Lemon Chiffon Cake

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: My fluffy Lemon Chiffon Cake is the pretty citrus dessert that will be the star of any summer party! This showstopper will wow everyone with its signature decadent but feather-light texture.

• Cloud-like texture: Whipped egg whites and rich egg yolks create chiffon cake’s famously airy crumb.
• Full of flavor: Fresh lemon juice and zest, plus a touch of lemon extract, make every bite is sunny and refreshing (and not eggy-tasting at all).
• Wonderfully moist: Unlike some egg white cakes, my Lemon Chiffon Cake stays soft and tender.
• Perfectly balanced sweetness: Bright, tangy and never overly sugary.
• Easy, but elegant: This bakery-worthy dessert is surprisingly simple to make.

My Lemon Chiffon Cake is the dream combination of a rich butter cake and a tender angel food cake. As a professional chef, I can tell you that if you’ve never had chiffon cake before, you’re in for a treat. It’s lighter than the typical layer cake, yet it’s incredibly moist and flavorful. This nostalgic bakery classic always impresses.

My top tip for this recipe is to pay special attention to the egg whites. Make sure there’s not a trace of yolk in the egg whites before whipping, and stop when they’re at soft peaks—overwhipped egg whites won’t fold smoothly into the batter and will affect the cake’s texture. For more billowy desserts, you’ll adore my Lemon Chiffon Pie, Chocolate Mousse Cake, and my Best Pavlova Recipe.

Table of Contents

• What is Lemon Chiffon Cake?
• Tools You Need
• Key Ingredients and Substitutes
• How to Make Lemon Chiffon Cake
• Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
• Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
• FAQs
• More Lemon Cake Recipes

What is Lemon Chiffon Cake?

Lemon Chiffon Cake is an airy cake made with whipped egg whites, yolks, cake flour, and fresh lemon, resulting in a light yet velvety crumb and a vibrant citrus flavor. Chiffon cakes stay extra moist thanks to vegetable oil in the batter. L.A. caterer Harry Baker invented chiffon cake in 1927, which he baked for celebrities at the Brown Derby restaurant. He kept the recipe secret for 20 years until he sold it to General Mills.

Tools You Need

• Mixing bowls
• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cups
• Glass measuring jug
• Kitchen scale (optional)
• 10-inch (25-cm) tube pan
• Whisk
• Stand mixer (or an electric hand mixer)
• Metal spoon
• Thin knife

Key Ingredients and Substitutes

For the Lemon Chiffon Cake

Cake flour

• Cake flour has a lower protein content (7 to 9%) than all-purpose flour. This means less gluten development, creating an exceptionally light crumb.
• Because cake flour creates a more delicate structure, it allows the cake to expand more easily as it bakes, resulting in a lighter cake.
• Substitute: Make my simple DIY Cake Flour Substitute. All you need is all-purpose flour and cornstarch!

Granulated sugar

• Granulated sugar sweetens the lemon chiffon cake.
• Importantly, sugar helps stabilize the whipped egg whites.
• Substitute: Use the same amount of caster sugar if you prefer.

Baking powder

• Baking powder provides additional lift along with the whipped egg whites.

Salt

• Salt enhances the lemon flavor and balances the sweetness.

Eggs

• Egg yolks bind the batter ingredients together, creating a cohesive mixture.
  • Importantly, the yolks also add moisture, rich flavor, and color.
  • The yolks must be at room temperature to blend well. Here’s how to safely warm up cold eggs. 
• Whipped egg whites create volume and lightness and are the key to chiffon cake’s unique billowy texture.
  • The whites must be at room temperature to whip up well. Use my tips to warm up cold eggs.

Water

• Water hydrates the batter without adding any heaviness.

Vegetable oil

• Vegetable oil contributes to the cake’s richness, coats the flour, and limits gluten development, resulting in a velvety crumb.
• Unlike traditional angel food cakes and sponge cakes, chiffon cake recipes call for oil, which contributes to a moister texture while still being light.
• Since oil stays liquid at room temperature, it’s essential for creating chiffon cake’s moist texture. Butter is not a good substitute in this recipe. 

Zest from two lemons

• Lemon zest adds vibrant flavor.
• Since zest comes from the lemon peel, it’s full of aromatic citrus oil.

Lemon juice

• Lemon juice contributes brightness and balances the sweetness.
• I recommend using fresh lemon juice for the best flavor.

Lemon extract

• Lemon extract intensifies the citrus flavor without adding too much additional liquid.

For the Lemon Glaze

Powdered sugar

• Powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar) is the base of the lemon glaze.
• You can make your own using my recipe for Powdered Sugar!
• For a smooth consistency, sift the powdered sugar before using.

Lemon juice

• Lemon juice thins the glaze and adds bright flavor.

How to Make Lemon Chiffon Cake

Lemon Chiffon Cake

1. Prepare to bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Set aside an ungreased 10-inch (25 cm) tube pan.
2. Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, ¼ cup (2 oz/57 g) sugar, baking powder, and salt.

