Lemon chiffon cake

I truly love chiffon cakes - that springy, light, moist and tender cake that showcases everything eggs have to offer.  So here I am with another version I made a few days ago - lemon.

My love for chiffons is pretty well-documented.  I started with "plain" vanilla (still my favorite go-to) and went on to banana-chocolate, chocolate, and orange.  Now, I can add lemon to my list of delicious chiffon cake options.  And really, they never disappoint so please pick one and make it!

When it comes to cake, I think my family and I are up for anything regardless of the season or temperature.  But if we're going to be more mindful about it, a light chiffon cake - especially one flavored with fresh lemon zest and a touch of lemon juice - is a great way to go as far as dessert for these hot summer days.

After the whirlwind of June, and as we adjust to our new summer routine, I still can't seem to stay away from the kitchen for long.  It's nice to sit and be idle for a bit but I quickly feel the urge to get into the kitchen and bake something (then write about it here).  I make old favorites but also want to try something new.  And not finding myself with a huge backlog of things I want to make, I had the pleasure of looking through some of my cookbooks the other day for inspiration.  This lemon chiffon cake is what I landed on.

And it did not disappoint!  It's classic chiffon cake, with a flavor that's clearly lemon but yet mild and oh so familiar.  I could eat this anytime (and I say that every time I eat it)!

Since we all know how well lemon goes with fruit, feel free to grab some of those strawberries or blueberries you very likely have in the fridge and enjoy it together.


This recipe for lemon chiffon cake comes from Martha Stewart's Cakes (recipe here) and it's intended for a 7-inch tube pan.  I only have a larger, 10-inch, pan but it just so happens that I was shopping at Sur La Table last weekend and bought a couple of 8-inch paper ring molds (I really like these paper molds that I've been using).  It was meant to be.

To adapt for the slightly larger mold I was using, I used 2 extra-large plus 1 large egg instead of 3 large ones.  It worked out well but if you want to play it safe, go with 2 large eggs and 1 extra-large if you find yourself using one of these paper molds.  The cake rises quite a bit, as it should.  Mine did not overflow but it did rise slightly above the rim. 

The paper molds are quite sturdy and removing the cake (after it has cooled upside down for a couple of hours) is fairly easy as long as you take it slow.  You might not get a perfect round the way you would using a metal pan but it worked well enough for me that I'd use it again.

I like to enjoy my slice of chiffon cake all by itself.  A cup of tea (or iced tea) alongside would be nice.  If I'm having some fruit, I like it separately...

...but if you're like my husband, you pile on the whipped cream and strawberries and have a little party on a plate!  Either way, I think you'll be happy.

Real life eating, through a filter  : )

I think I now have most chiffon cake versions that I'd like to eat covered.  Maybe a matcha/green tea one will happen one day so stay tuned!  

Recipe:

Lemon Chiffon Cake
From Martha Stewart

- Makes one 7-inch cake (or in my instance one 8-inch cake with minor adjustments*) - 

3/4 cup cake flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided
3 large eggs*, separated
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (from about 3 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

* I used an 8-inch paper ring mold and instead of 3 large eggs, I used 2 extra-large eggs plus 1 large egg.  The cake will rise above the rim.  To be a bit more conservative about it, use 2 large plus 1 extra-large egg.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Set a 7-inch tube pan nearby*.  

In a medium bowl, sift together cake flour, baking soda, salt, and 3/4 cup of sugar. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract.  Add the dry ingredients and whisk together until smooth.  

Place egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Start beating on medium-speed until egg whites are foamy.  Add cream of tartar and whip on high until soft peaks form.  Slowly add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar and continue whipping to stiff peaks.

Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter.  Then add the remaining whites and fold together until just incorporated.  Transfer batter into the tube pan, smoothing the top with an offset spatula.  Bake until a cake tester inserted into the cake comes out clean, about 40-45 minutes. 

Remove cake from the oven and invert the pan over a glass bottle to cool upside down (the cake could sink/deflate otherwise).  Let cool completely, about 2 hours.  To remove, run a sharp knife around the insides of the pan, angling the knife towards the pan to try to keep the crust intact.  (If using a paper mold like I did, run knife around edges of the cake and gently peel away the paper).  Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve.