Lemon Chiffon Cake
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Easy Lemon Chiffon Cake: With a uniquely airy texture. Moist & light, and just sweet enough, with a hint of cheery citrus. Feeds a crowd!
Today I’m sharing my best recipe for old-fashioned lemon chiffon cake!
This cake bakes up with a really light, springy texture that’s similar to angel food cake.
But it’s different in that it’s got that lovely hint of bright, cheerful lemon!
It’s also got egg yolks and a little bit of oil, so it’s very soft and moist and has the prettiest golden color. It reminds me of a brand-new baby chick!
I have a lot of butter-based cake recipes here, but not a whole lot of oil-based cakes. The advantage of an oil-based cake is that it really lets the other flavors shine. While I love a buttery-tasting cake, sometimes you just want something a little lighter and fruiter. This lemon chiffon is a perfect example!
And so are my Genoise cake, my white almond sour cream cake, and my Key lime cake recipes. So if you prefer this type of recipe, definitely check those out as well!
Table of Contents
- What is lemon chiffon cake?
- Why this is the best lemon chiffon cake recipe
- What does lemon chiffon cake taste like?
- Ingredients
- Special equipment
- How to make lemon chiffon cake
- How to serve lemon chiffon cake
- Expert tips
- Frequently asked questions
- A few more of my best cake recipes
What is lemon chiffon cake?
This is a very light, airy chiffon cake with a mild taste of fresh lemon. It’s made with oil and whipped egg whites, which give it its uniquely springy texture. You bake this cake in a tube pan, or it can be easily modified to work as a layer cake, loaf cake, or as cupcakes (see below).
Why this is the best lemon chiffon cake recipe
- Tastes amazing: I really love how simple the flavors are, not overly sweet or tangy.
- Few ingredients: It’s made with just a few pantry staples.
- Easy to make: Follow the steps and you should have no trouble with this, even if you’re a beginner.
- Springy: This chiffon lemon cake has a texture unlike anything else! It’s so springy and airy.
What does lemon chiffon cake taste like?
There’s not much getting in the way of the lemon flavor here. It’s the primary taste in this simple cake recipe.
It’s made with lots of eggs, so you might notice a very eggy flavor as well.
There’s also a light sweetness to it.
This particular lemon cake recipe is not overly sugary or tart.
Ingredients
Flour: Cake flour provides much of the structure for this cake recipe. If you aren’t familiar with this type of flour, click here–> What Is Cake Flour?
Baking powder: This cake gets its “lift” from 2 ingredients. One of them is baking powder and the other is whipped egg whites. Make sure you’re using baking powder, not baking soda.
Salt: This ingredient balances the flavors and enhances them. I like kosher salt best because it’s cheap, easy to find, and doesn’t have any bitter-tasting additives like iodine.
Lemon: You’ll use both the lemon zest and the lemon juice. And I like to add a splash of lemon extract too!
Eggs: Use large chicken eggs, preferably at room temperature. You will need to separate the yolks from the whites. See how this is done by watching the video in the recipe card below.
Water: Helps keep the cake moist. Lukewarm or cold water is fine.
Oil: Any neutral-tasting oil will work. I typically reach for the vegetable oil.
Sugar: Granulated white sugar sweetens the cake, helps it to brown properly, and keeps it moist. It also helps the egg whites to whip up stiff and glossy.
Special equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons: Follow my guide on how to measure ingredients.
- Bowls: You’ll need 2 big bowls for this recipe. One for the cake batter and one very clean bowl for the egg whites.
- Whisk: For mixing up the cake batter.
- Mixer: Either a handheld electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment.
- Silicone spatula: For folding in the meringue and for getting every last bit out of the bowl.
- Pan: This cake bakes in a 12-cup tube pan. I especially like the kind with a removable bottom and little feet.
How to make lemon chiffon cake
This easy recipe comes together in 4 simple steps.
Step 1: Dry Ingredients
Start by whisking the flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest together in a large bowl. Then make a little well in the center.
Step 2: Liquid Ingredients
Add the egg yolks, water, oil, and lemon extract to the well.
Then, whisk these liquid ingredients together.
Start in the center and gradually work your way outward, bringing in a little of the dry ingredients as you go.
Once you have a smooth batter, you’re ready to move on to the next step!
Step 3: Meringue
Place the egg whites and lemon juice in a large, very clean bowl.
Start whipping on medium-low.
When the whites are foamy, start adding the sugar in a very slow, steady stream.
The idea here is to give the sugar plenty of time to dissolve into the egg whites, but also not to add it all in too fast and push out all the tiny air bubbles.
Once all the sugar has gone in, turn the mixer up to high speed and whip until you have a stiff, glossy meringue.
Gently fold one big dollop of meringue into the cake batter, just to start it lightening up.
Then add the rest and gently fold it in, being careful not to knock out too much air.
Step 4: Bake
Quickly transfer the batter to your tube pan and pop it right into a hot oven.
