t first glance you could mistakenly think this chiffon cake was
an angel food cake, for both have that tall circular shape and characteristic
hole in the center which comes from baking the cake in a tube pan. Not only does it look like an angel food cake but cut into this cake and
you will see that it also has the same sponge-like texture whose
lightness and fluffiness comes from beaten egg whites. Chiffon cakes, however,
are different for they contain both baking powder and a fat,
albeit in liquid form. Oil gives the
cake a wonderful moistness and tenderness that keeps the cake soft even when refrigerated. Safflower, corn or sunflower
oil can be used, just be sure to check the label to see that
the oil does not contain silicates as they tend to inhibit foaming. The
disadvantage of oil is that it has little flavor, so chiffon cakes must get their flavor from
other ingredients, in this case from both orange juice and orange zest. I have used Navel Oranges,
but you can use other varieties. Navel Oranges are a large, sweet, thick and pebbly skinned orange that is
fairly easy to peel and has no seeds. Its name comes from the fact
that the fruit has a navel like protuberance at one end which contains a
'baby' fruit. It is sometimes nicknamed the 'belly button orange'.
Chiffon cakes were invented in the 1920s by a Californian named
Henry Baker who sold his recipe to General Mills in the 1940s. Chiffon cakes enjoyed popularity in the 1950s and then seemed to fade from sight. Luckily, they are now being rediscovered, maybe because they are hailed
as having less cholesterol than other cakes and are less sweet tasting
than an angel food cake. As I mentioned above the batter is baked in an ungreased tube pan which allows the batter to
cling to the sides of the pan as it rises. The tube in the center
of the pan lets the hot air circulate so the heat can reach the center of
the cake. The cake needs to be inverted immediately upon removing it
from the oven as this
keeps the cake from shrinking and losing its volume. I like to
serve this cake with a dusting of powdered sugar and fresh fruit. Of course, whipped cream or even ice cream makes a nice accompaniment.
This recipe was adapted from The Woman's Association of
St. Paul's United Church's (Spryfield, Nova Scotia) "Book One Favorite
Recipes" dated 1956.
Separate the eggs and place
the whites in one bowl and the yolks in another. Cover with plastic wrap
and bring them to room temperature (about 30 minutes).
Preheat the oven to 325
degrees F (170 degrees C) and have ready a 10 inch (25 cm) two piece tube pan
(ungreased).
In the bowl of your
electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, place the flour, sugar (minus
3 tablespoons (42 grams)), baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the egg yolks, oil,
orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla extract. Beat about one minute or
until smooth.
In a separate bowl, with
the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of
tartar and continue to beat until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the
remaining 3 tablespoons (42 grams) of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
With a large rubber spatula or wire whisk, gently fold the egg whites into the
batter just until blended (being careful not to deflate the batter).
Pour the batter into the
ungreased tube pan and bake for about 55 to 60 minutes, or until a wooden
skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. (When lightly
pressed the cake will spring back). Immediately upon removing the cake
from the oven invert the pan and place on a bottle or flat surface so it is
suspended over the counter. Let the cake cool completely before removing
from pan (about 1 1/2 - 2 hours).
To remove the cake from
the pan, run a long metal spatula around the inside of the tube pan and center
core. Invert onto a greased wire rack.
Can store in an airtight
container for a few days at room temperature or for about a week in the
refrigerator. This cake can also be frozen for a couple of months.
Orange Chiffon Cake:
6 large eggs, separated plus 1
additional egg white
Note: To make superfine sugar,
process 1 1/2 cups (300 grams) of granulated white sugar in your food
processor for about 30 seconds or until finely ground. Superfine
sugar is used as it dissolves easier in the batter.
Orange Zest -
The orange outer rind of the orange that contains the fruit's flavor and
perfume.
Cream of
tartar is tartaric acid and is a fine white crystalline acid salt which is a
by-product of the wine-making industry. It is used in the whipping of egg
whites to stabilize them and allow them to reach maximum volume.
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