Chiffon Cake Without Milk or Butter, Tall and Cloud-Light

Name: Chiffon Cake Without Milk or Butter, Tall and Cloud-Light
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 300 g all-purpose flour; 250 g sugar; 6 medium eggs, at room temperature, separated; 180 g warm water; 120 g sunflower oil; 16 g cream of tartar; 16 g baking powder; 1 pinch of salt; Grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon

A tall, airy chiffon cake made without milk or butter: light and soft thanks to stiff egg whites, perfect for breakfast or a special afternoon snack.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 1 h
Total: 1 h 20 min
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 320 kcal

Category: Desserts
Cuisine: American

Looking for a showstopper cake you can bake without butter or milk, still soft enough for breakfast or an afternoon treat?

This chiffon cake without milk or butter might be exactly what you are after. I will walk you through it step by step: a tall, light cake with a crumb so airy it genuinely feels like a cloud, made with ingredients you most likely already have at home.

The reason this recipe works so well comes down to one thing: the soft, open structure comes entirely from stiff egg whites, not from fat. That means you can leave out the butter and the milk without losing any height or tenderness — in fact, you might get more of both.

Compared with a classic sponge, this chiffon cake has at least three real advantages: it is lighter, it stays genuinely soft the next day, and it only asks for a handful of everyday ingredients — the one thing you do need is the right pan, the tall tube pan with feet for inverted cooling.

There are two technical moments that matter most. First, whip the egg whites all the way to a firm, glossy meringue. Second, fold them in three passes using slow, bottom-up strokes, so you keep as much air as possible. Then the other non-negotiable step: once the cake comes out of the oven, flip the pan upside down immediately and leave it on its feet for at least three hours. That suspended cooling is what holds the height.

If you want to vary the flavour, swap the lemon zest for orange, add a little vanilla, or fold in a tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa.

The cake keeps covered at room temperature for 2-3 days and is even softer the following day.

Ready to go? Let’s get started with this chiffon cake without milk or butter.

Chiffon cake pan

Essential for chiffon cake: it allows the cake to rise tall and cool upside down without collapsing.

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Digital kitchen scale

In leavened recipes and baked goods, it lets you accurately weigh flour, liquids, and yeast.

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Pastry whisk

Useful for whipping egg whites to stiff peaks and for gently folding the mixture without deflating it.

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Steps

Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F), conventional (non-fan) setting. Do not grease or flour the chiffon cake pan: the batter needs to grip the sides to rise properly.
Separate the eggs. Whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt and the cream of tartar until you have a glossy, stiff meringue.
In a large bowl, beat the yolks with the sugar and lemon zest, then slowly stream in the oil and water, keeping the mixture light and airy.
Sift the flour and baking powder directly into the yolk mixture, then fold gently with a spatula until you have a smooth, lump-free batter.
Fold in the whipped egg whites in three additions, using slow, sweeping motions from the bottom up: this step is the key to a genuinely light chiffon cake.
Pour the batter into the pan, smooth the surface, and bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
As soon as it comes out of the oven, invert the pan onto its feet and leave it to cool completely for at least 3 hours: cooling upside down keeps the cake tall and prevents it from sinking.
Run a thin knife around the edges to loosen the cake, then unmould it. Dust with icing sugar before serving and store covered at room temperature.

Never grease the pan: the egg whites need to cling to the sides to hold the structure up during baking.

After baking, let the cake cool inverted for at least 3 hours — this is the essential step that keeps it from deflating.

To check for doneness, insert a skewer into the centre: it must come out completely dry with no trace of batter.

The chiffon cake keeps well for 2-3 days at room temperature, covered with a dome or cling film: it is actually even softer the next day.

Calories: 320 kcal
Carbohydrates: 45.0 g
Sugars: 22.0 g
Protein: 6.0 g
Fat: 12.0 g
Saturated fat: 1.5 g
Fiber: 1.5 g
Sodium: 180 mg

Chiffon Cake Without Milk or Butter, Tall and Cloud-Light