This cake will bake until it’s puffy, golden brown on top, and springy. Give it a light press and if it springs right back, it’s probably done. Push a toothpick into the thickest part. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, take it out and let it cool upside-down.
How to serve lemon chiffon cake
I didn’t add much to the cake you see here. I wanted to highlight its simplicity, so I just gave it a light dusting of powdered sugar and a few lemon twists for garnish.
But I think it would be really good with a dollop of whipped cream and/or lemon curd!
You could also add a handful of fresh berries. That would make for a lovely light, refreshing dessert!
Expert tips
Don’t pierce a yolk: If your egg whites come into contact with any kind of fat, they will not whip properly. And you know what’s full of fat? Egg yolks. So be really careful when you’re separating your eggs not to break any yolks. Or your cake will not be nearly as tall, airy, and springy as you’d like.
Room temperature whites: Allow your egg whites to come up to room temperature. They will whip much better this way!
More lemon: If you prefer a stronger lemon flavor, feel free to add the zest and juice of another lemon to the cake batter.
Don’t grease the pan: If you do, the cake batter will slip down the sides of the pan as it bakes. You want to allow it something to grab onto, so it’s better not to grease the pan.
Cool it upside-down: Flip your hot cake upside-down and allow it to completely cool this way, so it doesn’t deflate. It’s perfect if your tube pan has those little feet, but if not you can set the stem down over a wine bottle or something similar.
Frequently asked questions
Nine times out of ten, this is because the egg whites came into contact with some type of fat.
It could be because a yolk got pierced, or because the mixing bowl or whip weren’t perfectly clean and maybe had a little bit of grease clinging to them.
Be sure to clean them really well in hot, soapy water, and dry them off with a clean towel. You can also wipe them down with a little white vinegar on a paper towel.
If your lemon chiffon cake doesn’t look tall and regal like in these pictures, I’d bet it has to do with the meringue. See the explanation above!
If your lemon chiffon cake doesn’t come out of the pan easily, you may want to carefully run the blade of a thin, sharp knife around the sides. Don’t forget the stem of the pan too.
Yes. This recipe can be halved and baked in a 9×13-inch metal cake pan, as a triple-layer 6-inch cake or a double-layer 8- or 9-inch cake, as 24 cupcakes, or in a standard-sized loaf pan.
Just be sure to watch it as it bakes. Smaller, flatter cakes bake much more quickly than big bundts, so you will likely have to reduce the bake time.
Absolutely! Feel free to swap out the lemon here for any other kind of citrus.
I think orange chiffon cake, lime chiffon cake, or grapefruit chiffon cake would be just lovely.
Or you could leave out the citrus entirely and just add vanilla extract, or the seeds from a vanilla bean. If you do, you might want to add a pinch of cream of tartar to your whites to stabilize them.
You definitely can and it’s probably a good idea to do that!
This cake needs about an hour to cool.
Make it a few days ahead of time, and you can keep it at room temperature as long as it’s tightly wrapped.
Or stash it in the fridge for a week or so.
It should keep in the freezer for several months and can be thawed in the fridge or at room temp.
This recipe makes a big cake that can really feed a crowd, so it’s perfect for entertaining!
You can get at least 12 generously-sized slices out of it.
The nutritional info below is for 1 slice, or 1/12th of the whole cake. It does not include any additional toppings or garnishes.
A few more of my best cake recipes
As an amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Lemon Chiffon Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) cake flour
- 1 tablespoon (12 g) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon (6 g) lemon zest, (zest of one lemon)
- 8 (352 g) eggs, large (separated*)
- 1 cup (236.59 g) water
- 1/2 cup (112 g) oil
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) lemon extract
- 3 tablespoons (45 g) lemon juice, (juice of one lemon)
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Stir the flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest together in a large bowl.
- Make a well in the center, and add the egg yolks, water, oil, and lemon extract.
- Starting in the center and working your way outwards, whisk the liquid ingredients together, gradually drawing the dry ingredients into the batter.
- In a separate, very clean, grease-free bowl, whip the egg whites and lemon juice together on medium-low speed until foamy.
- Add the sugar in a very slow, steady stream while continuing to whip.
- When all the sugar has been added, turn up the mixer to high speed and whip the meringue until it holds stiff peaks.
- Add a spoonful of the meringue to the cake powder, folding it in gently to lighten the mixture.
- Fold in the remaining meringue, and transfer the batter to a 10-inch tube pan.
- Bake the cake until golden brown on top, puffed, and springy to the touch (approx. 45 minutes to 1 hour). A toothpick inserted in the thickest part should come out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and flip it upside-down to cool completely in the pan.
I made this light cake recipe for company tonight after a heavier meal. One person, who at first said “no thanks, I’m not a cake person,” then tried a small slice and declared, “actually, this is the best cake I’ve ever eaten.” After that dramatic declaration, I knew it needed 5 stars! I followed your clear directions exactly and it turned out just right. I added a lemon glaze and served with vanilla ice cream. I just found this blog earlier this week when I made your gingerbread, so now I’ll be trying more of your recipes.