This is my favorite chiffon cake. It is so light, airy and tender. And the lemon juice and lemon zest just add to the flavor and fragrance. Please give it a try!

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Ingredients for 7” (18 cm) tube pan

Egg yolk batter
4 yolks
¼ cup (4 tablespoons or 50g) sugar
¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
¼ cup (60 ml) water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 cup (100 g) cake flour
1 tablespoon lemon zest

Meringue
4 egg whites
¼ tsp cream of tartar
¼ cup (4 tablespoons or 50g) sugar

Chantilly Cream/ Whipped Cream
¾ cup (175 ml) heavy cream (very cold)
½ or 1 tablespoon sugar (depending on your sweetness preference)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Lemon zest for decoration

Two Baking Options:
1) Bake 325F (165°C) for 45 minutes.
2) Bake 250°F (120°C) for 75 min. Then increase the heat to 300°F (150°C) for 15 min if you don’t want any crack on top. Total time is about 90 minutes.

(Please note: each oven is different. Make sure the cake is golden brown and toothpick inserted inside the cake comes out clean.)

Basic Chiffon Steps:
1. Preheat the oven. Separate the eggs when they are cold. The probability of yolk breaking is small compared to when eggs are warm.

2. Mix egg yolk and sugar together until the mixture is smooth.

3. Add vegetable oil, water, lemon juice, and mix until combined.

4. Add sifted flour, and whisk until the batter is smooth. Add lemon zest, mix and set aside.

5. Making meringue: in another clean bowl that is free of egg yolk, beat the egg whites (room temperature) with an electric mixer until foamy. When the bubbles become smaller, add cream of tartar. Gradually add the sugar and beat on High until STIFF PEAK (about 4-5 minutes). Don't over beat the egg whites.

(Please note that I do not add any baking powder. The cream of tartar is the leavening agent and the aeration is due to the meringue. After the meringue reaches stiff peaks, immediately combine the two mixtures. Do not wait too long or the meringue will deflate.)

6. Add some meringue into the yolk mixture and mix together.

7. Transfer the rest of the egg yolk batter into the meringue batter and fold in gently. Do not overmix.

8. Immediately, transfer the batter into the tube pan. Do not fill to the top. Leave some space on top of the pan for the cake to expand.

9. Use a spoon to smooth the batter and a chopstick to go around the pan in circle a few times to reduce air bubbles. I found this method more effective than “tapping” the counter.

10. Bake in a preheated oven. Test with toothpick to make sure the cake is fully cooked. If the top is wet, it is not done yet.

11. Once the cake is cooked, immediately invert the pan to prevent the cake from collapsing. Let it cool completely before unmolding, about 1-3 hours depending on your room temperature. You can use a fan to speed up cooling.

12. Use a spatula to go around the cake to loosen and a knife to cut the bottom from the pan. Invert the cake. If you have a crack on the cake during baking, after inverted, you won't see the crack.

13. Whip the cream, sugar, vanilla extract together until soft peak (about 2 min). Immediately spoon the cream on top of the cake. Once the cream is applied on the cake, it needs to be served right away or put in the refrigerator.

14. Enjoy!