Preparation

1. Zest 1 lemon and juice it.  Strain the juice through a sieve to remove any seeds.
2. Preheat your oven to 160°C and get a 17 cm (7-inch) chiffon cake pan – do not grease or line the pan.

Make the Cake Batter

1. Separate the eggs, place the egg whites in a clean, grease-free large mixing bowl and the yolks in the medium mixing bowl.
2. Rub the lemon zest to the 20 g of caster sugar for about 1 – 2 minutes to help release the natural oil.
3. Whisk the egg yolks with lemon-infused sugar using a hand held mixer at medium speed, until pale and slightly thickened.
4. Add the vegetable oil,  lemon juice, and lemon extract. Mix until fully emulsified.
5. Sift in the dry ingredients, cake flour, baking powder and salt.  Continue to beat until the mixture just combined.
6. Add the poppy seed and gently mix by hand until you get a smooth consistency.
   

Whisk the Egg Whites

1. Add the lemon juice into the egg whites and begin whisking at medium speed until foamy.
2. Gradually add 50 g caster sugar, one-third at a time, giving each addition 30 seconds to a minute to let the sugar dissolve.
3. Once all the sugar is added, turn the mixer to medium high speed and continue to whisk until stiff peaks form.
   

Fold in the meringue

1. Scoop about one-third of the meringue and fold it into the egg yolk batter to lighten it.
2. Then pour the loosened cake batter back to the meringue, gently combining them using a whisk to maintain the airy texture.
3. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is well incorporated.

Bake and Cool the Cake

1. Pour the batter into an ungreased chiffon pan (best poured in one spot).
2. Lift the pan a few inches and drop it onto the counter once or twice to release any large air bubbles.
3. Run a skewer through the batter to remove smaller air pockets for a finer crumb.  Shake the pan gently to smooth the top.
4. Bake in a preheated oven at 160°C for 45 – 50 minutes, or an inserted skewer comes out clean.
5. Immediately invert the cake pan and let it cool completely upside down to prevent collapse.

Make the Lemon Whipped Cream

1. Chill a mixing bowl for easier whipping in advance, it is best to use a stainless steel bowl.
2. Mix the icing sugar and salt.  Set aside.
3. Pour the chilled double cream, icing sugar mixture, lemon juice and lemon extract in the chilled mixing bowl.  Start whisking at medium speed until almost stiff peaks.
4. Gently fold in the zest of the lemon using a whisk until well incorporated.  The consistency of the whipped cream should be not too stiff and not too soft either.
5. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Serve the Cake

1. Once cooled, run a palette knife along the edges, funnel and the bottom to release the cake from the pan.
2. Get your serving plate or cake stand ready, then flip the tube pan upside down.  The cake should come out cleanly and beautifully.

Decorate the Cake (Optional)

1. Load the whipped cream in a piping bag and secure it with an icing bag tie.
2. Take a clean piping bag, cut a hole at the top and insert a piping tip of your choice, I use 1M piping tip.
3. Cut a hole at the top of the piping bag with the cream and insert it into the bag with the tip.
4. Pipe on top with any design of your choice (I chose rosette swirls), and garnish each swirl with a blueberry and a sprinkle of lemon zest.
5. Slice and enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee!