Light As Air Chiffon Cake

Submitted by GothicGranola

"Taken from the King Arthur flour website, I made the chocolate version for my boyfriend's birthday and everyone loved it. To make the chocolate version, replace 1/4 cup of flour with 1/3-1/2 cup of dutch process cocoa."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 30mins
• Ingredients: 10
• Yields: 1 cake
• Serves: 15

ingredients

• 7 eggs, separated
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar, divided
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup vegetable oil
• 3⁄4 cup milk (whole or skim, or buttermilk for chocolate cake)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

directions

1. Separate the eggs carefully; even a small mount of yolk in the whites will prevent them from beating up properly.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add 1/2 cup of sugar and contine beating until stiff and glossy. Set aside.
3. Whisk together the remaining 1 cup sugar with the flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, beat the oil, milk, egg yolks and flavorings until pale yellow. Add the dry ingredients and beat until well blended, about 2 minutes at medium speed using a mixer, or longer by hand.
4. Gently fold in the whipped egg whites, using a wire whip or cake blender. Be sure to scrap the bottom of the bowl so the batter is well-blended.
5. Pour the batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan or angel food pan, or two 9-inch round ungreased cake pans.
6. Bake the cake in a preheated 325 degree oven. If it's in a tube or angel food pan, bake it for 50 minutes, then turn up the heat to 350 for the final 10 minutes, making a total baking time of 1 hour. If you're using two 9-inch pans, bake for about 40 minutes at 325, then 10 minutes more at 350.
7. NOTE: Don't open the oven during the first 45 minutes of baking; the cake will rise high above the pan, then settle back almost even.
8. It's done when a finger gently pressed in the middle doesn't leave a print, and you can hear a crackling sound if you listen carefully.
9. Cool the cake upside down for 1/2 hour before removing it from the pan.
10. If you've used a tube pan, set it atop a thin-necked bottle, theading the bottle neck through the hole in the tube.
11. NOTE: Dip a serrated knife in hot water between each slive if you want smooth, even pieces.

Reviews

[Happy_Housewife]

The cake was just ok. It wasn't as soft and fluffy like chiffon cakes are. The flavour is good though but something it's still lacking. Maybe adding more vanilla might help. Nevertheless, it is healthier than cakes loaded with tons of butter and sugar.