Light as air, delicately sweet, and towering like a dream this Chiffon Cake is everything you crave in a sponge and more 🌥️✨. Picture a melt-in-your-mouth crumb that’s springy yet moist, scented with real vanilla, and tall enough to make angels jealous. No heavy frostings needed just a dusting of powdered sugar or a spoonful of fresh berries, and you’ve got dessert royalty on a plate.
Whether you’re celebrating a birthday 🎂, prepping an elegant tea-time treat ☕, or simply want to master the fluffiest cake on the internet, this recipe is your golden ticket. It looks bakery-fancy, but comes together with everyday pantry staples and one single tube pan. One bite and you’ll understand why this chiffon cake has a cult following across Asia and beyond.
💡 Ready to bake the softest slice of your life? Scroll down because this chiffon cake is about to become your signature showstopper 🍰💖.
✔️ Cotton-soft crumb that literally springs back when you poke it
✔️ Tall, proud rise with zero chemical leaveners beyond eggs
✔️ Subtle vanilla aroma perfect canvas for fruit, curds, or whipped cream
✔️ Uses oil instead of butter, so it stays moist for days
✔️ One-bowl yolk batter + simple meringue = minimal cleanup
• 23 cm (9-inch) two-piece tube or chiffon pan (do NOT grease)
• Large balloon whisk & rubber spatula
• Stand or hand mixer with whisk attachment
• Fine-mesh sieve for flour
• Kitchen scale or measuring cups/spoons
• Long-neck bottle or funnel for cooling upside-down
🌻 Vegetable oil – Locks in moisture without heaviness.
🥛 Fresh milk – Lightens batter for an airy texture.
🌼 Vanilla – Pure extract for classic aroma.
🍰 Cake flour – Ultra-low protein for tenderness.
🥚 Egg whites – Powerhouse of lift when whipped to glossy peaks.
🍋 Cream of tartar – Acidic stabilizer for meringue structure.
Preheat oven to 160 °C (320 °F) 🔥
Line the base of a 23 cm chiffon pan with parchment—leave sides bare so the cake can climb 🌤️
1️⃣ Yolk batter
Whisk egg yolks + 25 g sugar until pale & ribbon-thick ☀️
Drizzle in oil → milk → vanilla and whisk smooth 🥛✨
Sift cake flour + salt on top; whisk just until silky—no lumps 🌪️
2️⃣ Meringue
In a clean bowl, beat egg whites until foamy 🌊
Add cream of tartar, then slowly rain in 80 g sugar ☁️
Whip to glossy, stiff peaks that curl like a bird’s beak 🐦
3️⃣ Fold
Fold ⅓ of the meringue into yolk batter to loosen 🔄
Gently fold in the rest in two additions slow figure-eights, no stirring 🥄💫
4️⃣ Bake
Pour batter into ungreased pan from low height 📏
Tap pan twice on counter to pop big bubbles 💥
Bake 45–55 min, until toothpick comes out clean 🍰✅
5️⃣ Cool
Immediately invert pan onto a bottle neck 🍼
Cool completely upside-down—about 2 hrs ⏳
6️⃣ Serve
Run a thin knife around sides & tube to release 🔪
Slice with a serrated knife and enjoy your cloud-soft masterpiece ☁️💖
✨ Room-temperature eggs whip higher 30 min on the counter does wonders.
✨ Sift flour twice for extra air and zero lumps.
✨ Don’t open the oven door before 40 min temperature drops collapse cakes.
✨ Cut with a sawing motion, not downward pressure, to keep slices even.
✨ Make it citrusy: swap vanilla for 1 tsp lemon zest + 2 tsp juice.
❄️ Room temp: Wrap cut edges with plastic; keeps 2 days.
❄️ Fridge: Whole cake in airtight container up to 5 days bring to room temp for best texture.
🧊 Freeze: Wrap individual slices in plastic + foil; freeze 1 month. Thaw unwrapped at room temp for 30 min.
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Cloud-soft, vanilla-scented chiffon cake baked in a tube pan for ultimate height and an airy, cotton-like crumb. Perfect on its own, with berries, or a cloud of whipped cream.
In an impeccably clean bowl, beat egg whites on medium-low until foamy. Add cream of tartar; increase speed to medium-high. When soft peaks form, rain in the 80 g sugar a tablespoon at a time. Whip to glossy, stiff peaks that curl just slightly at the tip. The meringue should hold a firm peak but still look silky—not dry or clumpy.
Scoop one-third of the meringue into the yolk batter. With a balloon whisk or spatula, fold gently until almost combined; this loosens the batter so the rest of the meringue keeps its air. Add the remaining meringue in two additions, switching to a spatula and using broad, sweeping motions that scoop from the bottom and fold over the top. Stop as soon as no streaks remain; a few tiny specks of white are fine.
Pour batter into the pan from a low height to avoid pockets. Smooth the top lightly. Tap the pan twice on the counter to pop large bubbles. Bake 45–55 min, until the surface is golden and springs back, and a toothpick emerges clean or with a few moist crumbs.
If using a tube pan: immediately invert onto a bottle or inverted metal funnel. Cooling upside-down stretches the cake’s delicate structure so it doesn’t sink. Let cool completely—about 2 hours. Run a thin knife around the sides and center tube to release, then peel off parchment.
Slice with a serrated knife for neat edges. Enjoy plain, or dress it up with macerated fruit, lemon curd, or chantilly cream. Store uncovered at room temperature for a day (to preserve the crust), then loosely cover. The cake stays moist for 3–4 days.
