Lemon Chiffon Cake with Strawberry Frosting Recipe

This Lemon Chiffon Cake with Strawberry Frosting recipe is a light and fluffy recipe, which is made with cake flour and whipped egg whites. It’s a stunning show-stopper for spring, ready in about 3 hours (including cooling time).

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Lemon Chiffon Cake Ingredients

Light, fluffy, and full of fresh flavor.

For the Lemon Chiffon Cake:

• 1 ¾ cups cake flour
• 1 ⅓ cups superfine sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
• 6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• ½ cup cold water
• 1 teaspoon (from the 1 tbsp) fresh lemon juice
• ⅓ cup (from the 1 ⅓ cups) superfine sugar

For the Strawberry Frosting:

• ¾ cup diced strawberries
• 2 (7.5-ounce) jars marshmallow cream
• 3 sticks unsalted butter, cut into pieces, at room temperature
• ½ cup confectioners’ sugar

How To Make Lemon Chiffon Cake

Building a light and luscious cake.

1. Prep the Oven and Pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottoms of three 8-inch round ungreased cake pans with parchment paper. Do not grease the sides.
2. Mix the Batter Base: Sift the cake flour, 1 cup of the superfine sugar, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the oil, ½ cup cold water, egg yolks, lemon zest, and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice until well combined. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, pour in the oil mixture, and stir with a rubber spatula until smooth.
3. Whip the Meringue: In a large, clean bowl, beat the egg whites and the remaining 1 teaspoon of lemon juice with an electric mixer on medium speed until foamy. Gradually beat in the remaining ⅓ cup of superfine sugar, then increase the speed and continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form.
4. Fold and Combine: Gently fold about one-third of the beaten egg whites into the cake batter to lighten it. Then, gently fold in the remaining egg whites in two additions until just combined. Be careful not to deflate the batter.
5. Bake the Cakes: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the centers spring back when gently pressed.
6. Cool the Layers: Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let the cakes cool completely in the pans. This is an important step for chiffon cakes.
7. Make the Strawberry Frosting: Puree the strawberries in a food processor until smooth. Strain the puree through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible.
8. Whip the Frosting: In a large bowl, beat the marshmallow cream with a mixer until smooth. Beat in the softened butter, one piece at a time. Beat in the strawberry puree, then reduce the speed to low and gradually add the confectioners’ sugar until combined and fluffy.
9. Assemble and Frost: Once cool, run a knife around the edges of the cakes to loosen them and invert them onto the rack, peeling off the parchment. Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread with about ⅓ cup of frosting. Top with the second layer and another ⅓ cup of frosting. Place the final layer on top and use the remaining frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe Tips

• Why must I use ungreased pans? This is the most important rule of chiffon and angel food cakes. The light, airy batter needs to cling to the sides of the pan to get its full height. A greased pan will cause the cake to slip and collapse.
• Why do I have to cool the cake in the pan? Unlike a butter cake, a chiffon cake’s structure is very weak when hot. Cooling it in the pan (right-side up, in this case, because it’s a layer) allows the structure to set and finish steaming without collapsing.
• How do I fold in the meringue? Be very gentle to keep the air you just whipped in. Add the meringue in three parts. Use a large rubber spatula to cut down the center of the bowl, sweep along the bottom, and “fold” the batter up and over the whites. Rotate the bowl and repeat until just combined.
• Can I use all-purpose flour? No. This recipe requires the low-protein, fine-milled texture of cake flour. All-purpose flour will make the cake heavy, tough, and dense.

What To Serve With Lemon Chiffon Cake

This is a light, airy, and fruity cake, perfect for a spring or summer celebration.

• Freshly sliced strawberries
• A cup of hot tea (like Earl Grey or chamomile)
• A glass of sparkling rosé or Champagne
• A light dusting of powdered sugar

How To Store Lemon Chiffon Cake

• Refrigerate: Because the frosting is made with butter and marshmallow cream, this cake must be stored in the refrigerator. Keep it in a cake dome or airtight container. It will last for 3-4 days.
• Serve: This cake tastes best when served at room temperature or slightly chilled. Let it sit out for 30 minutes before serving to allow the cake and frosting to soften.

Lemon Chiffon Cake Nutrition Facts

(Per slice, assuming 16 slices)

• Calories: ~420 kcal
• Total Fat: 22g
• Saturated Fat: 11g
• Cholesterol: 115mg
• Sodium: 210mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 52g
• Dietary Fiber: 1g
• Sugars: 38g
• Protein: 5g

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.

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