Deliciously Moist Black Tea Chiffon Cake

This black tea Chiffon cake is infused with black tea to give it an amazing aroma. It is light, spongy, airy, and not too sweet. I used Ceylon Pekoe but you can use your choice of black tea including Earl Grey tea. It makes the perfect cake to enjoy in the afternoon. It is best served in slices as it is or with a dusting of powdered sugar. I love it and I think you will too!

Deliciously Moist Black Tea Chiffon Cake

Chiffon cakes are one of my favorite cakes. I love plain chiffon cakes but I also love making different flavored chiffon cakes.

I love tea-infused desserts. This recipe that I’m sharing today has black tea leaves in the batter. These tea leaves create a beautiful black speckling in the finished cake. I used Ceylon Orange Pekoe tea leaves. You can use any black tea, flavored or not, of your choice. If you love Earl Gray tea, do use it.

What I like best about chiffon cakes is they are so light and airy, and not too sweet. This chiffon cake recipe uses just a small amount of oil and less sugar. This makes it a less guilty choice when compared to cakes that use plenty of butter and sugar.

You’ll find an easy-to-follow recipe with a step-by-step guide, helpful info, and top tips here. I hope you will try the recipe and enjoy ‘Earl Gray Tea Loaf Cake’ as much as I do!!

How to Make a Moist Plain Chiffon Cake?

Making Chiffon cake is easy. Once you understand the simple techniques, baking Chiffon cake becomes less intimidating. Here is a beginner-friendly easy plain chiffon cake recipe with a step-by-step guide. It includes tips, tricks, and techniques for making an incredibly light and moist Chiffon cake.

About this Recipe

Black tea adds a nice tea aroma and flavor to the cake. I used Ceylon Orange Pekoe tea leaves. You can use your favorite black tea or flavored black tea. If you love Earl Gray tea, do use it. You can also use any black tea you would like with the addition of orange or lemon zest. I also used some black tea as the liquid with some fresh milk. You can also use milk tea.

You can use either tea bags or loose tea. Most of the time, the tea in tea bags is very fine. The tea leaves in loose tea are more likely in larger pieces. You will need to grind them a bit in a grinder or with a motor and pestle.

I always use cake flour for making delicate cakes like chiffon cakes. To achieve a fine cake texture, I strongly recommend sifting the flour twice.

Tips & Techniques for Making
the Best Chiffon Cake

MEASURE THE INGREDIENTS PROPERLY

It is important to measure the ingredients properly.  I use a scale for the dry ingredients. I use a measuring cup for the wet ones. Sometimes, I use a scale to measure even wet ingredients depending on the recipe. For small quantities of ingredients, I use teaspoons and tablespoons.

PREPARE THE INGREDIENTS

Separate the eggs while they are cold and then let them come to room temperature.
For the fluffiest chiffon cake, sift the dry ingredients. Sifting aerates them and removes any possible lumps

DO NOT Over-Mix the Batter

When folding the egg whites into the egg yolk batter, take extra care. Do not deflate the air out of them. If you over-mix the batter, the cake will not rise. Fold in one-third of the egg whites first to lighten the batter, and then fold in another 1/3. Then transfer the mixed batter into the egg whites to fold in the rest.

DO NOT Under-Mix the Batter

If you under-mix it, your cake will have an uneven texture. Being afraid of breaking the air bubbles, do not under-mix the batter. When the egg whites are not mixed in thoroughly, they separate in the oven. As a result, it creates big air pockets inside the batter while being baked.

Use a whisk

You can use a silicone spatula to fold the whipped egg whites. I prefer using a balloon whisk. From my experience, a whisk helps to fold the eggs white more easily and gently.

Cake pan 

It is traditionally baked in a tube pan. This allows the batter to cling to the sides of the pan as it rises. After the cake is done, you must cool it upside down to keep its height. Alternatively, you can also use two round cake pans of similar size.

Do not grease the pan

If the pan is greased the cake will not be capable of clinging to the pan to rise.

Check oven temperature

When the oven temperature is too low, the cake will not rise to its best height.

KEEP AN EYE ON THE CAKE THROUGH THE BAKING PROCESS

The oven temperatures vary depending on your oven so the baking time can be varied. Keep an eye on the cake through the baking process. Make sure to adjust the oven temperature and time as needed.

BAKE THE CAKE AT DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES

Changing and controlling the temperature is very important when baking a chiffon cake. I changed the oven temperature several times. First, I preheated the oven to high. Then I baked the cake for 20 minutes at high to help it rise with a lot of heat. Then I baked it at a lower temperature slowly to bake it evenly with a light brown top.

Let the cake cool upside down

It’s very important to invert the chiffon cake while letting it cool. This prevents the cake from collapsing. Carefully set the cake pan on a tall heavy bottle. Let it cool for a few hours before removing the cake pan.

Serving Suggestion

Serve the chiffon cakes just plain with a cup of hot coffee or tea. It is also perfect with a simple powdered sugar glaze. You can also serve them with whipped cream, frosting, ice cream, or yogurt with fresh-cut fruits. Alternatively, try fruit preserves, sauce, and jam.

