Vanilla Chiffon Cake (2024)

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by sanna last updated September 13, 2023 posted November 16, 2018 53 Comments

Fluffy, soft and airy, this Vanilla Chiffon Cake is delicious on its own but can be made more special with your favorite icing or glaze. To try flavored ones, check out Lemon Chiffon Cake, Cheese Chiffon Cake and Pineapple Chiffon Cake.

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In a world of fancy desserts, frosted cakes and highly-iced cupcakes, sometimes a plain, naked chiffon cake shines the brightest for me.

Indulgence to me does not always mean the rich, sinfuldesserts. It also takes the form of plain and simple ones. This Vanilla Chiffon Cake is that. It is a simple cake to go with your coffee or tea- just mildly sweet, light and satisfying.

I believe I have said this before but I have a fascination with chiffon cakes baked in tube pans. To me, they are simply sophisticated, plain but classy. I love that they are tall, fat and naked.

This is a basic recipe you can use. I enjoy eating it on its own, savoring the light, soft and airy texture of the cake. But of course, you can also dress it up like adding glazes and frosting.

Whatever you decide on doing, this cake tastes amazing.

Pointers and Tips for Making Vanilla Chiffon Cake

The eggs should be in room temperature for about 30 minutes. I separate them while they are cold from the fridge then let them sit at room temperature for half an hour or so. The egg whites can be whisked to full volume when they are not cold.
You will know that you have whisked the egg whites appropriately if firm peaks form and hold their shape once you lift the whisk. Turn over the bowl carefully. The egg whites should not drip down.

You are going to need an ungreased 10-inch tube pan that is not non-stick. The chiffon cake batter needs that grip to rise beautifully at its maximum height.
When you have taken the baked chiffon cake out of the oven, you can cool it on top of a wire rack or better, on top of two coffee mugs with the same height. Set the tube pan over them, giving a lot of space on the bottom of the cake to release the heat.
To unmold cake, loosen the sides and inner center with a knife or a spatula. Carefully press the sides of the cake to loosen it more. Lift the tube to release the cake and loosen the bottom of the cake again in the same manner.

And here it is, simplicity at its finest. This cake slices beautifully in any thickness that you like. Bring out your fanciest tea mugs and wind down with every slice.

This cake yields a generous number of servings so you can serve it to a party. I bet you that hands will reach out for it because it is pretty enticing like that.

More Cake Recipes For You:

Chocolate Chiffon Cake with Chocolate Orange Glaze
Chiffon Cake with Pineapple Glaze
Choco-Vanilla Chiffon Cake
Ube-Vanilla Chiffon Cake
Mango Cake Roll
Mocha Cake Roll
Chocolate Cake with Whipped Cream Chocolate Icing
Tres Leches Cake
Dulce de Leche Cake
Ube Chiffon Cake with Whipped Cream Ube Icing
Pandan Chiffon Cake

Vanilla Chiffon Cake

Fluffy, soft and airy, this Vanilla Chiffon Cake is delicious on its own but can be made more special with your favorite icing or glaze.

4.85 from 13 votes

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Asian, Western

Keyword: chiffon cake

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 16

Calories: 226kcal

Author: sanna

Ingredients

7 egg yolks room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 and 1/2 cups sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
7 egg whites at room temperature
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the egg whites on medium speed until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to whisk until egg whites form firm peaks that hold its shape when the whisk is lifted.
Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks in another bowl until it is slightly thicker. Add the sugar and mix until incorporated. Add water, oil andvanilla extract. Mix well.
Add flour mixture gradually to the yolk mixture and mix until the batter is smooth. Gently fold the egg whites to the yolk batter in three additions until batter is uniform. Pour batter into an ungreased10-inch tube pan. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Set tube pan top of two overturned mugs and let cool.
To unmold cake, loosen sides and bottom with a knife. Using your hands, gently press the sides of thecake downwards to loosen it more. remove gently and invert to a serving plate.

Notes

Nutrition Facts

Vanilla Chiffon Cake

Amount Per Serving

Calories 226Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Fat 9g14%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 85mg28%

Sodium 172mg7%

Potassium 156mg4%

Carbohydrates 31g10%

Sugar 18g20%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 115IU2%

Calcium 54mg5%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition

Recommended 10-inch Tube Pans

Note: The second one has feet on them so that when cooling down the cake, all you need to do is to overturn it and let it stand on the three feet. That gives the bottom of the cake ample space being overturned.

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About sanna

Sanna is a wife and mother of three, living in Alberta, Canada. Her passion for baking, making good food and writing sparked her desire to start Woman Scribbles.

She loves pastries, yoga, reading books and camping during the summer. She loves cilantro, avocado toast, and a real crispy fried chicken.

Reader Interactions

Comments

Mali says
February 19, 2024 at 10:27 am
Hi! This will be my first time trying to make this cake. Can I substitute melted butter for the canola oil? Thanks!
Reply
- sanna says
  March 18, 2024 at 2:48 pm
  Hi Mali,
  My apologies for a super late reply. You can substitute melted butter, but that can make the cake a bit dry. But it will work. Just a change of texture is all.
  Good luck
  Sanna
  Reply
Jeni says
November 19, 2022 at 4:55 pm
Hi Sanna,
Can I substitute water with milk in this recipe?
Thanks
See Also
Quick and Soft English Muffins
Reply
- sanna says
  November 25, 2022 at 2:22 pm
  Hi Jeni! Yes you can use milk instead of water 🙂
  Reply
Ambreen says
August 2, 2022 at 11:48 pm
Can we omit cream of tartar???
Reply
- sanna says
  August 5, 2022 at 3:16 pm
  Hi Ambreen! Yes you can omit the cream of tartar, but sub 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.
  Reply
misaki says
July 14, 2022 at 11:03 pm
hi there, can i use a regular cake pan or will i mess it up?
Reply
- sanna says
  July 29, 2022 at 10:52 am
  Hi Misaki! I believe you can use two 9 inch pans for this amount of batter in the recipe 🙂 good luck!
  Reply
Anessa English says
July 5, 2022 at 4:41 pm
Hello po..ask ko lang bakit yung ibang bakers po nilalagay nila ung sugar sa meringue, yung sayo lang po yung nakalagay sa eggyolk mixture.ano po differences. Ty.
Reply
- sanna says
  July 29, 2022 at 9:58 am
  Hi! Sorry di ko alam kung nasagot ko na ito pero I will answer na rin. Sorry for the late reply. In some of my recipes, I put sugar in the meringue as well. Ang difference nun is pag may sugar sa meringue mas glossy and firm yung egg whites. Although I do not observe any major difference sa outcome ng cake mismo 🙂
  Reply
Blessing says
January 23, 2021 at 6:24 am
Thanks for sharing this recipe. But, please, I want to know if the cake won’t taste and smell eggy since there’s no milk or anything to cover up the eggy smell and taste
Reply
- sanna says
  January 28, 2021 at 10:11 am
  Hi there! While it is not off-putting to me. It can be eggy for some.
  Reply
- Marcia Wallace says
  February 23, 2022 at 4:27 pm
  In no way does it taste eggy. I’ve been making this cake for 50 yrs. My husbands favorite. To cool the cake turn upside down Insert bottle in tube pan. The perfect bottle is a Lea & Perrins bottle . Enjoy.
  Reply
Sunayna Prasad says
December 18, 2020 at 4:33 pm
Hi,
What if I use cake flour instead of all-purpose?
Reply
- sanna says
  December 21, 2020 at 2:55 pm
  Yes, you can do that too 🙂
  Reply
Mae says
December 10, 2020 at 6:26 pm
Hi Sanna!
Can I use a disposable tube pan for this?
Reply
- sanna says
  December 10, 2020 at 6:32 pm
  Yes, you can 🙂
  Reply
Mischelle Gagarao says
November 2, 2020 at 12:18 pm
Hi Sanna,
I just want to try this receipe, can i put it on the square pyrex or in the bread loaf pan?
Reply
- sanna says
  December 10, 2020 at 6:32 pm
  Hello there! You can use loaf pans. You might have to use two of those. Just watch out for the baking time. It may bake for a bit shorter amount of time. 🙂
  Reply
Loree Sy says
October 13, 2020 at 2:48 am
Hi! I only have an 8 inch tube pan and an 8×3 round pan? Can I use either one?
Reply
- sanna says
  October 13, 2020 at 3:15 am
  Hello! I suggest you use the 8 inch tube pan. You may have to bake the cake a litte longer, say 10-20 mins more. If the top is browning quickly before thencale is.done, cover it loosely with foil.
  Reply