Orange Chiffon Cake

Light, fluffy, orange chiffon cake made with fresh oranges. Make a simple powdered sugar glaze to top the cake for a simply gorgeous dessert recipe.

A few years ago I shared a light and fluffy lemon chiffon cake with you. Since that time, I’ve switched out the lemon for orange with a delicious result.

Whether you’re needing an orange cake for Christmas or want a light and fresh dessert for a summer picnic, this orange chiffon cake is the answer.

Why you’ll love this recipe:

• Light, tender, fluffy cake.
• Sweet & tangy citrus orange flavor.
• Glaze made with freshly squeezed orange juice and zest.
• Makes a beautifully presented dessert for family dinners and potlucks.

What is a chiffon cake?

A chiffon cake is similar to an angel food cake. It bakes in a tube pan and is light, spongy and fluffy in texture. Unlike sponge cakes and angel food cakes, a chiffon cake has oil which makes it extra moist.

How to Make Orange Chiffon Cake

• Preheat oven to 325º Fahrenheit.
• Separate the eggs, putting the egg yolks in one bowl and egg whites in another. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In another bowl, mix together the egg YOLKS, water, oil, orange zest and vanilla.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until well combined.
• Add the cream of tartar to the egg whites. Using a stand mixer, beat until the peaks are stiff. (This took about 4 minutes in a stand mixer.)
• Gently fold the egg white mixture into the batter until combined. Batter will be very light and fluffy.
• Pour into an ungreased tube pan (with a removable bottom) and bake on the lowest rack for 50 minutes, or until top springs back when touched.

Pro Tip: It may seem strange to use an ungreased pan, but this is important so the cake rises properly.

How to Cool a Chiffon Cake

Chiffon cakes are similar to angel food cakes in that you let it cool upside down. This is to keep the tall, fluffy structure.

• When the cake comes out of the oven, immediately invert the pan and let it rest upside down on three glasses.
• Allow the cake to cool upside down completely, then slide a knife around the sides and center of the pan to loosen the cake.
• Remove the cake to a plate.

Orange Glaze

To make the orange glaze, whisk together the sugar, orange zest and orange juice. Add ½ to 1 tablespoon of heavy cream if the glaze is still too thick. Then drizzle it over the cake.

Recipe Variations

• Cake flour works really well for chiffon cakes. You can use all-purpose flour, but test cake flour sometime too.
• You can bake this cake in two 9″ round cake pans, but make sure they have tall sides. Our tallest cake pans are about 3″ in height. This cake rises and if you have short cake pans, it might overflow.

Storage Instructions

Store this cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the cake in an airtight container. When you are ready to eat it, pull it out of the freezer and allow it to fully defrost before opening the container. This will help the cake stay fresh.

Orange Chiffon Cake

4.44 from 60 votes

Light, fluffy, orange chiffon cake made with fresh oranges. Make a simple powdered sugar glaze to top the cake for a simply gorgeous dessert recipe.

Servings 12

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 1 hour hour

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Ingredients

 

For the cake:

• 7 large eggs separated & at room temperature
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 4 teaspoons grated orange peel
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or orange extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Orange Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 325º Fahrenheit.
• Separate the eggs, putting the egg yolks in one bowl and egg whites in another. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In another bowl, mix together the egg YOLKS, water, oil, orange zest and vanilla.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until well combined.
• Add the cream of tartar to the egg whites. Using a stand mixer, beat until the peaks are stiff. (This took about 4 minutes in a stand mixer.)
• Gently fold the egg white mixture into the batter until combined. Batter will be very light and fluffy.
• Pour into an ungreased tube pan (with a removable bottom) and bake on the lowest rack for 50 minutes, or until top springs back when touched.
• Immediately invert the pan and let it rest upside down on three glasses.
• Allow the cake to cool upside down completely, then slide a knife around the sides and center of the pan to loosen the cake.
• Remove the cake to a plate.
• To make the orange glaze, whisk together the sugar, orange zest and orange juice. Add ½ to 1 tablespoon of heavy cream if the glaze is still too thick.
• Drizzle the cake with the orange glaze.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

The calories shown are based on the cake being cut into 12 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of cake. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**

Nutrition

Calories: 344kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 238mg | Potassium: 190mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 179IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 2mg

Author Julie Clark

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Calories 344

Keyword chiffon cake, orange cake, tube cake

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