Caramel Chiffon Cake
If you’re looking for a soft and airy chiffon cake with a delicate hint of caramel, this Caramel Chiffon Cake is one to try. This recipe creates a light, fluffy sponge infused with subtle caramel notes, making it perfect for anyone who enjoys desserts that aren’t overly sweet. Finished with caramel whipped cream and toasted almonds, it strikes a beautiful balance between elegance and comfort. Whether you’re baking for a special occasion or simply treating yourself, this homemade caramel chiffon cake is sure to impress.
Alright, let’s bake!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Soft and airy texture – Every bite is light, fluffy, and delicately tender.
- Subtle caramel flavour – A gentle hint of caramel is woven throughout the chiffon without being overpowering.
- Elegant yet easy to make – A beautiful homemade cake that’s perfect for birthdays, afternoon tea, or any special occasion.
- Not overly sweet – The light chiffon pairs perfectly with the caramel whipped cream and toasted almonds.
- Beautiful presentation – Finished with caramel whipped cream, caramel dollops, and toasted almond flakes for a bakery-style look.
- Perfect for caramel lovers – A delicious way to enjoy caramel in a light, airy cake.
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Buy Now → Ingredients in this Caramel Chiffon Cake Recipe
At a glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe. Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
For the Cake Batter
- Egg yolks – Provide richness, structure, and a soft, tender crumb. They also help emulsify the batter for a smooth texture.
- Vegetable oil – Keeps the cake moist and soft, even after chilling, since oil stays liquid at room temperature.
- Milk – Adds moisture and helps create a light, smooth batter while also contributing to tenderness.
- Cake flour – Gives the chiffon its signature soft, airy texture thanks to its lower protein content.
- Salt – Enhances flavour and balances the sweetness and caramel notes.
- Vanilla extract – Adds warmth and depth, rounding out the caramel flavour.
- Egg whites – Whipped to create volume and structure, giving the cake its light and fluffy rise.
- Caster sugar – Stabilises the meringue and helps create glossy, stiff peaks that hold air in the batter.
- Lemon juice – Helps stabilise the egg whites and supports a more stable, fine-textured meringue.
For the Caramel Sauce
- Double cream – Adds richness and creates a smooth, creamy caramel sauce.
- Caster sugar – The base of the caramel, providing sweetness and deep caramel flavour once melted and cooked.
- Water – Helps the sugar dissolve evenly at the start and promotes even caramelisation.
Tips for Success
- Emulsify the liquid ingredients well – Whisk the egg yolks, oil, and milk until the mixture is smooth and fully emulsified, with no oil floating on the surface. This helps distribute the fat evenly throughout the batter for a finer, more even crumb.
- Whip the meringue to stiff peaks – Since this recipe doesn’t use baking powder, the meringue provides all the lift. Whip the egg whites until they reach stiff peaks to give the chiffon its signature light and airy texture.
- Fold gently – Use gentle folding motions when combining the meringue with the egg yolk batter to preserve as much air as possible.
- Cool the caramel completely – Make sure the caramel sauce has cooled to room temperature before folding it into the batter. Warm caramel can deflate the meringue.
- Don’t over mix the caramel – Fold the caramel mixture into the batter just until combined. Over mixing will deflate the batter and reduce the cake’s airy texture.
- Use an un-greased chiffon tube pan – The batter needs to cling to the sides of the pan to rise to its full height.
- Cool the cake upside down – Invert the pan immediately after baking and allow the cake to cool completely before removing it. This helps prevent the chiffon from collapsing.
- Toast the almond flakes – Toasting the almonds enhances their nutty flavour, gives them a brownish colour that complements the caramel notes, and adds a delicious crunch to complement the soft chiffon and caramel whipped cream.
How to Serve
- Serve at room temperature so the chiffon stays soft, light, and airy.
- Pair with tea or coffee, especially black coffee or espresso to balance the caramel sweetness.
- Drizzle extra caramel sauce over each slice just before serving for a richer flavour.
How to Store
- Store in an airtight container to keep the chiffon cake soft and prevent it from drying out. It is the best to enjoy within 2–3 days for the best texture and flavour.
- Keep in the fridge if topped with caramel whipped cream, caramel dollops, or fresh cream.
- Let it come to room temperature before serving so the chiffon becomes soft and airy again.
- Store caramel sauce separately in a sealed jar in the fridge and warm slightly before using if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cake flour is recommended for a softer and more tender chiffon texture, but you can substitute with all-purpose flour if needed. The cake may be slightly less light.
This can happen if the cake was underbaked, cooled too early, or if the meringue was under-whipped. Make sure the cake is fully baked and cooled upside down completely.
Chiffon cake batter needs to cling to the sides of the pan to rise properly. Greasing the pan can prevent the cake from reaching full height.
This cake is best enjoyed fresh on the day it is baked for the lightest and softest texture.
Freezing is not recommended as it may affect the delicate, airy texture of chiffon cake once thawed.
More Chiffon Cake Recipes You Might Like
If you want more chiffon cake recipes, you can find all my other chiffon cake recipes here. And if you ever run into any trouble while making chiffon cake, I’ve got you covered — be sure to check out my “How to Make the Perfect Chiffon Cake” guide and my “Back to Basics: Vanilla Chiffon Cake + Tips for Success” blog post for more in-depth tips and troubleshooting help.
