Lemon Chiffon Cake
Lemon Chiffon Cake has the bright lemon flavor of a layer cake and the light, airy texture of a chiffon — the best of both worlds.
Table of contents
What is Chiffon Cake?
Chiffon cake is a cross between a rich butter cake and an airy sponge cake — lighter than one, richer than the other. Learn all about chiffon cake technique here.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Cake Flour – Low protein cake flour makes a very tender cake. I prefer bleached cake flour for the softest crumb, but unbleached cake flour will work.
- Lemons – Fresh lemon juice replaces the water in the recipe for a tangy flavor. Lemon zest has the oil which contributes the full lemon flavor.
- Oil – The oil not only adds moisture to the cake, but also coats the flour which prevents gluten formation. Oil stays liquid when chilled, so the cake will stay soft, even when refrigerated.
- Eggs – Eggs provide both structure and lift. The yolks emulsify the oil and liquid for a smooth batter; the whipped whites create the airy texture chiffon is known for.
- Baking Powder – It looks like a lot of baking powder in the recipe. But this cake needs to rise high in the oven. The structure from the eggs will support the air in in the cake and the baking powder will expand those bubbles for the lightest cake.
Process Photos
Here’s what the recipe process looks like at each stage. Refer to the recipe card below for measurements and exact instructions.
- Combine the oil and sugar with the yolks before adding the lemon juice. The sugar will prevent the yolks from “cooking” when the lemon juice is added.
- Whisk to emulsify the batter.
- Add the dry ingredients.
- Whisk to lighten the batter.
- Whisk the whites to full peak.
- Fold the whites into the batter.
- Pour the batter into an ungreased tube pan.
- Bake until the center of the cake springs back when lightly pressed.
- Cool the cake upside down.
Storage:
Lemon Chiffon Cake can be held at room temperature for 3-4 days. Leftover slices can be wrapped and frozen for 1-2 months.
More Chiffon Cakes:
More Ways to Use Chiffon Cake:
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Lemon Chiffon Cake Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 3 ½ oz vegetable oil (½ cup)
- 12 oz granulated sugar (1 ½ cups, divided)
- 6 large eggs (room temp, separated)
- 6 oz lemon juice (about 5 lemons)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (finely grated)
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract
- 10 oz cake flour (2 ¼ cups, see note)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon table salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Use an ungreased 10" tube pan (not non-stick).
- Combine 3 ½ oz vegetable oil, 8 oz granulated sugar and 6 egg yolks in a mixer bowl and stir to combine. Add 6 oz lemon juice,1 tablespoon lemon zest and ½ teaspoon lemon extract. Mix on medium speed until well combined.
- Sift 10 oz cake flour with 1 tablespoon baking powder and ½ teaspoon table salt. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients to yolk mixture. Whip on high speed for 1 minute, then set aside
- Whip 6 egg whites on medium speed to soft peak. Gradually add 4 oz granulated sugar, increase the speed to medium high and whip to full peak. Fold the whites into the yolk mixture in three increments.
- Pour the batter into the pan. Bake until the middle of the cake springs back with lightly pressed, about 45 minutes.
- The the pan upside down over a cooling rack and cool completely before removing from the pan.
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Hi, I was reading the info on when to use baking soda vs baking powder which indicated you should use baking soda to neutralize the acidity plus baking powder.
I noticed however that the lemon chiffon sponge doesn’t have any baking soda in the recipe. Can you explain this as I was expecting baking soda as well as the baking powder to be in the recipe.
I have also tried a lemon chiffon recipe previously and found it didn’t rise but the original version didn’t have lemon.
Hi Mary, thanks for the thoughtful question. It is true that baking soda is used with acidic ingredients. The alkaline baking soda reacts with and neutralizes acidic ingredients to produce gas to help the cake rise. Baking Powder has both acid and alkaline in it so it has that reaction built in. Sometimes I don’t want to neutralize the acid in a recipe. For this recipe I want to preserve the zing from the lemon juice. It a creative choice I sometimes make.
I live in Denver, do I need to make adjustments for higher altitude?
Probably, but I’m not a high altitude expert. Perhaps another reader with knowledge could weigh-in?