Short answer
A recipe for a chiffon cake combines a batter of egg yolks, oil, flour and liquid with a stiff egg white meringue, then bakes it in an ungreased tube tin. The cake is cooled upside down so it keeps its height and soft, springy crumb.
This recipe for a chiffon cake uses oil, egg yolks and flour for the base, then folds in a stiff meringue so the cake rises tall and stays soft. It is baked in an ungreased tube tin and cooled upside down. The method takes about 20 minutes of work and gives a plain vanilla and lemon cake, with swaps for other flavours below.
What is a chiffon cake?
A chiffon cake is a very light cake made with vegetable oil and a whisked egg white meringue, baked in an ungreased tin. It sits between a sponge, which gets lift from whisked eggs, and an oil-based cake, which stays moist.
The style was developed in the United States in the early 20th century by an insurance salesman turned baker named Harry Baker, and later sold to a flour company, according to widely repeated accounts. In East and South-East Asia the method became a favourite, which is why pandan, matcha, orange and coffee chiffons are common in Asian bakeries.
What ingredients do you need for a chiffon cake?
You need eggs, sugar, plain flour, baking powder, a neutral oil, a liquid such as water or milk, flavouring and a little cream of tartar. The quantities below make one 20 cm tube cake, serving about 10.
- 5 large eggs, separated
- 120 g plain flour, sifted
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 110 g caster sugar, divided into two portions of 50 g and 60 g
- 60 ml sunflower or other neutral oil
- 70 ml milk or water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, or the zest of one lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar, or a few drops of lemon juice
- A pinch of salt
Use eggs at room temperature, because they whisk to a larger volume.
How do you make a chiffon cake step by step?
Make the yolk batter, whisk the whites to stiff peaks, fold the two together gently and bake in an ungreased tin. Do not skip the cooling step.
- Heat the oven to 160 C (fan 140 C). Keep the tin ungreased.
- Whisk the yolks with 50 g of the sugar until pale, then whisk in the oil, milk and vanilla or zest.
- Sift in the flour and baking powder, and mix until smooth with no lumps.
- In a clean bowl, whisk the whites with the cream of tartar and salt until foamy.
- Add the remaining 60 g of sugar a spoonful at a time and whisk to stiff, glossy peaks.
- Fold one third of the meringue into the yolk batter to loosen it, then fold in the rest in two batches.
- Pour into the tin, tap it once on the counter and run a skewer through the batter to break large bubbles.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until golden and a skewer comes out clean.
- Turn the tin upside down over a bottle neck or a rack and cool completely, at least one hour.
- Run a thin knife around the tin and the centre tube, then push the cake out.
Why do you cool a chiffon cake upside down?
A chiffon cake is cooled upside down so that gravity stretches the crumb and stops it from collapsing under its own weight. The batter is mostly air and has a delicate structure while it is warm.
Hanging the tin upside down keeps the cake tall until the structure sets. Tube tins often have small feet at the rim for this reason. If the tin has no feet, balance it over the neck of a clean glass bottle, or on a cooling rack with the tube standing up.
What are the most common chiffon cake problems?
Most chiffon problems come from whites that were under or over whisked, batter that was over-mixed, or a tin that was greased. The table lists the usual faults and fixes.
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Cake collapses | Under-whisked whites, opened the oven early | Whisk to stiff peaks, wait until the last 10 minutes to check |
| Dense, rubbery layer at the bottom | Meringue not folded in fully | Fold in thirds, scraping the bowl base |
| Large holes | Air pockets trapped in batter | Tap the tin and run a skewer through |
| Cracks on top | Oven too hot | Lower by 10 C and bake lower in the oven |
| Cake sticks to the tin | Not loosened | Run a thin knife around all edges before turning out |
| Dry crumb | Overbaked | Check from 38 minutes and cool properly |
A clean bowl matters too. Any trace of yolk or grease in the whites stops them whisking to full volume.
What flavour variations work in chiffon cake?
Chiffon takes flavour well because the batter is thin and mild. Swap or add one flavour at a time rather than combining many.
- Pandan: replace the milk with 70 ml of pandan leaf juice and a little coconut milk.
- Matcha: sift 2 tablespoons of matcha powder with the flour.
- Orange: use orange juice in place of milk and add the zest of one orange.
- Chocolate: replace 20 g of flour with 20 g of cocoa powder.
- Coffee: dissolve 2 tablespoons of instant coffee in the hot liquid, then cool it.
Strong flavours need a little more liquid, because cocoa and matcha both absorb moisture.
How do you serve and store chiffon cake?
Chiffon cake is eaten plain, with fruit and cream, or with a light glaze. Slice with a serrated knife using a gentle sawing motion so the delicate crumb does not squash.
Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for two to three days. Cream-filled or iced versions need the fridge. For longer storage, wrap slices in cling film and freeze for up to a month. Defrost them at room temperature for an hour.
Does Uncle Cake sell chiffon cake?
The shop’s Instagram page shows chiffon-style cakes among the cakes it sells, according to the public listing details recorded for this guide. Uncle Cake is a Chinese and Asian bakery in the Arcadian Centre in Birmingham, and light sponges are central to that style of baking.
No price list or ingredient list is published for the chiffon cake, as of November 2026. The menu page summarises what is recorded, and the hours and location page lists opening times. This guide is independent and takes no orders, so questions about flavours and sizes go to the shop through its Instagram page or by phone.
Common questions
Why is a chiffon cake tin not greased?
The batter needs to grip the tin walls to climb as it bakes. Grease makes it slide back down, so the cake stays short. Run a thin knife around the edges after cooling to release it.
Can I make a chiffon cake without a tube tin?
You can bake chiffon batter in a deep, ungreased round tin, but the cake rises less evenly and cooks more slowly in the middle. A tube tin with a removable base is the most reliable choice.
What is the difference between chiffon and sponge cake?
Chiffon uses oil and a whisked meringue, which keeps it moist and tall. Classic sponge relies on whole eggs whisked with sugar, or creamed butter, and is usually firmer and drier.
Can I use butter instead of oil in chiffon cake?
Butter is firmer when cool, so the cake can turn dense and dry in the fridge. Liquid oil is the standard because it stays soft. A neutral oil such as sunflower works best.
How long does chiffon cake keep?
Plain chiffon cake keeps for two to three days in an airtight container at room temperature. It also freezes well for about a month when wrapped, and thaws to a soft crumb.
Planning a visit? Start with Uncle Cake Shop: address, opening hours, menu and directions in one place.
This article is general information from an independent guide, not from Uncle Cake itself. For the store’s current details see hours and location.