This earl grey chiffon cake is perfectly soft and fluffy. It's infused with strong earl grey flavour with whipped cream on top to complete it! Plus, all my tips for making the best chiffon cake successfully!
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It's no secret that I love making chiffon cakes based on the plethora of chiffon cake recipes I've made in the past like my Strawberry Chiffon Cake and Mango Chiffon Cake. It's my favourite kind of cake because they taste just like the cakes I love dearly from Asian bakeries.
This earl grey chiffon cake is simple and easy to make if you've never made chiffon cake before. It's just one cake, similar to a bundt cake, that you can serve plain, with a dusting of powdered sugar, or add whipped cream and fresh fruits. The possibilities are endless with this basic cake.
This cake is full of strong earl grey tea flavour thanks to the both the tea-steeped milk and loose tea leaves that are added to the cake batter. The soft and pillowy cake is paired with simple whipped cream to make the perfect light and airy match.
What is chiffon cake?
Chiffon cake is a soft and spongey cake that's leavened by whipping egg whites into an airy meringue which makes the cake rise. The meringue is then folded into an egg yolk mixture that has been mixed separately to create a fluffy and airy cake batter.
Chiffon cake differs from sponge cake in that it contains oil and sometimes baking powder. The result is a cake that's spongey but tastes richer and more moist than sponge cake.
They're usually baked in an angel food cake pan or tube pan that doesn't have a non-stick coating as chiffon cake needs to stick to the sides of the pan in prevent it from deflating and falling after baking.
Chiffon cake is usually paired with whipped cream which adds the perfect amount of sweetness, moisture, and airyness that compliments the texture of the cake. You'll typically also find them paired with fresh fruits in Asian bakeries. It's a delicious and classic combination that has always defined chiffon cakes for me.
Why you'll love this recipe
- This chiffon cake is incredibly soft, fluffy, and spongey. The perfect cake texture!
- Strong earl grey flavour is infused throughout the cake.
- This recipe includes all my best tips and tricks to make a foolproof chiffon cake.
- This cake is easy and simple to decorate.
Tools you'll need
- Electric hand mixer - An electric hand mixer or stand mixer is essential for whipping egg whites into meringue.
- 10" tube pan - A tube pan, also known as an angel food cake pan or chiffon cake pan, is a tall, round pan with a removable inner tube and bottom. It also usually has three prongs protruding out of the rim that act as "feet" when you invert the pan upside down to cool. This kind of pan is essential for making tall chiffon cakes because the tube increases surface area and helps the cake cook evenly.
- Piping bag - This is optional but if you want to pipe whipped cream on top of your cake, then you'll need a piping bag.
- Piping tip - Again, optional. I used a jumbo round piping tip for the piping design on this cake.
Ingredients
- Milk - Use any dairy or non-dairy milk you like. It doesn't matter here and you won't be able to taste any difference in the final cake.
- Earl grey tea bags - Use your favourite earl grey tea. For the tea leaves that you're adding directly into the batter, it's best if they're finely ground. If your tea leaves are larger than normal, you can grind them down with a blender or mortar and pestle.
- Eggs - You'll need 8 large eggs for a 10" cake. Separate the egg whites and egg yolks into two large mixing bowls, being careful not to get any yolk into the egg whites otherwise, they won't whip up properly.
- Cream of tartar - This is an acidic powder that helps stabilize the egg whites for a strong meringue that whips up quickly.
- Granulated sugar - Divide the sugar into 150g and 50g bowls. 150g will be added to the egg whites and 50g will be added to the egg yolks.
- Oil - Use any light-tasting oil like canola oil, avocado oil, or grapeseed oil. This makes chiffon cake moist without hardening when it's cold like butter.
- Vanilla extract
- Cake flour - Cake flour contains less gluten than regular all-purpose flour and makes a softer cake.
- Baking powder - Chiffon cakes are leavened by the air whipped into the meringue but baking powder can be added as a backup in case the meringue fails.
- Whipping cream - I love adding whipped cream to chiffon cakes for more moisture but you can also serve them plain or with a dusting of powdered sugar.
- Powdered sugar
How to make an earl grey chiffon cake
For the chiffon cake
Make earl grey-infused milk - In a small pot, heat milk and earl grey tea bags until it comes to a simmer. Cover, turn off the heat, and let it steep for 10 minutes. Squeeze out all the earl grey-infused milk in each tea bag before discarding. Weigh out 150g of this earl grey milk and let it cool completely in the fridge before using.
Prep - Preheat oven to 350℉. Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks into two large mixing bowls. Set the egg yolks aside.
Beat egg whites - To the egg whites, add cream of tartar. Use an electric hand mixer to beat the egg whites until it becomes frothy like cappuccino foam. Sprinkle in 150g of sugar, one spoonful at a time, mixing well in between each addition. After all the sugar has been added, keep beating until the meringue becomes stiff peaks. Set aside.
