Soft and tender, this Chiffon Cake has a wonderful airiness and sweetness to it, making it a crowd-pleasing classic. All you need are a few simple pantry staples, and you can enjoy this cake in no time.
Position an oven rack to the lowest level and preheat the oven to 325F.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, water, oil, and vanilla until pale and frothy, about 30 seconds. Add egg yolk mixture to flour mixture, whisking until well combined.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 6 minutes. Fold one-fourth of the egg whites into the flour mixture, until just combined. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites. Spoon batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Run a butter knife gently through the batter to release any potential air pockets.
Bake on the lowest rack for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. (Take should spring back when gently poked with your finger.) Immediately invert the pan onto a wire rack and let the cake cool completely in the pan. When cooled, gently run a knife around the edges of the pan to release the cake. Place the cake on a cake stand and garnish with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.
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Notes
For the fluffiest cake, do not skip sifting your dry ingredients. Sifting will aerate them and remove any possible lumps in the dry ingredients.
I highly recommend using a scale to measure your flour. However, if you don’t have a scale, be sure to fluff your flour with a spoon and then spoon it into your cups before leveling it off with a knife. This method is the best way to measure flour without overpacking the measuring cup.
Avoid over-mixing as you risk over-developing the gluten in the batter leading to a tough, dry, and dense cake.
Eggs are easier to separate when cold. Egg whites whip up easier when closer to room temperature. I recommend separating them in advance if you have the time.