Orange Chiffon Cake: the super easy recipe for making a fluffy dessert

This Orange Chiffon Cake is an easy, delicate dessert recipe. It’s a citrus variation of the classic chiffon cake we all know so well. So what can you expect from a chiffon cake, and why is it such a favorite? Well, this is a tall, impressive cake.

Because of all the eggs in the ingredients, the cake rises to quite a height. The texture is airy, light, spongy, and moist—everything you want in a slice of cake. You will need a specific tube pan for this one, and make sure not to use a non-stick pan. To make it, you need typical cake ingredients like cake flour, eggs, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar and of course, oranges.

Orange Chiffon Cake Ingredients

Eggs – use large, free-range eggs.

Flour – to make chiffon cake, you will need to use cake flour.

Sugar – use granulated sugar to add sweetness to the cake.

Oranges – use sweet Navel oranges if they’re available in your area. They're great for the zest and juice.

Vegetable oil – use any neutral, olive oil will be too strong tasting.

Baking powder and cream of tartar – they will make the cake tall and fluffy.

Salt – you need just a pinch to enhance the flavor.

How To Make Orange Chiffon Cake

Get a few bowls ready to make the recipe. First, separate the yolk from the egg whites. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. In a second bowl, combine egg yolks, orange zest, vegetable oil, orange juice, and water.

In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form, then add the cream of tartar and beat again until stiff peaks form. Now, it's time to add the dry ingredients into the yolk batter, then fold the egg white mixture. Mix well.

Pour the batter into the ungreased tube pan and bake at 160°C/320°F for about 50 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely in the tin, placed upside-down on a flat surface. When it's cool, remove the chiffon cake, dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Tips for making Easy Orange Chiffon Cake

If you want to serve this with an orange glaze instead, mix together ½ cup fresh orange juice and 1 lb. powdered sugar. Drizzle over the cake before serving.

Don’t use a non-stick pan to make this chiffon cake. If the sides are non-stick, the chiffon cake won’t be able to cling to the sides in order to rise high. For the same reason, you shouldn’t grease the pan either.

To make the chiffon cake keto-friendly, use gluten-free flour (or almond flour) and stevia instead of sugar.

Make sure to use the freshest eggs possible. This will ensure perfectly whipped egg whites. Add cream of tartar as it stabilizes the egg whites to create a stable meringue. Use 1/8 tsp per egg white, and if you don’t have cream of tartar, you can use lemon juice (1/2 tsp per egg white).

How To Store Orange Chiffon Cake

Store the orange chiffon cake in an airtight container (at room temperature) for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to one week.

This chiffon cake can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Make sure to wrap it tightly with plastic wrap.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F.

Separate yolks from egg whites and place them in two different clean bowls.

Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl, then add sugar and salt.

Add the baking powder and mix. Set aside.

Now take the egg yolk bowl. Pour in the vegetable oil and water.

Add in the orange zest.

Pour in the orange juice.

Mix to form a lump free batter. Set aside.

In the other bowl you set aside, beat the egg white to soft peaks with an electric mixer on low speed. Make sure your bowl is clean otherwise the egg whites won’t whip properly.

Slowly add the cream of tartar.

Beat on medium-low speed until stiff peaks form.

Gently add the dry ingredients into the yolk mixture. Mix.

Now fold in the egg white mixture too.

Mix until combined.

Pour the batter into the ungreased chiffon cake mold.

Bake for about 50 minutes or until golden brown on top. Immediately remove it from the oven.

Wearing an oven mitt, turn the mold upside down on a flat surface. Allow the cake to cool before turning out of the tin.

Remove the orange chiffon cake from the mold. Dust with powdered sugar, then slice, serve and enjoy!