Coffee Chiffon Cake

A grown-up chiffon cake infused with the deep, slightly bitter notes of strong coffee. A teaspoon of instant coffee dissolved in water lays the flavor base, paired with classic chiffon technique: oil-and-yolk batter beaten satin-smooth, whipped egg whites folded in last, and a long bake in an ungreased tube pan.

The coffee element does more than season. It cuts through the sweetness of the cake batter and gives the crumb a faintly mocha undertone that pairs with the airy, almost soufflé-like texture chiffon is known for. Cooled and sliced, the cake tastes like the love child of angel food and tiramisu.

Folding is where most home bakers go wrong. Pour the yolk batter in a thin stream over the surface of the whipped whites, not all in one drop. Then use wide, gentle scoops to incorporate without deflating the foam. Aggressive mixing at this step kills the air and you end up with a flat, dense cake.

Inverting the pan to cool is also a must. Hot chiffon cake collapses under its own weight if cooled right-side-up.

Pro Tips

• Use room-temperature egg whites. Cold whites take longer to whip and produce less stable foam.
• Beat the yolk mixture the full five minutes. The recipe is not joking; under-beaten yolks yield a coarse, irregular crumb.
• Do not grease the tube pan. The cake needs the dry sides to climb and hold its rise during the bake.
• Cool inverted at least 40 minutes, longer if you can wait. Pulling early causes the center to compact and sink.

Variations

• Swap instant coffee for two tablespoons of espresso powder for a deeper, more bitter coffee profile.
• Add a tablespoon of cocoa powder to the dry ingredients for a mocha chiffon variation.
• Top with Kahlua-spiked whipped cream as the recipe suggests, or dust with cocoa powder for simplicity.