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slices of orange chiffon cake on a white cake plate with a fork

Olive Oil Orange Chiffon Cake Recipe

This recipe is adapted from Joy of Baking and Epicurious/Gourmet Magazine March 1992.

Course Dessert
Cuisine American, Chinese
Keyword olive oil orange chiffon cake, orange chiffon cake
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Cooling time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 278 kcal
Author Sharon Wong, NutFreeWok.com

Ingredients

  • 9 eggs (room temperature) you'll only use 7 yolks, reserve 2 yolks for other purposes
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • OR 2 1/4 cup cake flour
  • 1 cup sugar divided
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large oranges (or 3 medium oranges) zest and juiced (need 3/4 cup)
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Instructions

  1. Wash, towel dry, and air dry a two piece 10 inch tube cake pan and, for beating the egg whites, a large mixing bowl and whisk (or whisk attachment).

  2. Position your lower oven rack so that the cake will be in the center of the oven and check that your upper rack is high enough so that you can easily place the filled cake pan later. Preheat oven, 325 °F.

  3. Separate the egg yolks and egg whites, place 9 egg whites into a freshly washed and dried mixing bowl for your electric mixer and 7 egg yolks into a second large mixing bowl.

  4. Whisk together or sift the flour, cornstarch, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt into a medium sized bowl.

  5. Wash and dry two oranges and zest the oranges over the flour mixture.
  6. Use a fork or wire whisk to stir the flour for 30 seconds to break up any clumps of zest or baking powder, set aside.
  7. Juice the oranges and add 3/4 cup of orange juice to the bowl of egg yolks.

  8. Add oil and vanilla extract to the egg yolks and use a whisk or fork to mix until blended.

  9. Add the flour mixture to the egg yolk mixture and mix with a spatula until just combined, do not over mix, and set aside.

  10. Use your electric mixer to beat the egg whites on the high for about 2 to 2.5 minutes (or use a clean and dry whisk) until the eggs have soft peaks.

  11. Add the cream of tartar and 1/4 cup of sugar to the egg whites and continue beating for 1 minute if using a mixer or until there are stiff glossy peaks, with a pointy tip when you take the whisk out of the egg whites.
  12. Use a spatula to transfer 2 large scoops of egg whites (up to 1/3) to the flour and egg yolks mixture and gently fold in the egg yolk by using the spatula to "cut" into the center of the ingredients, scraping along the bottom, up the side of the bowl, lifting the thick batter from the bottom to the top, and turning the bowl as you go with each fold.
  13. Fold in the remaining batter until there are no more clumps of egg white, be gentle and patient.
  14. Gently tap the bowl on the counter to release any large air bubbles.
  15. Transfer the batter into the tube pan, use a spatula to even out the batter, and a damp paper towel to wipe up any drips.

  16. Bake for 50 minutes (up to 1 hour, time may vary). The cake is ready when golden brown and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.

  17. Flip the cake and allow it to cool upside down in the cake pan, allow 1-2 hours.
  18. When cooled, insert a long thin knife in between the cake and the pan and carefully run the knife along the edges of the pan and the tube.
  19. Hold the tube from the bottom and use your other hand to twist the pan away from the cake.
  20. Slide a knife in between the bottom of the cake and the base, carefully lift the cake out of the tube base and transfer onto a cake platter.
  21. Serve plain, with a scoop of fresh cut fruit, or with a dollop of whipped cream.