Lemon Chiffon Cake with Lemon Curd
This post may contain affiliate links.If you love lemon desserts, you have to try this Lemon Chiffon Cake! It’s soft, light, and fluffy, with layers of whipped cream and homemade lemon curd. The combination of sweet and tangy flavors makes every bite so refreshing!
A Quick Look at the Recipe
🏷️ Recipe Name: Lemon Chiffon Cake
⏱️ Ready In: ~ 1 hour 25 minutes
🍽️ Serves: 12 slices
🔥 Calories: 180 kcal per slice (estimate)
🧾 Main Ingredients: Eggs, cake flour, sugar, salt, lemon juice, lemon zest, oil, milk, lemon curd, heavy cream.
🥗 Dietary Info: Contains dairy and gluten
🧠 Difficulty: Medium
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I love making chiffon cakes because they’re so soft, light, and fluffy. This Lemon Chiffon Cake is a little different from my usual chiffon cakes because I turn it into a layered cake with whipped cream and homemade lemon curd.
The lemon curd adds a lovely sweet and tangy flavor that goes so well with the light sponge cake and cream. It’s refreshing without being too rich or heavy.
If you enjoy lemon cakes, you might also like my Lemon Butter Cake, which has a richer, buttery texture. This lemon chiffon cake is much lighter and airier, making it a lovely dessert for birthdays, gatherings, or afternoon tea.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Recipe Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Egg yolks and egg whites – The egg yolks add richness, while the whipped egg whites give the chiffon cake its soft, light, and fluffy texture.
- Cake flour – Keeps the cake tender and airy. I recommend using cake flour for the best texture.
- Coconut oil – Keeps the cake soft and moist. You can also use another neutral-flavored oil, such as canola or sunflower oil.
- Lemon zest and lemon juice – Give the chiffon cake a fresh lemon flavor. I recommend using fresh lemons for the best taste.
For the Filling and Topping
- Heavy cream – Whipped until fluffy to create a light, creamy layer between the cakes and on top.
- Homemade lemon curd – This is what makes the cake extra delicious! The creamy, sweet, and tangy lemon curd pairs perfectly with the fluffy chiffon cake and whipped cream. You can use my homemade lemon curd recipe for the best flavor.
How to Make Lemon Chiffon Cake
STEP 1. Prepare the lemon cake batter. In a bowl, combine the egg yolks, milk, coconut oil, lemon juice, and lemon zest (Image 1). Whisk until well combined. Sift in the cake flour (Image 2) and whisk until the batter is smooth and free of lumps (Image 3). In a separate clean, dry bowl, start whipping the egg whites (Image 4).
STEP 2. Make the meringue. Gradually add the sugar in three batches while continuing to whip the egg whites (Image 5). Add the lemon juice and salt (Image 6). Keep whipping until the meringue reaches medium-soft peaks (Image 7). Add about one-fourth of the meringue to the lemon batter (Image 8) and gently mix to lighten the batter.
STEP 3. Fold the batter and bake. Gently fold in the remaining meringue in batches using a spatula (Image 9). Continue folding until no white streaks remain and the batter is smooth and fluffy (Image 10). Pour the batter into an ungreased 6-inch chiffon cake pan (Image 11). Gently tap the pan on the counter, then run a skewer through the batter in a circular motion to remove large air bubbles (Image 12). Bake in a preheated oven at 360°F (180°C) for about 55 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
STEP 4. Cool and assemble the cake. Once baked, carefully turn the cake pan upside down and let the cake cool completely (Images 13, 14). Remove the cake from the pan and slice it horizontally into two layers (Image 15). Spread whipped cream over the bottom layer, then add a layer of homemade lemon curd (Image 16). Place the second cake layer on top and finish with more whipped cream and lemon curd.
Pro Tips
- Keep your mixing bowl clean and dry. Make sure the bowl and beaters are free from oil, water, or egg yolk before whipping the egg whites. Even a little grease can affect the meringue.
- Don’t overwhip the egg whites. Whip until you reach medium-soft peaks. The meringue should look smooth and glossy, with peaks that hold their shape but bend slightly at the tips. Overwhipping can make it difficult to fold into the batter.
- Fold the meringue gently. Start by mixing one-fourth of the meringue into the lemon batter to lighten it. Then gently fold in the rest using a spatula. Avoid vigorous mixing, as you don’t want to lose the air that makes the cake soft and fluffy.
- Don’t grease the cake pan. The batter needs to cling to the sides of the pan as it rises. Use an ungreased aluminum cake pan for the best results.
- Remove large air bubbles before baking. Gently tap the filled pan on the counter and swirl a skewer through the batter. This helps remove large trapped air bubbles and gives the cake a more even texture.
- Cool the cake upside down. This is important! Turn the pan upside down as soon as the cake comes out of the oven and let it cool completely before removing it. This helps prevent the chiffon cake from collapsing.
- Make sure the cake is completely cool before decorating. A warm cake will melt the whipped cream and make the layers slide. Use cold whipped cream and chilled homemade lemon curd for easier assembly.
- Chill the assembled cake before slicing. Refrigerate the cake for a while to help the whipped cream and lemon curd layers set. This makes it easier to cut neat slices without the filling squeezing out.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this Lemon Chiffon Cake chilled with a refreshing glass of lemon ginger drink or watermelon juice. It also goes really well with a cup of hot tea or coffee. The light, fluffy cake and tangy lemon curd make it a lovely dessert for afternoon tea, birthday celebrations, or family gatherings. If you’re preparing an afternoon tea spread, add some Lemon Curd Cookies for an extra lemony treat!