Storing suggestions

At room temperature: Wrap the cake in plastic wrap. Keep it in a cool, dark place for about 2 days.

In the Refrigerator: You can store it in an air-tight container for about 3 to 5 days.

In the Freezer: You can freeze the whole cake or individual slices for up to one month. Wrap the whole cake (or individual slices separately) with plastic wrap and then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag.

Thawing: Transfer the wrapped cakes from the freezer to the refrigerator. Do this one day before serving. Do not unwrap them from the plastic wrap.

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Black Tea Chiffon Cake
A Step-by-Step Guide

(Check out the printable recipe card at the end of the post)

Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

20-cm (8-inch) chiffon cake pan

• 5 large eggs (see the notes)
• 130 g cake flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp loose black tea leaves
• 140 g granulated white sugar, divided
• 60 ml vegetable oil
• 100 ml milk, milk tea, or black tea
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar or 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract, optional

Notes

• This batter makes a 20 cm (8-inch) chiffon cake. If you don’t have a tube pan, you can split this cake between round pans 20 cm.
• Eggs (250 g approx. without shell) are separated into whites (150g (approx.) and yolks (100g approx.).
• You can use your favorite flavored or unflavored black tea including Earl Gray tea leaves.
• You can use milk, milk tea, or black tea as the liquid. I used 2/3rd of milk and 1/3rd of black tea.
• Sugar is divided into 60g (for egg yolk batter) and 80g (for whipping egg whites).

Instructions

Gather the Ingredients

I used Ceylon Pekoe but you can use your choice of black tea including Earl Grey tea. You can use either tea bags or loose tea. Grind them to coarse powder if you use big leaves.

You can use milk, milk tea, or black tea. You can also use half milk and half black tea.

Prepare the Pan

Preheat the oven to 180 C. Have ready a 20 cm (8-inch) un-greased, un-lined tube pan.

Tips; Make sure you use the correct chiffon cake pan. Do not grease the mold. The cake needs to cling to the sides and center of the pan for support as it rises. Otherwise, it will collapse.

Separate the eggs

Place the egg yolks in a small bowl and set aside. Place the egg whites in a large clean dry bowl. Please keep the egg whites in the fridge covered while making the batter.

Sift the Dry Ingredients

Sift the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Beat the Wet Ingredients

In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with sugar (60g) at medium-high until thick for about 3 minutes.

Gradually add oil while beating constantly until it combines well (about 1 minute).

Gradually add milk, milk tea, or black tea while beating constantly until well combined (about 30 seconds). You can use milk, milk tea, or black tea as the liquid. I used 2/3rd of milk and 1/3rd of black tea. Add vanilla extract if you use it and mix.

Note: Set the yolk mixture aside briefly while you continue making the whipped egg whites. I folded the flour mixture into the yolk mixture, after whipping the whites.

Make the Whipped Egg Whites (Meringue)

Take the egg white mixing bowl out of the fridge. Add cream of tartar or lemon juice. Beat at medium-low speed of a hand mixer to whip the egg whites for 30 seconds.

Gradually increase the speed to medium-high. Continue whisking until the foam starts.

Keep beating until they start forming medium peaks. Gradually add the sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, while beating constantly.

Keep beating until it is slightly glossy and stiff peaks just start to form. Lift the whisk quickly and vertically out of the meringue. You will see a pointed peak. The peak should curl over just slightly at the tip. (See the picture below)

Note: Set meringue aside briefly while you continue making the batter.

Combine the Dry and Wet Ingredients

Add the dry ingredients (flour and tea leaves) to the wet ingredients (egg yolk mixture). Mix gently with a rubber spatula or whisk until well combined.

Prepare the cake batter

• Briefly re-beat the meringue at medium-low for 30 seconds or so.
• Add one-third of the meringue to the batter and fold gently until almost blended to lighten the batter. I used a balloon whisk.
• Add half of the remaining meringue to the batter and fold in likewise being careful not to deflate them.
• Lastly, transfer the batter (egg yolk + meringue mixture) into the meringue mixing bowl. Gently, fold it into the remaining meringue until incorporated.

Tip: When you start mixing the whites and egg yolk, whites will defoam fast. Mix them as gently and fast as possible.

Pour the batter into the cake pan, and gently spread the batter with a spatula to create a smooth surface. Bake at 180 C for 20 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 170 C and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes. When the cake is done, insert a cake tester. It will emerge damp but clean, with no gooey batter clinging to it.

Let cool upside down

Remove the cake from the oven and promptly turn it upside down (see the picture below). Stick the cake pan on a tall heavy bottle. Let the cake cool completely for 3-4 hours before removing the cake pan.

Tips: The cake must be cooled upside down in its pan to prevent collapsing

Unmold the Cake

To unmold, turn the cake right side up. Then run a long, thin, sharp knife around the cake’s edge. Also, run the knife around the central tube.

Serve and Enjoy!!

Serve plain, dusted with powdered sugar.

It also goes well with cream cheese, yogurt, and fruit preserves.

THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BY
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If you make any of my recipes, I’d love to see pics of your creations
#joyofeatingtheworld or @joyofeatingtheworld

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