Name: Lemon Chiffon Layer Cake
Total time: 3 h 15 min
Ingredients: 1 cup (7 ounces/198 grams) sugar; 1 1/4 cups (5 ounces/142 grams) cake flour; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 5 large eggs (2 whole, 3 separated), room temperature; 6 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and cooled; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons juice

Why This Recipe Works

Lemon zest and juice add a refreshing citrus twist to classic chiffon cake. To make the cake light and airy, we gently folded whipped egg whites into the batter. We used plenty of egg yolks and butter to ensure that the final cake was rich and tender.

Before You Begin

You will need a cake pan that is at least 2 inches high for this recipe.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease light-colored 9-inch round cake pan, line with parchment paper, grease parchment, and flour pan. Set aside 3 tablespoons sugar. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining sugar together in large bowl. Add 2 whole eggs and 3 yolks, melted butter, vanilla, and lemon zest and juice and whisk until smooth.

Using stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip remaining 3 egg whites on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and whip whites to soft, billowy mounds, about 1 minute. Gradually add reserved sugar and whip until glossy, soft peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir one-third of whites into batter to lighten; gently fold remaining whites into batter until no white streaks remain.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Let cake cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan, discarding parchment, and let cool completely on rack, about 2 hours.