Description
Mary Berry’s Chiffon Cake is a light, airy cake made by whipping egg whites and folding them into the batter, which gives it a delicate and fluffy texture. Unlike traditional butter cakes, chiffon cakes use oil, which makes them soft and moist. This cake is perfect for serving on special occasions or as an elegant dessert for guests.
Ingredients
Scale
- 175g plain flour
- 225g caster sugar
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 6 large eggs (separated)
- 120ml vegetable oil
- 175ml water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp cream of tartar
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 170°C (150°C fan) or gas mark 3.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together the plain flour, 150g of the caster sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Combine the Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks, vegetable oil, water, and vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined.
- Whip the Egg Whites: In a clean, dry bowl, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar using an electric whisk or stand mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 75g of caster sugar and continue whisking until stiff peaks form.
- Fold the Egg Whites into the Batter: Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the egg yolk batter in batches, being careful not to deflate the mixture. Use a spatula to fold until the batter is smooth and airy.
- Pour the Batter into the Tin: Pour the chiffon batter into the un-greased chiffon cake tin. Use a spatula to smooth the top of the batter.
- Bake the Cake: Place the tin in the preheated oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the Cake: Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and invert the tin onto a wire rack. Allow the cake to cool completely upside down in the tin. This prevents the cake from collapsing as it cools.
- Remove from the Tin: Once the cake has cooled, use a knife to loosen the edges and carefully remove the cake from the tin.
- Serve: Dust the chiffon cake with icing sugar or serve with whipped cream and fresh fruit for an elegant touch.