A chiffon cake (aka an Angel Food cake) is quite literally like eating a sweet cloud. So light and fluffy, it's far too easy to go back for a second or third slice! For this recipe, we are using a Fat Daddio's Angel Food cake pan in the 8"/20cm size. Whatever you do, do NOT grease or line your tin. The cake needs to cling to the sides and centre of the pan for support as it rises. Omitting the greasing/lining step literally thrills me every time as I personally find greasing and lining cake tins just so tedious. Enjoy! Petra x

INGREDIENTS

115g plain flour
1/2tsp baking powder
1/4tsp flaky salt
115g caster sugar
1tsp vanilla paste
4 eggs, separated
80ml coconut milk
65ml neutral oil; I used rapeseed

Meringue

2 egg whites
150g caster sugar
3/4tbsp liquid glucose
1tsp coconut essence* 

METHOD

Preheat your oven to 120 fan bake. In a medium bowl, mix together your flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. 

Mix together your egg yolks, coconut milk and oil and add into your flour mixture, whisking well until completely smooth. The mixture should look thick and shiny. 

Place your egg whites into the bowl off your stand mixer, and set the speed on medium, whisking until frothy. Slowly start adding your sugar, a little at a time, and then mix on high speed until thick and glossy.

Add your whites into your batter, one third at a time, gently folding until fully combined. Work slowly and gently here so you don’t beat out any of that gorgeous airiness. Pour your mixture into your cake tin, gently shaking the tin to make sure it’s evenly distributed. 

Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the cake springs back when gently pressed. As soon as you remove it from the oven, quickly invert the tin onto a cooling rack and let it cool upside down for 30 minutes. The cake should slip out quite easily at this point but if not, use a small palette knife to gently release the sides. Let the cake cool completely while you get onto your meringue. 

Combine all your ingredients, except the coconut essence, with 40ml of water in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Whisk until the sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture has doubled in size and is quite hot to the touch; this should take about 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to the bowl of your stand mixer and whisk until thick, glossy and room temperature. 

Using a palette knife, cover the cake in your meringue; I like to swoop and swirl a bit here to create some texture. Blowtorch until golden and toasty and then dive on in!

Your chiffon should keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. 

* I used the LorAnn Bakery Emulsion which is a sensational product.