Last updated on March 27th, 2017 at 09:53 pm
This Lemon Chiffon Cake is very light and soft and it’s topped a delicious lemon glaze. From breakfast to dessert this chiffon cake will be a crowd pleaser all the time.
I know you guys were waiting for a dessert recipe from me, so I aim to please. I have a very pretty and super delicious, full of lemony flavor chiffon cake for you today.
The other day I went shopping at Target and I just can’t help myself from looking at kitchen stuff. So I happened to find myself in the baking isle and looking at bundt pans. I don’t know about you but I’m in love with bundt pans and their pretty shapes. But this time I bought a simple chiffon bundt pan and I couldn’t wait to get home and bake a chiffon cake. And that’s just what I did! But don’t worry, later on hubs ordered me a gorgeous rose bundt pan which I am super excited to try this weekend. I just have to think of a recipe worthy of such a beautiful pan.
Anywho, enough about bundt pans. Let’s talk chiffon cakes.
Ever make one before?
No? Well you’re not alone. I’ve only made them a couple times before, but I simply adore them. Chiffon cakes are so light, and they’re usually made with vegetable oil and are made soft and fluffy by beating egg whites until stiff and folding them into the batter. Trust me, all that work is worth it. The cake itself has a lot of lemon flavor but I also added some lemon glaze, which I’ll be honest with you and tell you it’s not really needed. There’s plenty of lemon flavor in the cake itself. However, if you don’t serve it with the glaze you might find it a bit dry, so you could serve it with whipped cream, or with some fruits or berries. Nutella!! Yes you can serve it with Nutella too, let’s not forget that. What’s that you say? Lemon and Nutella? Yes! I love Nutella with everything! That’s just how I roll.
But I love this cake for breakfast, I love it for dessert, it’s simply perfect. And isn’t it so pretty?
If you guys love this recipe, and most importantly make it yourselves, please let us know. Take a picture and tag it #jocooks on Instagram so we can see it. I always love to see what you guys come up with!
Lemon Chiffon Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 8 eggs separated
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 1/2 tbsp grated lemon zest
Lemon Glaze
- 6 tbsp butter unsalted and melted
- 1 tbsp grated lemon zest
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- In large bowl, add flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Add oil, egg yolks, lemon juice, water and lemon zest; whisk until well combined.
- In large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
- Fold 1/3 of whipped egg whites into the batter to lighten. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites until mixture is combined; do not over mix or batter will deflate. Pour into ungreased pan; tap gently on counter to release air pockets.
- Bake 50-60 minutes or until cake springs back when touched. Invert pan immediately after removing from oven and allow to cool completely. Run knife around the sides and center of cake to loosen.
- For glaze, combine butter, zest, powdered sugar, juice and vanilla in medium bowl; stir until smooth. Pour over cooled cake and spread with spatula. Glaze will set hard within 30 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
More delicious recipes from my kitchen
This is my go to cake!!
I wanted to see if this cake could be made Gluten Free without too much fiddling. I changed the flour to Mama’s Coconut blend flour and 1 tsp of Xanthum Gum and lowered the baking powder to 1 tsp. My eggs were from my chickens, so VERY fresh. Otherwise, left as is and it came out really nice. You really can’t tell the difference.
Traditionally foam type cakes (sponge,chiffon) are baked in ungreased pans. Grease prevents the foam type caked from rising properly. In fact, I’ve seen directions for foam type cakes that specifically say the make sure pan is clean and grease free. I would not use a bundt cake pan for a foam type cake. I’d use an angel food cake pan…no nooks and crannies.
That is how I learned to make these types of cakes and I am 73. No greased pan…. but clean of all grease and in a angel food or a tube pan.
Tastes great but couldn’t get the cake out of the pan intact. Now I’m going to have to find some icing to cover the missing chunks…
Yeah you definitely want to make sure you grease your pan thoroughly first but icing covers all mistakes. 🙂
Normally you dont grease the pan for chiffon cakes. They need to “crawl” up the sides as it rises. Maybe next time, only grease, lightly, the bottom, but not the sides. Let the cake cool completely before removing it from the pan. Also, be sure to invert the pan as the cake cools.
Just a question. Don’t you use cream of tartar to whip the eggwhites/
Nope I did not, however if you wanted to, it wouldn’t hurt, but I didn’t find it necessary.
From the shape it looks like this cake was made with a “tube pan” which is different that a bundt. It has no grooves for the cake to stick in, has a removable bottom, and is also used for beautiful tall angel food cakes. You can find tube pans at most Goodwill stores……tragically I think many are from granny’s cupboards and many people don’t know what to do with them. I recently found a cool square one, now I’m looking for a square cake plate or stand.
The good news: The cake tastes fabulous. Bad news: I should have followed my gut and greased and floured the pan. I ended up getting it out, but it is not very pretty. 🙁
I was wandering if an angel food cake mix would work & then add the lemon juice & zest for flavor?
Will be making for the second time tonight (I forgot to save this recipe – and I just spent 2 hours looking for it – that shows you how big of a hit it was). This is simple and splendid!
Wow Jo! Your chiffon cake is perfect! Perfectly light and fluffy. Ooh, I could use a slice right now.
All gone …. it was yummy!
lovely cake!
Are bundt pans all the same size? No..so what size? Do you use silicone? Can it be made in a normal baking tin. I have a lot of trouble taking the cake out of a bundt. I ran my knife round the outside and the Middle. Oh dear.
Please help kind sweet clever Jo
😉
Hi Judy, there are many shapes and sizes of bundt pans. I have one that’s silicone, but for some reason it’s not my favorite so I don’t use it often. Usually for most bundt cakes you have to spray the bundt pans with cooking spray and this will make it super easy for the cake to fall right out when you flip it over. For this lemon chiffon cake though, all I had to do is run the knife around the outside and the middle just like you and tap it on the bottom a bit until it fell out.
Did you ever find out what size pan to use? I want to make this cake tonight, but before I buy a pan I want to make sure I’m buying the right one.
Beautiful cake, light zesty and your directions were straightforward to follow. A great end to our English Sunday tea.
I have never made a chiffon cake but that looks delicious. I just made a “skinny lemon cheesecake” yesterday, not a bundt cake but lemony and it was so light and delicious. I will have to go buy myself a bundt pan and try your recipe out. Have a nice Memorial Day weekend and Thanks for the recipe.
You too Kim, you’ll love this, it’s light and delicious!
lol! I love bundt pans too! It’s a problem…fortunately they stack (sort of) 😉
I really, really, really want a set of mini bundt pans but I must refrain!
I’ve never made a chiffon cake but yours looks sensational! All the lemon and that glaze! ggahh!
Yes the mini bundt pans are next on my list! LOL They’re just too cute!