Vanilla Chiffon Cake

Fluffy, soft and airy, this Vanilla Chiffon Cake is delicious on its own but can be made more special with your favorite icing or glaze. To try flavored ones, check out Lemon Chiffon Cake, Cheese Chiffon Cake and Pineapple Chiffon Cake.

Originally published on November 2018. Updated with new photos on October 2024.

In a world of fancy desserts, frosted cakes and highly-iced cupcakes, sometimes a plain, naked chiffon cake shines the brightest for me.

Indulgence to me does not always mean the rich desserts. It also takes the form of plain and simple ones. This Vanilla Chiffon Cake is that. It is a simple cake to go with your coffee or tea- just mildly sweet, light and satisfying.

This is a basic recipe you can use. I enjoy eating it on its own, savoring the light, soft and airy texture of the cake. But of course, you can also dress it up like adding glazes and frosting.

Whatever you decide on doing, this cake tastes amazing.

Pointers and Tips for Making Vanilla Chiffon Cake

• Room Temperature Eggs. The eggs should be in room temperature for about 30 minutes. I separate them while they are cold from the fridge then let them sit at room temperature for half an hour or so. The egg whites can be whisked to full volume when they are not cold.
• Whipping the Egg Whites. You will know that you have whisked the egg whites appropriately if firm peaks form and hold their shape once you lift the whisk. Turn over the bowl carefully. The egg whites should not drip down.
• Ungreased, Non-Stick Tube Pan. You are going to need an ungreased 10-inch tube pan that is not non-stick. The chiffon cake batter needs that grip to rise beautifully at its maximum height.
• Cooling the Cake. When you have taken the baked chiffon cake out of the oven, you can cool it on top of a wire rack or better, on top of an inverted coffee mug. Set the tube pan inverted over the mug, giving a lot of space on the bottom of the cake to release the heat. This allows more air and prevents the cake from collapsing in itself.
• To Unmold Cake. Loosen the sides and inner center with a knife or a spatula. Carefully press the sides of the cake to loosen it more. Lift the tube to release the cake from the tall pan. Loosen the bottom of the cake with a spatula to release it from the base. Turn it over to a serving plate.

Let’s Make Vanilla Chiffon Cake

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the egg whites on medium speed until frothy.

Add the cream of tartar and continue to whisk until egg whites form firm peaks that hold its shape when the whisk is lifted.

Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks in another bowl until it is slightly thicker. Add the sugar and mix until incorporated. Add water, oil and vanilla extract. Mix well.

Add flour mixture gradually to the yolk mixture and mix until the batter is smooth. Gently fold the egg whites to the yolk batter in three additions until batter is uniform.

Pour batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Set tube pan inverted on top of an overturned mug and let cool.

To unmold cake, loosen sides and bottom with a knife. Using your hands, gently press the sides of the cake downwards to loosen it more. Lift the tube to release the cake from the outer ring. Loosen the bottom of the cake with a spatula to release it from the base, Remove gently and invert to a serving plate.

And here it is, simplicity at its finest. This cake slices beautifully in any thickness that you like. Bring out your fanciest tea mugs and wind down with every slice.

This cake yields a generous number of servings so you can serve it to a party. I bet you that hands will reach out for it because it is pretty enticing like that.

More Cake Recipes For You:

• Chocolate Chiffon Cake with Chocolate Orange Glaze
• Chiffon Cake with Pineapple Glaze
• Choco-Vanilla Chiffon Cake
• Ube-Vanilla Chiffon Cake
• Mango Cake Roll
• Mocha Cake Roll
• Chocolate Cake with Whipped Cream Chocolate Icing
• Tres Leches Cake
• Dulce de Leche Cake
• Ube Chiffon Cake with Whipped Cream Ube Icing
• Pandan Chiffon Cake

Vanilla Chiffon Cake

Fluffy, soft and airy, this Vanilla Chiffon Cake is delicious on its own but can be made more special with your favorite icing or glaze.

4.79 from 14 votes

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Asian, Western

Keyword: chiffon cake

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes

cooling the cake: 50 minutes minutes

Total Time: 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 10

Calories: 226kcal

Author: sanna

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Ingredients

• 7 (126 g) egg yolks room temperature
• 2 cups (264.17 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 and 1/2 cups (317.01 g) sugar
• 3 tsp (12.17 g) baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup (118.35 g) canola oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 7 (210 g) egg whites at room temperature
• 1/2 tsp (1.52 g) cream of tartar

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 F. In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the egg whites on medium speed until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to whisk until egg whites form firm peaks that hold its shape when the whisk is lifted.
• Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks in another bowl until it is slightly thicker. Add the sugar and mix until incorporated. Add water, oil and vanilla extract. Mix well.
• Add flour mixture gradually to the yolk mixture and mix until the batter is smooth.
• Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites to the yolk batter in three additions until batter is uniform. Pour batter into an ungreased10-inch tube pan. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
• To cool the cake, set the inverted pan over an overturned coffee mug and let cool completely (see photo in the post).
• To unmold cake, loosen sides and bottom with a knife. Using your hands, gently press the sides of the cake downwards to loosen it more. Lift the tube to release the cake from the outer ring. Loosen the bottom of the cake with a spatula to release it from the base, Remove gently and invert to a serving plate.

Nutrition

Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 172mg | Potassium: 156mg | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 115IU | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 1mg