Lemon Chiffon Cake FAQs
Chiffon cakes can collapse if the egg whites are overwhipped or underwhipped, the meringue is folded too vigorously, or the cake is underbaked. Make sure to whip the egg whites to medium-soft peaks, fold them gently into the batter, and cool the cake upside down immediately after baking.
The most common reason is losing too much air while folding the meringue into the batter. Make sure your egg whites are whipped properly and fold them in gently using a spatula. Stop mixing as soon as you no longer see white streaks in the batter.
Yes, you can! However, I prefer using homemade lemon curd because it has a lovely fresh lemon flavor, and you can adjust the sweetness and tanginess to your liking. My homemade lemon curd recipe is easy to prepare ahead of time, too!
Absolutely! You can bake the chiffon cake a day ahead and keep it covered once completely cool. You can also prepare the lemon curd in advance and refrigerate it. Assemble the cake with whipped cream and lemon curd on the day you plan to serve it, or the day before.
Cooling the cake upside down helps support its delicate structure while it sets. If you leave it upright while it’s still hot, the cake may shrink or collapse under its own weight.
Of course! You can enjoy the lemon chiffon cake plain, dust it with powdered sugar, or serve individual slices with a spoonful of homemade lemon curd. The cake is already soft, fluffy, and delicious on its own.
Storage
Store the Lemon Chiffon Cake in a covered cake box or an airtight container in the refrigerator to prevent it from drying out. It will stay fresh for up to 5 days. Keep it chilled until you’re ready to serve, as the whipped cream and lemon curd need to be refrigerated.
More Chiffon Cake Recipes
If you love soft and fluffy chiffon cakes, here are a few more flavors to try!
- Pandan Chiffon Cake – A light and fluffy cake with a lovely pandan aroma.
- Cheese Chiffon Cake – A soft, airy chiffon cake with a delicious cheesy flavor.
- Chocolate Chiffon Cake – Perfect for chocolate lovers, with a rich chocolate flavor and fluffy texture.
- Pumpkin Chiffon Cake – A soft and moist chiffon cake with a lovely pumpkin flavor, perfect for fall!
If you love baking cakes, check out my Asian Cake Recipes collection, where you’ll find lots of popular cakes from across Asia!
Lemon Chiffon Cake
Equipment
- 1 whisk
- 1 chiffon cake pan 6 inch
Ingredients
- 3 egg yolk
- ½ tbsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 45 g oil
- 45 g milk
- 55 g cake flour
Meringue
- 3 egg white
- ¼ tsp salt
- 65 g sugar
- ½ tsp lemon juice
Decoration
- 200 g heavy cream
- 15 g sugar
- 5 tbsp lemon curd
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the egg yolks, milk, coconut oil, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Whisk until well combined. Sift in the cake flour and whisk until the batter is smooth and free of lumps. In a separate clean, dry bowl, start whipping the egg whites.
- Gradually add the sugar in three batches while continuing to whip the egg whites. Add the lemon juice and salt. Keep whipping until the meringue reaches medium-soft peaks. Add about one-fourth of the meringue to the lemon batter and gently mix to lighten the batter.
- Gently fold in the remaining meringue in batches using a spatula. Continue folding until no white streaks remain and the batter is smooth and fluffy. Pour the batter into an ungreased 6-inch chiffon cake pan. Gently tap the pan on the counter, then run a skewer through the batter in a circular motion to remove large air bubbles. Bake in a preheated oven at 360°F (180°C) for about 55 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Once baked, carefully turn the cake pan upside down and let the cake cool completely. Remove the cake from the pan and slice it horizontally into two layers. Spread whipped cream over the bottom layer, then add a layer of homemade lemon curd. Place the second cake layer on top and finish with more whipped cream and lemon curd.
Notes
- Keep your mixing bowl clean and dry. Make sure the bowl and beaters are free from oil, water, or egg yolk before whipping the egg whites. Even a little grease can affect the meringue.
- Don’t overwhip the egg whites. Whip until you reach medium-soft peaks. The meringue should look smooth and glossy, with peaks that hold their shape but bend slightly at the tips. Overwhipping can make it difficult to fold into the batter.
- Fold the meringue gently. Start by mixing one-fourth of the meringue into the lemon batter to lighten it. Then gently fold in the rest using a spatula. Avoid vigorous mixing, as you don’t want to lose the air that makes the cake soft and fluffy.
- Don’t grease the cake pan. The batter needs to cling to the sides of the pan as it rises. Use an ungreased aluminum cake pan for the best results.
- Remove large air bubbles before baking. Gently tap the filled pan on the counter and swirl a skewer through the batter. This helps remove large trapped air bubbles and gives the cake a more even texture.
- Cool the cake upside down. This is important! Turn the pan upside down as soon as the cake comes out of the oven and let it cool completely before removing it. This helps prevent the chiffon cake from collapsing.
- Make sure the cake is completely cool before decorating. A warm cake will melt the whipped cream and make the layers slide. Use cold whipped cream and chilled homemade lemon curd for easier assembly.
- Chill the assembled cake before slicing. Refrigerate the cake for a while to help the whipped cream and lemon curd layers set. This makes it easier to cut neat slices without the filling squeezing out.
I’ve made this Lemon Chiffon Cake several times, and it’s always a hit! I love how soft and fluffy the cake is, especially with the whipped cream and homemade lemon curd. It’s light, refreshing, and not too sweet. Perfect for anyone who loves lemon desserts!