National Chiffon Cake Day is celebrated in the United States every year. Chiffon cake is a light and fluffy cake that combines the qualities of a butter cake and an angel food cake. It was invented in the 1920s by Harry Baker, a professional baker in Los Angeles. He was born in London, England in 1877, and moved to the United States as a teenager. He began his baking career at a bakery in New York City and eventually moved to Los Angeles where he opened his own bakery. Baker’s chiffon cake  combines the qualities of a butter cake and an angel food cake. He chose the name “chiffon” because of the light, delicate texture of the cake, and it was first mentioned in an article in the Los Angeles Times in 1927. Baker passed away in 1954, but his legacy lives on through the popularity of chiffon cake.

The very first published recipe for chiffon cake appeared in the 1948 cookbook, “Modern Cake Decorating” by the Wilton School of Cake Decorating. The recipe called for the use of vegetable oil instead of butter and the addition of baking powder to make the cake lighter and fluffier. Today, there are many variations of chiffon cake, including chocolate, lemon, and even strawberry chiffon cakes.

One of the most popular recipes for chiffon cake is the classic orange chiffon cake, which combines orange juice and zest with the cake batter.

It is estimated that approximately 30 million chiffon cakes are consumed in the United States each year. Chiffon cake is also popular in other countries such as Canada, Japan, and South Korea. Global sales of chiffon cakes are estimated to reach over $2 billion by 2022.

Chiffon Cake Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 ⅓ cups cake flour
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 6 large eggs, separated
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ¼ cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch tube pan.
2. In a large bowl, sift together cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks, oil, water, and vanilla extract.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
5. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form.
6. Gently fold the egg whites into the cake batter until just combined.
7. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
8. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool

If you and your friends are looking for an excuse to celebrate, let them eat cake – Chiffon Cake. We’d love to hear your thoughts.