Lemon Chiffon Cake

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325F. Have a 10 inch angel food tube pan ready, but don't grease.

Step 2

Whip the egg whites and cream of tartar just until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

Step 3

In a separate bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Step 4

Add the egg yolks, oil, water, lemon zest, lemon juice, and extracts to the flour mixture, and whisk well, until very smooth.

Step 5

Add a small amount of the beaten egg whites to the egg yolk mixture and fold together gently until well combined.

Step 6

Add the egg yolk mixture slowly back into the rest of the egg whites, in a few batches, folding everything together gently between each addition until everything is combined. Don't over mix, and be gentle so you don't lose all that air you whipped into the egg whites.

Step 7

Pour the batter into an ungreased 10 inch angel food cake pan.

Step 8

Bake for 55 minutes, then turn the oven temperature up to 350F and bake for about 10 more minutes, until a tooth pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out without wet batter clinging to it.

Step 9

Allow the cake to cool completely with the pan turned upside down. You can invert your pan over a bottle to let it cool, or if your pan has little legs like mine does, you can rest it on those. When it's cool, gently run a thin knife between the cake and the edge of the pan, and remove the cake from the pan.

Step 10

Serve with whipped cream and fresh berries, if desired.