Make egg yolk mixture - To the egg yolks, add the remaining 50g of sugar and mix to combine. Add 150g of the earl grey milk you steeped earlier, oil, and vanilla extract. Mix to combine.
Sift in dry ingredients - With a fine mesh sieve, sift in the flour, baking powder, and earl grey tea leaves. Discard any large tea bits. Mix until just combined and smooth.
Fold meringue into egg yolk mixture - Add ⅓ of the egg white meringue to the egg yolk mixture. Fold together with a spatula until just combined. Add the rest of the meringue and fold together until the batter is airy and no streaks remain.
Fill pan - Pour the batter into a 10" ungreased tube pan, pouring in one spot and letting the batter flow into the rest of the pan to avoid creating air pockets. Lift and drop the pan on the table once or twice to help release any large air bubbles.
Bake - Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the edges just start to lightly brown and the top of the cake has a slight resistance when you press on it. Immediately flip the pan over and let the cake cool completely for at least 2-3 hours upside down resting on the legs of the pan or on a wire rack for airflow underneath.
Release cake - When the cake has cooled, flip it back over and run an offset spatula or skewer around the outer edges of the cake. Flip it over on a serving plate or cake stand and pull the outer pan off and gently pull the inner tube upwards to release the cake.
For the whipped cream
Whip cream - In a large mixing bowl, add whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Use an electric hand mixer to whip until it becomes stiff peaks.
Decorate cake - Transfer the whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a large round piping tip. Pipe dollops of whipped cream on top of the cooled chiffon cake. Sprinkle with some earl grey tea leaves if desired.
Storage
Store this earl grey chiffon cake in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
If your chiffon cake doesn't have whipped cream on top or any other fillings or toppings, store it in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Freezing
You can freeze leftovers of this earl grey chiffon cake by storing them in an airtight container or wrapping them well in plastic wrap and/or aluminum foil and freezing them for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
Tips & tricks
Use the right kind of pan
Don't set your cake up to fail before you even start. Be sure to use a cake pan without a non-stick coating and don't grease the pan. It's best to use a tube pan with a removable inner tube for an evenly baked cake.
Whip the meringue to stiff peaks
Chiffon cake rises because of the air bubbles that are whipped into the meringue so the meringue is one of the most important parts of this cake. Slowly and gradually whip in the sugar and whip until the meringue becomes stiff peaks.
When you pull the mixer out of the bowl, the meringue should stand up on its own in little spikes that curl over slightly at the tips.
Get rid of large air bubbles
A good chiffon cake should have tiny air bubbles evenly distributed throughout the cake. To prevent large air pockets from forming, pour the cake batter into the pan from one spot and let the batter fill the rest of the pan by itself. Before baking, gently lift and drop the pan on the counter 1-2 times to bring any large bubbles to the surface.
Prevent chiffon cake from deflating
Besides using the right kind of pan and making the batter properly, there are a few other things you can do to prevent your earl grey chiffon cake from sinking.
- Don't open the oven door during baking. Large changes in temperature can cause the cake to sink before it's finished baking.
- Don't underbake the cake. Underbaked cakes don't have enough structure and will sink as they cool. Slightly overbaking chiffon cake is better than underbaking. Bake your cake puffs up and then flattens out slightly. The edges should be lightly browned and the top of the cake should be spongey but give some resistance.
- Cool the cake upside down. Immediately flip the pan upside down after taking it out of the oven. Let it cool completely on a wire rack so that there's airflow underneath the cake. It should take at least 2-3 hours or overnight for the cake to cool completely and you only want to release the cake from the pan when it has cooled.
Frequently asked questions
Sponge cake and chiffon cake are both airy and spongey cakes made by whipping egg whites and egg yolks separately and then folding them together. They both rise when baked due to the air bubbles that are whipped into the egg white meringue.
Chiffon cake is different in that it contains oil and sometimes baking powder. It's richer and slightly denser than sponge cake with a smooth and moist crumb that's almost like pound cake while still being airy and fluffy.
You can make chiffon cake in a regular layer cake pan (without the inner tube) as long as the pan does not have a non-stick coating. Line the cake pan with a round of parchment paper on the bottom only and don't line or grease the sides of the pan. You may need to bake the cakes for slightly longer because there's less surface area in a regular pan. Cool the cakes upside down in the same way.
Cooling chiffon cake upside down helps it to retain its height so that it doesn't deflate as it cools. As the steam releases from all the air bubbles in the chiffon cake, the structure of the air pockets in the cake is maintained instead of collapsing.
More chiffon cake recipes to try
- Strawberry Chiffon Cake
- Mango Chiffon Cake
- Honeydew Roll Cake
- Pandan Coconut Cake
- White Peach Swiss Roll
Recipe
Earl Grey Chiffon Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Earl Grey Milk
- 200 g milk
- 3 earl grey tea bags
Earl Grey Chiffon Cake
- 8 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 200 g granulated sugar, divided into 150g + 50g
- 150 g earl grey milk
- 80 g light-tasting oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 160 g cake flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 2 earl grey tea bags, cut open for the tea leaves inside
Whipped Cream
- 300 g whipping cream
- 30 g powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 earl grey tea bag, optional, cut open for the tea leaves inside
Instructions
Earl Grey Milk
- In a small pot, heat milk and earl grey tea bags until it comes to a simmer. Cover, turn off the heat, and let it steep for 10 minutes. Squeeze out all the earl grey-infused milk in each tea bag before discarding. Weigh out 150g of this earl grey milk and let it cool completely in the fridge before using.
Earl Grey Chiffon Cake
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks into two large mixing bowls. Set the egg yolks aside.
- To the egg whites, add cream of tartar. Use an electric hand mixer to beat the egg whites until it becomes frothy like cappuccino foam.
- Sprinkle in 150g of sugar, one spoonful at a time, mixing well in between each addition. After all the sugar has been added, keep beating until the meringue becomes stiff peaks. Set aside.
- To the egg yolks, add the remaining 50g of sugar and mix to combine. Add 150g of the earl grey milk you steeped earlier, oil, and vanilla extract. Mix to combine.
- With a fine mesh sieve, sift in the flour, baking powder, and earl grey tea leaves. Discard any large tea bits. Mix until just combined and smooth.
- Add ⅓ of the egg white meringue to the egg yolk mixture. Fold together with a spatula until just combined. Add the rest of the meringue and fold together until the batter is airy and no streaks remain.
- Pour the batter into a 10" ungreased tube pan, pouring in one spot and letting the batter flow into the rest of the pan to avoid creating air pockets. Lift and drop the pan on the table once or twice to help release any large air bubbles.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the edges just start to lightly brown and the top of the cake has a slight resistance when you press on it. Immediately flip the pan over and let the cake cool completely for at least 2-3 hours upside down resting on the legs of the pan or on a wire rack for airflow underneath.
- When the cake has cooled, flip it back over and run an offset spatula or skewer around the outer edges of the cake. Flip it over on a serving plate or cake stand and pull the outer pan off and gently pull the inner tube upwards to release the cake.
Whipped Cream
- In a large mixing bowl, add whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Use an electric hand mixer to whip until it becomes stiff peaks.
- Transfer the whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a large round piping tip. Pipe dollops of whipped cream on top of the cooled chiffon cake. Sprinkle with some earl grey tea leaves if desired.
Peggy from Pittsburgh says
I've made it twice. Lovely earl grey taste, moist and not too sweet. I did measure out egg whites to 240 - 280 grams. (Aldi's has large eggs.) And also used cold whites to achieve finer crumb? Will try the trick of grinding sugar with tea leaves of 1 tea bag next time. Thanks Gail for all your hard work into producing great reliable recipes!
Peggy says
Hi
May I know how many tea bags is required to steep in the milk. Thank you
PL says
I made this cake for the first time the other day and it turned out perfectly. So moist yet fluffy, and it remained that way for 5 days. The earl grey flavour came through beautifully and it was the perfect way to use up random teabags lying around! I wonder if I could use this recipe as a base for other flavours too. Thank you for sharing!
Ngoc says
Made this cake for my friend and her response was, "Oh em gee! This is fucken delicious!! Can you share the recipe?" I'm glad I heeded the advice to get a proper pan, which I scored at Goodwill.
Amanda says
If use a 7 inch tube pan, how long do you think I should bake the cake for?
Samai Calderon says
Can I use almond or oat milk instead?
Gail Ng says
Yes!
Khadeejah says
Hi, i used caster sugar and all purpose flour instead. The cake turned out to be extremely soft to the point that it was difficult.
hayden says
What can I replace cream or tartar with?
Anonymous says
Vinegar worked when I made a meringue. However, it took longer to achieve the desired 'Cappuccino foam'
Mimi says
I’ve made other chiffon cakes like the strawberry cream one on your blog and loved them, can this one be made in round pans as layer cake, too? For round pans should you still invert? How many layers/size would this make? Thanks!
Mads says
I made a quarter of this recipe for a very small cake. I was a bit worried that this recipe wouldn’t scale down properly but it does! It came out so fluffy and moist and really tastes like earl grey. One thing I did change was the amount of earl grey bits added to the batter. I ground up a single teabag by hand using a bit of sugar and a spoon handle to make more fine dust.
Shirley M. says
Just made this cake for Christmas dinner and it is SO delicious. It’s just great that the recipe uses the entire egg and the tea infuses so beautifully into the batter. Such a lovely recipe, I will only bake chiffon cakes from here on out! Thank you so much!
Aileen says
I had all the ingredients and it wasn’t too difficult! Earl grey taste was there and the chiffon was light and fluffy without being dry 🙂 Delicious recipe!
Random: It would be nice to add a function where the screen stays on.
Nancy says
There is an option called Cook mode on the recipe card, click on it and itll prevent the screen from going out while baking !!