Cake · Baking

Jasmine Chiffon Cake with Lychee Whipped Cream

Chiffon cake is one of the bakes I grew up eating most often in Malaysia. There was always one at birthday parties, at family gatherings, sitting on someone's counter in a tall bundt tin. Making a jasmine version felt like a way to take something familiar and make it feel more intentional. The floral quality is subtle and the crumb is cloud-like in the way that a good chiffon always is.

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 6 egg yolks
• 150g granulated sugar
• 120ml neutral oil
• 220ml milk
• 2 tbsp jasmine powder (or 2 tbsp finely ground jasmine loose leaf tea)
• 225g cake flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 6 egg whites
• 80g granulated sugar

For the Lychee Whipped Cream

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 tbsp lychee syrup
• 4 tbsp granulated sugar

Note: If using jasmine loose leaf tea, grind it finely in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle before adding to the batter.

Method

1. 1 Whisk egg yolks, sugar, oil, and milk until smooth.
2. 2 Sift in cake flour, baking powder, salt, and jasmine powder; mix until fully combined.
3. 3 Beat egg whites until frothy, slowly add sugar, and whip to stiff peaks.
4. 4 Fold one-third of the meringue into the yolk mixture, then gently fold in the rest until no streaks remain.
5. 5 Pour batter into an ungreased chiffon/tube pan and bake at 350°F for 45–50 minutes.
6. 6 Immediately invert the pan and cool fully before releasing the cake.
7. 7 For the whipped cream, combine heavy cream, lychee syrup, and sugar. Beat on medium-high until stiff peaks form.
8. 8 Once the cake is completely cool, frost with lychee whipped cream and serve.

Tips & Notes

Chiffon cakes need to cool upside down to maintain their height. Do not remove from the pan until completely cool. The jasmine flavour comes through more strongly the next day. Serve with fresh fruit or a light jasmine cream.