Orange Chiffon Cake

Serve the perfect summer sweet treat with this Orange Chiffon Cake. It’s a light and airy cake with the perfect glaze or frosting to go on top for added flavor.

What Is a Chiffon Cake?

A chiffon cake is similar to a sponge cake, but it contains extra ingredients that most sponge cakes don’t contain, such as cream of tartar, vegetable oil, and more. The Orange Chiffon Cake also contains ingredients to give it that citrus-like taste, such as fresh orange juice and orange zest.

The Ingredients Needed to Make the Orange Chiffon Cake

Before you get started, make sure you have the right ingredients to make the Orange Chiffon Cake, including:

• Flour. You can use all-purpose flour or cake flour in this recipe.
• Granulated Sugar. Prepare a sweet cake batter by adding granulated sugar to the mixture.
• Fresh Orange Juice. Give your cake that refreshing orange flavor using fresh orange juice.
• Baking Soda. Make sure your cake has the perfect texture by adding baking soda to it.
• Orange Zest. Add even more orange flavor to your cake by using the orange zest.

You’ll need a few other ingredients for the cake, including vegetable oil, butter, salt, and eggs. Be sure to separate your egg yolks from the egg whites before you get started.

Can I buy grated orange zest?

If you don’t feel like zesting an orange, or if you don’t have a zester, you can buy grated orange zest. It’s often in the baking/spices aisle of the grocery store. If you’re unable to find it, you can zest the orange at home using a sharp knife. When using the sharp knife to grate the orange, be sure to move slowly to avoid getting hurt.

Can I use bottled orange juice instead of fresh orange juice?

Although you can buy bottled orange juice and use it in this Orange Chiffon Cake recipe, it’s much better to juice three large oranges at home and then add the juice to your cake mixture. The fresh orange juice brings more flavor to the cake.

How long will the cake need to cool?

After you’ve baked the cake, you might be tempted to slice right into it, but you need to give it some time to cool down. Place the cake in its pan on a wire rack and let it sit there for at least 40-50 minutes before you attempt to remove it from the pan. If you’re having trouble getting it out, slice a butter knife along the sides to detach the cake from the pan.

Should I use a glaze or frosting on top of the cake?

The topping that you decide to use is entirely up to you. Both the glaze and frosting go great with the cake. If you want a lighter topping, go with the glaze. However, if you want to make your Orange Chiffon Cake a bit sweeter with a heavier topping, prepare the frosting using heavy cream, powdered sugar, and a few other ingredients.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

Before you mix your ingredients, make sure you leave them out and allow them to reach room temperature. When your ingredients are at room temperature, the texture of the cake is better. It will have a light and fluffy texture to it.