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orange chiffon cake

🍊 Orange Chiffon Cake

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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 290
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cake:
  • 2¼ cups cake flour or all-purpose, sifted
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar divided
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 7 large eggs separated
  • ¾ cup fresh orange juice about 3–4 oranges
  • 2 tbsp orange zest
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp cream of tartar
Optional Glaze (for topping):
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 –3 tbsp orange juice
  • ½ tsp orange zest

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Do not grease your tube pan.
  2. In a large bowl, sift together cake flour, 1 cup of the sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks, orange juice, zest, oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.
  4. Add wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until just combined — do not overmix.
  5. In a clean, dry bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining ½ cup of sugar and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form.
  6. Gently fold ⅓ of the whipped egg whites into the batter to lighten it. Then fold in the remaining egg whites just until incorporated.
  7. Pour batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50–55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  8. Immediately invert the pan and let the cake cool completely upside down in the pan (about 1–2 hours). This keeps the cake from collapsing.
  9. Once cool, run a knife around the sides and center tube to release the cake.
  10. (Optional) For glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar, orange juice, and zest until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cake and let set.

Notes

Only use fresh orange juice and zest — bottled juice won’t give the same vibrant flavor.
Don’t grease the pan; the batter needs to cling to the sides as it rises.
Letting the cake cool upside down is key to keeping it tall and airy.
You can bake this in a bundt pan, but it may not rise as high.
Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days (cover well).