Chocolate Chiffon Cake
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(Love this amazing Chiffon cake (photo: Sharon Heinrich |
We first came across Japanese chiffon cakes in a Japanese pastry shop in Paris that sold nothing but cakes of this type. hiffon cakes are light and airy and contain no butter, which makes them delicate and spongy. Usually they’re baked in a chiffon cake pan, a tall pan with a hole in the middle and little legs that come out of the sides. The legs prevent the cake from collapsing onto itself. The Japanese love chiffon cakes and make them in a wide variety of flavors and with different icings.
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(The special pan (photo: Sharon Heinrich |
We recently took a trip to Japan—a dream come true. I, of course, came back to Paris completely inspired by Japan and with lots of interesting ingredients, which make me want to get right into the kitchen and put them to work in Western desserts. First, though, I decided to try my hand at chiffon cake. I tested out several recipes until I got to this one, which I feel is finally right. If you use the exact quantities of the ingredients and the right pan and follow the instructions, you can expect a cake that is airy, tall and so very light. As it’s not very sweet, the dark chocolate ganache gives it an extra delicate sweetness, making it perfect for any time of day.
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(Let it cool upside down (photo: Sharon Heinrich |
Chocolate Chiffon Cake
22-cm chiffon or angel food cake pan
Ingredients 

170 grams all-purpose flour
35 grams cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
110 grams sugar
5 egg yolks (from medium eggs)
85 ml vegetable oil
120 ml water
A few drops of vanilla extract
6 egg whites (from medium eggs)
100 grams sugar
35 grams chocolate, grated
120 ml heavy whipping cream
100 grams dark chocolate
Preparation 

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Unlike most cakes, do not grease or line the pan—this helps the cake grab onto the sides and rise.
2. In a large bowl, mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt and 110 grams sugar.
3. In another bowl, mix together yolks, oil, water and vanilla
4. In a third bowl, beat the egg whites using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, gradually adding the 100 grams sugar. Beat until stiff and glossy
5. Add the egg yolk mixture to the dry ingredients and beat together until well combined.
6. Gently fold the egg whites and grated chocolate into the batter in thirds, until well combined.
7. Pour into the pan and bake for about 50 minutes, until firm to the touch.
8. Remove the cake from the oven. If you used a chiffon cake pan, turn the pan over and let it cool upside down, resting on the pan’s legs or tube. This way, it won’t collapse inward and will instead remain tall and airy.
9. Remove the cake from the pan, using a thin knife to gently separate it from the sides. Transfer the cake to a platter with the top down.
10. Put cream in a small pot and bring to a simmer. Put dark chocolate in a bowl and pour the hot cream over it, stirring gently until you have a smooth ganache. Pour over the cake.
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(So yummy (photo: Sharon Heinrich |
Bon appetit,
Sharon
Colleen Jihnson
Hello, I live in California and cannot find a chiffon cake pan, like the one you have. I’m sure you picked that beauty up in Japan. I’ve tried various Japanese companies and have had no success in getting one. What is the name of the company where your pan was made. I would love to get one, if possible!
Thank you.
Paris Chez Sharon
Hey dear Colleen
Sorry but I don’t have the name as I bought it in the big street of kitchen tools and it
was without a box with name etc.
Nancy Smith
Do you have a recipe with the ingredients in pounds and ounces rather than grams?
Paris Chez Sharon
Please use calculators in the internet…
Mardi
Hi, in the US it’s just called a “tube pan.” I got mine at Williams Sonoma.
Paris Chez Sharon
Hey! Great thanks for the update!!
Walter De Queiroz
you can! I live in California as well and I took a look on ebay and I found it there.
Paris Chez Sharon
Great to hear!
Carolyn
Norwich Ware makes a really great one and you can get it on Amazon.
Assaf
Hi Sharon,
Thanks for the recipe.
What is the use of the 35 grams chocolate, grated?
I can’t seem to find what to do with it ☺️
Paris Chez Sharon
Hey 🙂 look at prep’ 6
Bieke
Hello!
I bought a chiffon cake pan of 25cm. Can I use the same amounts of ingredients or do I have to enhance the amount?
Greetings from Belgium
Paris Chez Sharon
Hey 🙂 You can bake it in this pan, it will be less higher.
Shinof
Halo, can I change 120 ml water with fresh Milk??
Thank u from indonesia 🙂
Paris Chez Sharon
Hello from Paris. I didn’t try it with milk so I can’t say if it will be ok 🙂
Shinof
Ok. I’ll try this recipe tomorrow. Mercy 🙏
Paris Chez Sharon
Great!!
maryam
hi
is it necessary to bake in the pan u mentioned can I bake it in a regular medium sized baking pan….
love ur work 💗
Greetings from Pakistan:)
Paris Chez Sharon
Hey!The pan is important but you can try to bake in a regular one. I’m not sure it would be the same.
Ht
Hey,
The recipe looks great and I want to try it. I have a Bundt pan so can I make this in that?
Paris Chez Sharon
Hey 🙂 I didn’t try and I think it wont be easy to take the cake out from a Bundt pan…
Lucas Draper
For the grated chocolate is this also dark chocolate or some other chocolate? This recipe looks delicious!
Paris Chez Sharon
Hey Lucas, dark.
Maral Farra
Hello Sharon
When you turn over to cool the cake will it not collapse ?? when you take it out from the oven hot you turn it over ??
Thank you
Maral Farra
Paris Chez Sharon
No it should be fine 🙂 Yes when it’s hot, as soon as it goes out.
Nabila kaci
Hello from Espana thank you chef Sharon for this amazing chiffon cake🇪🇸🐳
Paris Chez Sharon
Thank you dear 🙂
Inbal M
Hello Sharon,
Do you think it will be fine to use olive oil instead of vegetable oil?
Paris Chez Sharon
Hey, I don’t think so, it will be very strong.
Danya Nadeem Sharif
Hi Sharon, I was wondering if we could use cake flour instead of AP flour? Would it be too delicate?
Paris Chez Sharon
Hey 🙂 What do you mean by cake flour?
Danya Nadeem Sharif
Cake flour has a lower protein content than AP flour and it’s used to make angel food cake.
Paris Chez Sharon
I didn’y try it 🙂
Dolores Buenaventura
Thank you very much for this recipe! I’m going to try this out! Wish me luck!😊
Paris Chez Sharon
🙂
Dolores Buenaventura
The cake looks great! Thank you very much for this recipe! I’m going to try this out! Wish a home baker like me luck!😊
Paris Chez Sharon
Good lcuk!
Laura Cerda
Hello – can I omit the chocolate to make it white instead? I’d like to use this cake to make your tiramisu recipe. Also, instead of chocolate, your thoughts on using coffee or expresso powder for the said cake?
Paris Chez Sharon
Hey, it’s a different recipe, maybe i’ll share one soon, but you can google sponge cake.