Tried this Recipe
Let me know if you give this recipe a go – I absolutely love seeing your creations! Tag me on Instagram @bakabeecom and be sure to leave me a comment / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below so I can cheer you on!
Caramel Chiffon Cake
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Chill Time: 2 hrs
- Cook Time: 38 mins
- Total Time: 3 hours 8 minutes
- Yield: 7-inch 1x
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Asian, Western
Description
Soft and airy chiffon cake with a delicate hint of caramel flavor, finished with caramel whipped cream and toasted almonds. Light, elegant, and perfect for caramel lovers.
Ingredients
For the Cake Batter
- 4 egg yolks
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- 30 ml milk
- 90 g cake flour
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Meringue
- 4 egg whites
- 50 g caster sugar
- A few drops of lemon juice
For the Caramel Sauce
- 30 g double cream
- 20 g caster sugar
- 5 ml water
For the Caramel Whipped Cream (Optional)
- 100 g caster sugar
- 25 ml water
- 300 ml double cream
- 15 g unsalted butter
- Pinch of salt
- 12 g icing sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Decoration (Optional)
- 45 g almond flakes, toasted
Instructions
Make the Caramel Sauce
- Add the sugar and water to a saucepan and heat over medium-low heat until the sugar melts. Do not stir the mixture.
- Once the caramel starts to bubble, gently swirl the pan occasionally until the sugar turns an amber color.
- Turn off the heat and carefully pour in the double cream. Stir until smooth and well combined.
- Transfer the caramel sauce to a heatproof bowl and let it cool completely before using.
Make the Cake Batter
- Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F). Prepare an unlined 7-inch chiffon cake pan. Do not grease it.
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks, vegetable oil, milk and vanilla extract at medium speed until fully emulsified.
- Sift in the cake flour and salt. Gently mix at medium speed until just combined. Switch to a silicon spatula and finish mixing everything by hand until well mixed.
Make the Meringue
- In a clean, grease-free, bowl add the lemon juice into the egg whites and begin whisking until foamy.
- Gradually add 50 g sugar, one-third at a time, giving each addition 30 seconds to a minute to let the sugar dissolve.
- Once all the sugar is added, turn the mixer to medium high speed and continue to whisk until stiff peaks form.
Combine the Mixtures
- Fold a small amount of the meringue into the egg yolk batter to lighten the mixture.
- Gradually add the remaining meringue in small batches, gently folding after each addition until no white streaks remain before adding the next batch.
- Scoop a small amount of the batter into the cooled caramel sauce and mix until smooth.
- Pour the caramel mixture back into the remaining batter and gently fold a few times with a spatula. Avoid fully mixing the batter—the caramel should remain lightly streaked to preserve the airy texture.
- Pour the batter into an ungreased chiffon tube pan, preferably in one spot, allowing it to spread naturally.
- Lift the pan a few inches above the counter and drop it a few times to release any large air bubbles.
- Run a skewer through the batter to pop any remaining small air pockets, then gently shake the pan to level and smooth the surface before baking.
Bake and cool the Cake
- Bake in a preheated oven at 160°C for 35 – 38 minutes, or when an inserted skewer comes out clean.
- Immediately invert the cake pan and let it cool completely upside down to prevent collapse.
- Once cooled, gently run around the edges and the funnel of the pan with a spatula to release the cake.
- Gently run around the base of the pan with the spatula again to release the cake completely.
- Prepare your serving plate or cake stand, then flip the tube pan upside down.
- The cake should come out cleanly and beautifully.
Make the Caramel Whipped Cream (Optional)
- Chill a mixing bowl, preferably stainless steel, in the refrigerator while you prepare the caramel sauce.
- Add the sugar and water to a saucepan over medium-low heat. Allow the sugar to dissolve completely without stirring.
- Once the syrup begins to bubble, gently swirl the pan occasionally until it turns a deep amber colour.
- Remove from the heat and carefully pour in 100 ml chilled double cream. Stir until the mixture is smooth and fully combined.
- Add the butter and salt, stirring until the butter has fully melted and the salt has dissolved.
- Transfer the caramel sauce to a heatproof bowl and let it cool completely at room temperature. Once cooled, transfer it to a piping bag for easier handling and application.
- In the chilled bowl, add the remaining 200 ml chilled double cream, icing sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk on medium speed until soft peaks form.
- Add a generous amount of the cooled caramel sauce into the whipped cream and gently fold it through to create a marbled effect. Avoid over mixing to keep visible swirls of caramel.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Decorate the Cake (Optional)
- Toast the almond flakes in a cast iron pan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning, until they turn golden and release a nutty aroma.
- Transfer to foil or a tray and allow them to cool completely before using.
- Apply a thin layer of caramel whipped cream to crumb coat the cake.
- Cover the sides of the cake, including the funnel, with the toasted almond flakes.
- Pipe your desired design on top using the caramel whipped cream.
- Finish with the remaining caramel sauce for garnish.
- Slice and serve — enjoy your beautifully decorated caramel chiffon cake!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 135kcal
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 39mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 99mg
Final Thoughts
This caramel chiffon cake is all about keeping things light, soft, and delicate, with just a gentle hint of caramel running through the sponge. Finished with caramel whipped cream, a drop of caramel sauce in the centre of each swirl, and toasted almonds, it feels elegant yet comforting. I hope you enjoy making it as much as I do, and that it brings a little warmth to your kitchen.
Thanks for joining me in the kitchen today. Enjoy and keep baking! 💛
