Chiffon cakes are a type of foam cake that are created by whipping eggs until they are stiff during the process of making the cakes. This is in contrast to traditional cakes, which use butter as the primary fat. Chiffon cakes can be rather difficult to make because of the delicate nature of the whipped eggs. After this skill is mastered, however, this recipe can be used time and again.
To bake a chiffon cake, one needs two cups (460 g) of flour, 1.5 cups (345 g) of white sugar, one tablespoon (14 g) of baking powder, one teaspoon (5 g) of salt, a half of a cup (115 g) of vegetable oil, seven egg yolks, seven egg whites, three-fourths of a cup (172 g) of cold water, two teaspoons (10 g) of vanilla extract, one teaspoon (5 g) of lemon extract or another flavoring, and a half-teaspoon (2.5 g) of cream of tartar. After the ingredients have been gathered, an oven should be preheated to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (163 degrees Celsius).
The next step is for the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to be mixed in a large bowl. Using a hand, the preparer then makes a large dip in the center of the dry ingredients. Into the dip are poured the vegetable oil, water, yolks and flavoring. The mixture is stirred for approximately two minutes or until the batter is smooth. This becomes the foundation for the chiffon cake.
Into a new bowl are placed the egg whites and cream of tartar. Using a whisk, one must gently beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until there are stiff white peaks in the bowl. This is the most important part of the recipe. The eggs must be stiff before the next step can be taken.
When this has been achieved, the egg whites are then folded — not poured — into the previous batter. This can be accomplished using a frosting spatula and turning the two mixtures over each other slowly as the stiff egg white mixture is added. The mixture is then placed into a baking dish and allowed to cook for one hour or until the cake becomes “springy” when touched. After the chiffon cake has cooled, it can be removed from the pan and frosted. When the chiffon cake is complete, it can be decorated in the same way as a regular cake.