Strawberry Chiffon Cake

This strawberry chiffon cake is super easy to put together. I think everyone loves strawberries and this cake is the ultimate summer crowd-pleaser. Light vanilla cake with mascarpone cream and finished with fresh macerated strawberries.

A few simple ingredients that elegantly come together, this cake screams of summer to me! Not only are strawberries one of my favourite summer fruits but chiffon cake is another. Chiffon cake is remarkably soft, moist and airy that is just so comforting to enjoy. And this dessert works really with so many other soft fruits, so as strawberry season ends, raspberry season begins. Take a look at my variations section for further inspiration.

If you decide to give this recipe a try, let me know! Leave a comment below and rate it – it’s really helpful to me and the other readers. And don’t forget to take a picture and tag it #thegourmetlarder on Instagram. I love seeing what you come up with! 🙂

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RECIPE HIGHLIGHTS

• EASE: easy.
• FREE FROM: for a gluten free and sugar-free options, please refer to my substitutions section.
• GREAT FOR: everyday dessert, weekend baking, BBQ, friends and family visiting.
• TASTE & TEXTURE: a light, moist vanilla sponge, with fresh macerated strawberries and mascarpone cream.
• SERVING: so delicious served as it is.
• QUANTITY: 8 portions (20 x 30cm / 8 x 12inch ceramic baking dish)
• TIME: 1 hour

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INGREDIENTS

For this recipe all you need are these ingredients:

• Eggs – add structure to the cake. Make sure they are at room temperature before using.

• Caster or granulated white sugar – sweetens the cake, strawberries and mascarpone cream.

• Vanilla extract or paste – adds flavour and enhances the other ingredient flavours.

– Vanilla recommendations: pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste or vanilla pods.

• Plain or all-purpose flour – to build structure.

• Baking powder – is a chemical leavening which increases the volume of the ingredients, helping to create a nice light texture.

• Neutral-tasting oil (coconut, vegetable or sunflower oil) – creates moisture, makes the cake light and lengthens the cake’s life span.

• Milk – helps to lighten the cake and keep it moist.

• Fresh strawberries – are the hero of this recipe and add the perfect summer taste to this dessert.

• Mascarpone cheese – the perfect complement to go with the strawberries and sponge.

• Whipping cream – Strawberries and cream, one of the best combinations.

TIP:

I highly recommend adding a good pinch of salt to your cakes. It might seem counterproductive, but it’s not. Salt helps balance out the sweetness and richness. It also elevates the other ingredients, bringing out the best characteristics of any recipe. In a seemingly absurd or contradictory way, salt intensifies the mouth’s ability to taste sweetness. It is the sodium that sends signals to move glucose into the sweet taste receptor cells in our tongue, triggering the cells to register sweetness. The result is that salt not only alerts our ‘salt sensitivity’, but also our ‘sweet sensitive’ taste buds.
I recommend Maldon Sea salt flakes or Cornish sea salt for baking.

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SUBSTITUTIONS

While I am making recommendations for alternative ingredients, I haven’t necessarily tried them. If you try making any adaptions, I would love to know how you get on and share it with the other readers.

SUGAR-FREE AND LOW-CALORIE OPTIONS

• Sugar-free or calorie reduced options: try alternatives such as coconut sugar, honey, natural erythritol, xylitol, stevia or fructooligosaccharide powder instead. There are also sweetener mixes available, that are 70% calorie reduced and low in carb.

• Brown sugar suggestions: Pure Via Baker’s soft brown sugar or Sukrin Gold’s natural brown sugar alternative.

GLUTEN-FREE OPTION

• Flour: replace the gluten flour with a 1:1 alternative gluten free flour, such as Doves Farm Free plain gluten free flour. If possible, choose a flour which contains xanthan gum or alternatively, add 1 tsp to your batter for stability. You can also try Doves Farm gluten free self-raising flour.

VEGAN OPTIONS

• Dairy-free milk: replace the milk with non-dairy milks such as almond, oat, rice or soy milk.

• Mascarpone: can be found in most supermarkets today

• Cream: I recommend the Coconut Collaborative double cream or Elmlea plant based double cream.

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WHAT VARIATIONS CAN I MAKE?

• Spices – try adding 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon or nutmeg to the cake batter.

• Citrus fruit – for a bit more zing, add the finely grated zest of 1 lemon or orange.

• Try different fruits – this recipe works well with many other fruits. Try blueberries, raspberries, peaches, oranges or my poached pears on top.

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NUTRITION

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STORAGE AND FREEZING

This strawberry chiffon cake is perfect for making ahead. I recommend adding the strawberries just before serving for the best presentation. It will keep for 4-5 days in the fridge, although in our household it rarely makes it past day 2.

Freezing: The chiffon cake itself be frozen for up to 3 months. Once completely cooled down, tightly wrap in a layer of cling film wrap and a layer of tin foil. When ready to use simply whip up the mascarpone and cream and finish with the strawberries.

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TOOLS YOU’LL NEED

Here is a list of some kitchen equipment that I use and recommend for this recipe.

• Earthenware Mixing Bowl Mason Cash, Cream 29 cm Chip Resistant.

I like the sturdiness of this bowl and its 4 litre capacity means I can use it for mixing just about everything in the kitchen. It is also microwave, freezer and dishwasher safe.

• Mixing Bowls Set of 5, Stainless Steel Nesting Bowls with Airtight Lids, 3 Grater Attachments, Size 5, 3, 2, 1.5, 0.63 QT

These different size mixing bowls are really useful depending on the amount of food you are preparing. They also have airtight lids that fit snugly to seal and keep food fresh, so this set can be used as dry storage bowls with lids on. The plastic lid of the largest bowl has a removable centre. Where one of 3 graters can be used.

• 3 Plastic Mixing Bowls, Non-Slip Base, Soft Grip Handle, Microwave and Dishwasher Safe, Compact, Stackable, Ideal for baking and cooking, off-white, 1.5 Litre, 2 Litre, 2.5 Litre.

I do own a plastic mixing bowl but I am personally not a big fan of them. These 3 bowls are on the smaller size but good for the odd cake making.

• Breville Classic Combo Stand and Hand Mixer | 3.7 Litre Stainless Steel Bowl | Swivel Control, Whisk, Dough Hooks and Beaters

I like this model of electric hand mixer because it comes with a large stand, meaning you don’t have to always hold it.

• Rectangular Ceramic Stoneware Dish 30 x 22 cm White

Great for serving from oven to table.

The Gourmet Larder is an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

TIP: I highly recommend using metric measurements and a digital kitchen scale, rather than cup measurements. If you have ever ended up with dry, dense or crumbly baked goods, it might be because of inaccurate volume measurements, not all measuring cups are made equally. All my recipes on this blog are carefully developed so that you can easily recreate them in your own kitchen with success, using metric measurements. It is also a lot easier, less messy and you will get far better, consistent results. 🙂
If you are interested in understanding conversions, here you will find the best conversion chart.

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RECIPE TIPS

Avoid over-mixing the cake batter as you risk over-developing the gluten in the batter leading to a tough, dense cake.

When folding in the egg whites, gently turn the mixture in on itself with a cutting motion, not stirring. I tend to use a large spoon or spatula to do this. This way, you won’t lose all the air that you have spent time whisking into the egg whites.

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