Cooking in Community

collecting community cookbooks and modernizing the recipes

Menu
  • What is a Community Cookbook?
  • Why “Modernize” the Recipes?
  • About Me
  • My Modernized Recipes in Print
  • News & Events
  • Contact Me
Menu

Modernized Recipes

Cookbooks

Lemon Chiffon Cake

Posted on May 23, 2023September 21, 2023 by Rachel Rappaport
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

The appeal of chiffon cakes is their light and fluffy texture. It was created by the aptly named Harry Baker in the 1920s to be an even lighter and more delicate cake than the already popular Angel Food Cake. Interestingly, he achieved this by using whole eggs (divided) instead of just egg whites and using oil instead of butter or leaving it out altogether as you would for an Angel Food Cake. 

Obtaining this perfect ethereal texture isn’t difficult but you do need to follow the instructions carefully and use the correct tools. This is not a recipe where you can make a lot of ingredient substitutions—except for the juice, any citrus would work—or swap in a different pan or simplify the mixing.

Following the recipe results in a lightly sweet tart cloud of a cake so all the fussiness is worth it, I promise!

I used this footed angel food cake pan to great results.

Lemon Chiffon Cake

adapted and updated from Pat Cahili's Orange Rum Chiffon Cake in Loyola Mother's Club. Loyola Recipes. 1974
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • 6 eggs, divided use
  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 2 ½ cups cake flour
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • Pinch salt
  • ¾ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice from about 3 large lemons
  • Zest from one lemon
  • ½ cup canola oil

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 325°. Place a footed tube pan (this is not optional, this is not a bundt pan despite looking similar to one, it will have a center piece with the “tube” that will not be attached to the sides and small metal “feet” attached to the sides that rise above the tube) on the counter where it will be handy. DO NOT GREASE OR FLOUR THE PAN.
  • In a glass or metal bowl or in the glass or metal bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form using a whisk or the whisk attachment of a mixer.
  • Meanwhile, in a second large bowl, beat together all of the remaining ingredients (including the egg yolks!) until smooth. You can do this by hand using a whisk or with a stand or hand mixer.
  • Fold in the egg whites to the egg yolk batter using a metal spoon.
  • Immediately scrape into the ungreased tube pan and bake for 60 minutes or until it’s slightly gold and a tooth pick or thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  • Immediately flip the pan and allow it to rest on its “feet”. I like to do this over a platter or a sheet of parchment paper on the counter. It is rare but occasionally gravity will pull the cake out of the pan when it is cool and you don’t want to lose the cake!
  • Cool the cake completely upside down. You will know it is cool because the tube inside will feel cold to the touch. This takes at least an hour so plan accordingly.
  • Run a thin knife around the outer edge of the pan and around the tube, if needed, and gently press the bottom of the pan to release the cake.
  • Use a serrated knife to cut into slices and serve.
  • This cake is best the day it is made but you can keep leftovers at room temperature for 1-2 days in an airtight container
Keyword cake, grant cookbook recipe

A version of this post appeared in Aspics, Chicken Salad, and Ice Cold Celery: Finding Community through Maryland Recipes

Tags: 1970s recipeBaltimore County Marylandcakecommunity cookbookcommunity cookbook recipegrant project recipelemonsLoyola Mother's Club Loyola RecipesMarylandMaryland cookbook recipemodernized reciperecipeTowson Maryland
Category: cakedessertmodernized reciperecipe

Post navigation

← Little Orleans Volunteer Fire Company Cookbook
Roulade with Rapini and Mushrooms →

I'm a cookbook author and recipe developer collecting community cookbooks from around the US and recreating the recipes so you can make them at home, today.

  • About Me
  • Contact Me
  • My Modernized Recipes in Print
  • News & Events
  • What is a Community Cookbook?
  • Why “Modernize” the Recipes?

Archives

  • June 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023

Categories

  • appetizers and snacks
  • Arizona Cookbook
  • Ark-La-Tex Cookbook
  • Arkansas Cookbook
  • bars
  • beef
  • biscuits
  • blondies
  • book
  • bread
  • Breakfast
  • brownies
  • cake
  • California Cookbook
  • candy
  • casserole
  • coffee cake
  • Colorado Cookbook
  • Connecticut Cookbook
  • cookies
  • crabs
  • Delaware Cookbook
  • Delmarva Cookbook
  • dessert
  • Florida Cookbook
  • Georgia Cookbook
  • Guam Cookbook
  • Hawaii Cookbook
  • ice box dessert
  • Indiana Cookbook
  • International Cookbook
  • Kentucky Cookbook
  • Louisiana Cookbook
  • main dish
  • Maryland Cookbook
  • Massachusetts Cookbook
  • Michigan Cookbook
  • Minnesota Cookbook
  • modernized recipe
  • National Cookbook
  • Nebraska Cookbook
  • New Jersey Cookbook
  • New York Cookbook
  • North Carolina Cookbook
  • Ohio Cookbook
  • Oklaholma Cookbook
  • Oklahoma Cookbook
  • Pasta
  • pasta salad
  • Pennsylvania Cookbook
  • quick bread
  • recipe
  • salad
  • sandwich
  • seafood
  • side dish
  • slow cooker
  • soup
  • Texas Cookbook
  • Unknown Location Cookbook
  • USA Cookbook
  • Virgin Islands Cookbook
  • Virginia Cookbook
  • Washington DC Cookbook
  • Washington State Cookbook
  • West Virginia Cookbook
  • Wisconsin Cookbook

Tags

1960s book 1970s book 1970s recipe 1980s book 1980s recipe 1990s book book church cookbook community cookbook community cookbook recipe contains recipe that was adapted craft recipes credits sources Delaware dessert helpful hints historical recipes illustrated local ads local histories local restaurant recipes Maryland Maryland Cookbook Maryland cookbook recipe modernized recipe mysterious recipe names named contributors no illustrations novelty recipes Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Cookbook photographs politician contributors quippy quotes recipe regional dishes religious organization cookbook spiral bound stock images only undated unnamed contributors Vashon Island Washington State Washington State wild game recipes women’s club cookbook

©2025 Cooking in Community