Lovelight Chocolate Chiffon Cake
Submitted by Ruthieb
Lovelight chocolate chiffon cake is a light, tender two-layer cake with cocoa and buttermilk, draped in fluffy White Mountain meringue frosting. A retro American layer cake showstopper.
YIELD
1 cakePREP
25 minCOOK
30 minREADY
80 minLovelight is one of those dreamy 1950s Betty Crocker cake names that sounds like it came off a Tupperware box lid, and for good reason. This was a flagship recipe in mid-century American baking, built on the then-revolutionary chiffon technique that married egg-foam lightness with the moisture of oil-based cakes. The result is tender, cloud-like layers with the deep cocoa flavor of unsweetened chocolate and the subtle tang of buttermilk.
The construction is two-step: a stiff meringue of egg whites and sugar gets folded into a cocoa-buttermilk batter. The meringue is what lifts the cake. Fold it in gently with a spatula in a figure-eight motion. Overmixing deflates the air and you end up with a dense brownie instead of a light layer cake.
The White Mountain frosting is an Italian meringue in disguise. Hot sugar syrup cooked to 242°F (117°C) streams into whipped egg whites, turning them glossy and marshmallow-soft. It sets firm but stays fluffy and looks like fresh snow against the dark cake.
Pro Tips
- Room-temperature egg whites whip higher and faster than cold. Pull them an hour ahead.
- Use a clip-on candy thermometer for the frosting syrup. Hitting 242°F (117°C) is the difference between silky and crunchy.
- Sift the cake flour with the dry ingredients. Lumps won’t dissolve in a delicate chiffon batter.
- Cool cakes fully before frosting. Warm cake melts White Mountain frosting into a puddle.
Variations
- Swap unsweetened chocolate for 3 tablespoons cocoa powder plus a tablespoon of oil if that’s what’s on hand.
- Tint the frosting with a teaspoon of espresso powder for a mocha finish.
- Add chocolate curls between layers for extra contrast.
Ingredients
Directions
To prepare the cake: Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites until frothy, about 2 minutes.
Gradually add ½ cup sugar and continue beating until whites hold stiff peaks when the beaters are lifted, about 5 minutes.
Set aside.
In another large mixing bowl, sift together cake flour, remaining 1 cup sugar and the baking soda and salt.
Add oil and ½ cup buttermilk; beat for 1 minute, constantly scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Add remaining ½ cup buttermilk, the egg yolks and melted chocolate.
Beat 1 minute longer.
Gently fold the reserved meringue into the flour-buttermilk mixture until combined (do not overmix).
Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake at 350℉ (180℃) F until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes.
Remove pans to wire cooling racks and let cake cool in pans for 10 minutes.
Remove cake from pans and cool completely on racks.
To make the frosting: In a medium mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff enough to hold a point when the beaters are lifted, about 4 minutes.
Combine sugar, water and corn syrup in a medium-sized, heavy bottomed saucepan.
Cover and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
Uncover, and cook until the mixture measures 242 degrees on a candy thermometer.
In a thin stream, slowly pour hot sugar syrup into the beaten egg whites.
Continue beating until stiff peaks form when the beaters are lifted.
Stir in vanilla.
Frost cake and serve.
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