until very stiff.
- Fold one quarter of the beaten whites into the egg yolk mixture to lighten it up.
- Gradually, in two additions, fold in the rest of the egg whites into the yolk mixture; fold gently until just blended each addition.
Step 3: Baking
- Pour the batter into ungreased tube pan.
- Bake the cake in the pre-heated oven at 350°F for 50 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step 4: Cooling
- Remove the cake from the oven, and cool it upside down, inverted over the neck of a bottle.
Step 5: Serving
- When completely cool, run a thin-bladed metal spatula or knife between the cake and the pan, and turn the cake out onto a serving plate.
- Garnish as desired or serve as is.