3. Whisk wet ingredients: In a jug or a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks, water, oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and lemon extract.

4. Combine the egg yolk mixture and flour mixture: Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and stir until smooth. Set aside.

5. Whip egg whites: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or using an electric handheld mixer), whip the egg whites on high speed until foamy, about 3 minutes.

6. Add sugar to egg whites: Gradually add the remaining ¾ cup (6 oz/170 g) of the sugar, one tablespoon at a time, and continue whipping to soft, glossy peaks, another 3 minutes.

7. Fold egg whites into batter: Using a large, metal spoon, mix one-third of the egg whites into the batter to lighten it, then gently fold in the remaining egg whites until no streaks remain.

8. Add batter to pan: Pour into the tube pan and smooth the top.

9. Bake cake: Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

10. Invert pan and cool cake: Invert the pan immediately and let the cake cool completely upside down (for about 1 hour).
11. Remove from pan: Once cooled, run a thin knife around the edges to release the cake, and transfer to a serving plate.

Lemon Glaze

12. Whisk glaze ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth, then drizzle over the cake. Let set at room temperature for at least 10 minutes.
13. Serve and enjoy: Serve garnished with lemon slices, fresh berries, and whipped cream.

FULL (PRINTABLE) RECIPE BELOW! 

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips

• Check the egg whites. When separating eggs, be sure that there is no trace of yolks in the whites or they won’t whip up properly.
• Stop at soft peaks. Whip the egg whites only to soft peaks. If they get too stiff, they will not incorporate smoothly into the batter.
• Fold gently: When combining the egg whites with the batter, use a thin-edge metal spoon to gently fold in the egg whites, preserving as much air as possible.
• Leave the pan uncoated. Don’t butter or flour the pan, because the cake needs to grip the sides to rise properly.
• Resist the urge to peek: Opening the oven door can cause a temperature drop that may affect the cake’s rise.
• Cool upside down. Letting the cake cool upside down keeps the cake fluffy – if kept upright, it can collapse as it cools, leading to a denser cake.
• Cake cooling tips: Most tube pans have “feet,” making it easy to cool the cake upside down. If your pan doesn’t have them, simply invert the pan’s center tube over a kitchen funnel or a sturdy bottle.
• Upside down is fine! Because the pan isn’t coated, your cake will stay secure in the pan as it cools. After it’s cooled, run a thin knife around the cake to release it from the pan.
• Use the right knife: When you’re ready to serve, a serrated knife makes it easier to cut this soft cake.
• Level up the lemon. The lemon flavor is subtle, and the glaze provides some tartness, but if you really love lemon desserts, serve this with a dollop of Homemade Lemon Curd.
• Serving ideas: Chiffon cake is lovely served with whipped cream and fresh berries, or macerated fruit. A dusting of confectioners’ sugar makes a pretty finishing touch.

Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions

Make-ahead tips

• You can bake this cake ahead of time.
  • Wrap the unglazed cake well in plastic wrap, or place it in an airtight container and keep it at room temperature for one day, or in the fridge for up to two days.
  • Glaze before serving.
• For longer storage, wrap the unglazed cake well in plastic wrap and freeze for up to two months.
  • Thaw at room temperature, still wrapped, for about 2 hours.
  • Glaze before serving.

How to store leftovers

• Store leftover cake well-wrapped in an airtight container at room temperature for one day or in the fridge for up to two days.

FAQs

Can I make this lemon cake gluten-free?

• Note that chiffon cake is made with a precise balance of ingredients, including cake flour, and changing any of them could affect the rise and texture.
• You can replace the cake flour with an equal amount of a 1:1 gluten-free cake flour blend, but note that this change may yield a chiffon cake with a different texture than one made with the original recipe.

Is it possible to make Lemon Chiffon Cake without a mixer?

• Yes, you can make this Lemon Chiffon Cake without a mixer, but it will give your arm a bit of a workout!
  • Whisk the batter ingredients by hand.
  • Whisk the egg whites with a large balloon whisk to aerate them. It will take longer and will take some effort, but it’s entirely doable!

How do I make sure my cake has the ultimate airy chiffon texture?

• Be sure there is not a speck of yolk in your egg whites. Even a bit will affect how well the whites whip up.
• Don’t overwhip the egg whites, as whipping them to stiff peaks will create a denser cake. Whip to soft peaks.
• Fold gently when adding the whipped egg whites to the batter. The goal is to preserve the air from all of the whipping.
• Don’t grease the pan. The batter needs to cling to the sides as it rises.
• Try not to open the oven door unnecessarily. Wait 50-60 minutes until the top is golden brown.
• Invert the pan immediately after you take the cake from the oven. Let cool for 1 hour.

More Lemon Cake Recipes

• Lemon Ice Box Cake
• Strawberry Lemon Pound Cake
• Lemon Torta Caprese Cake
• Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake
• Lemon Yogurt Cake 

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