Vanilla Chiffon Cake
Making the Most Basic, Light, and Fluffy Vanilla Chiffon Cake
Light and fluffy chiffon cake, who doesn’t love it? I still remember how amazed I was by how delicious it was the first time I tried chiffon cake. I’ve made a simple vanilla chiffon cake! If you refer to the video, you’ll find it’s not difficult to make! Enjoy a sweet time with this moist, soft chiffon cake infused with a rich vanilla aroma.
Ingredients- 100g all-purpose flour
- 3g baking powder
- 75g egg yolks (approx. 4 yolks)
- 57g sugar (for yolks)
- 54g grapeseed oil (or vegetable oil)
- 67g milk
- 144g egg whites (approx. 4 whites)
- 62g sugar (for whites)
- 1/2 vanilla bean (or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the vanilla bean. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise in half. Then, using the back of a knife or a spoon, carefully scrape out the seeds. (If you are using vanilla extract, you can skip this step.)
Step 2
In a large bowl, place the egg yolks. Add the scraped vanilla bean seeds (or vanilla extract) and 57g of sugar for the yolks. Whisk with a balloon whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the yolks turn a pale ivory color.
Step 3
Add the grapeseed oil (or vegetable oil) and milk to the bowl. Whisk until smoothly combined and there are no lumps. It’s important to emulsify the oil and liquids well.
Step 4
In another bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour and baking powder. Sifting the dry ingredients helps them combine evenly without lumps, resulting in a softer cake. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix lightly with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the cake tough.
Step 5
Now, let’s make the meringue. In a clean, dry bowl, add the egg whites. Start whisking with a balloon whisk. Once the whites begin to foam, gradually add the 62g of sugar for the whites in 2-3 additions, continuing to whisk until you achieve stiff, glossy peaks. The meringue should hold its shape firmly.
Step 6
Gently fold the stiff meringue into the yolk mixture in 2-3 additions. Use a spatula to fold carefully and quickly, being mindful not to deflate the meringue. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure everything is evenly incorporated. Overmixing will cause the meringue to collapse.
Step 7
Pour the batter into your prepared chiffon cake pan from a height. This helps to release any large air bubbles. Tap the pan gently on the counter 2-3 times to further remove any remaining large bubbles.
Step 8
Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C (338°F) for 35 to 40 minutes. To check for doneness, insert a skewer into the center; it should come out clean.
Step 9
Immediately after removing the cake from the oven, invert the chiffon pan to cool completely. While the cake is cooling upside down, you can gently scrape the sides of the cake with a spatula or skewer to help it release more easily once fully cooled. Cooling upside down prevents the cake from sinking and helps maintain its fluffy texture.
