Light and fluffy cakes are great for when you don't want anything too heavy for dessert. This Orange Chiffon Cake is exactly the thing you need. It's a simple cake with a tender and moist and texture. This delicate orange cake will be your new favorite go-to recipe.
Prep Time 20 minutesminutes
Cook Time 55 minutesminutes
Total Time 1 hourhour15 minutesminutes
Servings 10
Ingredients
1 ½cups(300g)granulated sugar
1 ⅓cups(160g)cake flour, sifted
2teaspoonsbaking powder
½teaspoonsalt
½cup(120ml)vegetable oil
6large eggs, separated at room temperature
¼cup(60ml)water
½cup(120ml)orange juice, fresh
1tablespoonorange zest, finely grated
1teaspoonvanilla extract
½teaspooncream of tartar
Instructions
Adjust the oven rack to just below the center and heat to 325°F.
Whisk the sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, egg yolks, water, orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla extract until well combined. Add to the flour mixture and whisk just until the batter is smooth.
Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a clean bowl with a handheld electric mixer, whip the eggs whites and cream of tartar on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Turn the speed up to medium-high and whip until egg whites are stiff but not dry, about 3 minutes.
Using a rubber spatula, stir 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter to lighten it up. Fold in the remaining egg whites. Press any stubborn clumps of egg whites into the bowl to make them easier to mix in.
Pour the batter into an ungreased 16-cup tube pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Gently tap the pan on the counter to help settle the batter. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
If your pan has prongs around the rim, invert the pan onto them. If not, invert the pan over the neck of a bottle or funnel. Let the cake cool completely before removing it from the pan, about 3 hours.
Run a thin knife along the edge of the pan to loosen it, then gently tap the pan upside down to release the cake. Place the cake right side up onto a serving platter.
Cake flour: Cake flour is made from soft wheat flour and gives this cake its tender and delicate crumb. If you cannot find it you can make homemade cake flour.
Oil: You can use any flavorless oil; vegetable or canola are preferred.
Eggs: Separate them while they are cold then place the egg yolks in one bowl and the egg whites in another. Cover both with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 45-60 minutes. The egg whites must at room temperature or they will not whip to their full volume.
Orange juice: Fresh orange juice offers the best flavor. Once you squeeze the oranges, pour the juice through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any seeds or pulp.
Orange zest: Wash the oranges thoroughly before zesting and remove only the orange outer rind. The white pith underneath can be quite bitter.
Cream of tartar: Adding a little cream of tartar stabilizes the egg whites so they whip to their full volume. It also helps prevent over whipping. You can omit it or substitute it with an equal amount of lemon juice.
Orange glaze: You may wish to glaze your cake instead of dusting it with powdered sugar. Combine 1 1/2 cups (185 g) confectioners' sugar, 3 tablespoons orange juice, and 1 tablespoon orange zest. Whisk until smooth then pour over the top of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Let the glaze dry before covering and storing.
Make-ahead tip
The cake can be stored for up to 2 days at room temperature or 4 days in the refrigerator.