Chocolate Chiffon Cake

2-Egg Chocolate Chiffon Cake is perfect for fruit and cream. Economical and tasty. 

Don's birthday is today and I wanted to make something special but not too sweet.  He seems to think he doesn't need cake anymore.  What's with that?  Well, he's actually watching his weight. (Why is it almost skinny Don needs to watch his weight?) And, of course, I'd like something I can make for this blog at the same time.  I've settled on a nice Chocolate Chiffon Cake with Strawberries and Cream as the strawberries and cream takes very little sugar.  He can pick out the cake if he wants to but if I was a betting woman I'd bet the cake will be eaten. Ha, ha.  

I had never thought to put chocolate cake, strawberries and cream together before this past winter.  It's such a great combination it's a wonder I haven't been doing it for years.  I believe it was in February when I was scrounging around the freezer for a quick dessert that I found a layer of chocolate cake that needed to be eaten before it dried up.  It didn't take long to whip up some cream and sugar a few strawberries and before dinner was eaten a new dessert was born.  Well, new to me. I'm sure people have been making something like this for years.

I have several chocolate cakes that can be used.  Fabulous Fudge Cake, Easy Cocoa Chocolate Cake (vegan) or Cocoa Fudge Cake.  A cake mix will also work but I find them almost too soft to hold the strawberries and cream.  But I think the best cake for strawberries and cream is a nice chiffon cake.  Chiffon cakes are oil based and have the lightness of a sponge cake and the moistness of a butter cake.  

Usually chiffon cakes take lots of eggs but this one uses only two. This is really handy when you only have a few eggs on hand but want a nice chocolate dessert.    

This recipe comes from my old red Betty Crocker cookbook from the 1970s.  I've increased the chocolate and added vanilla which wasn't in the original recipe.  

Printable recipe at bottom of post.

Note: Always sift cake flour before measuring unless the recipe states otherwise.

2-Egg Chocolate Chiffon Cake
2 eggs, separated
1¾ cups sifted cake flour
1½ cups sugar
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
⅓ cup oil
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate (4 squares), melted and cooled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and line with parchment paper two 9-inch round cake pans or one 9x13-inch baking pan.  

Separate the yolks and whites of the eggs.  Lay aside the yolks.  In a small deep bowl, beat the whites until frothy.  Gradually add ½ cup of the sugar.  Beat until stiff and glossy.  Lay aside until needed.

Sift or mix the flour, 1 cup of sugar, baking soda and salt together.  Add the oil, vanilla and half the milk. Beat on high for 1 minute scraping the bowl occasionally.  Add the remainder of the milk, egg yolks and melted chocolate.  Beat an additional minute, scraping the bowl once or twice. Gently fold in the beaten egg whites until no streaks remain.  

Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes for 9-inch round layers; 40-45 minutes for 9x13-inch pan.  When baked let sit 10 minutes before turning out on cooling rack.  The 9x13-inch cake can be cooled in the pan, if desired, and also be served from the pan. 

Makes about 12-16 servings.

Chocolate Chiffon Cake can be frosted with your favourite frosting or served with fruit and cream.  

Separate the two eggs.  Lay aside the yolks.  Whip the whites until frothy.  Add the sugar gradually, beating until stiff and glossy.  Lay the beaten whites aside until needed.

Measure the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.  Add the oil, vanilla and half the milk and beat together for 1 minute on high speed, scraping occasionally.  Add the egg yolks, melted chocolate and the remaining milk and beat and scrape an additional 1 minute.

Gently fold in the beaten egg whites until no white streaks remain.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake 30-35 minutes for layer cakes.  Let the baked cakes rest 10 minutes before turning out on cooling rack.

 Cakes are done when they start to pull away from the side of the pan.

If you wish to serve the cake with strawberries and cream you have to slice and sugar the strawberries.  They need at least 30 minutes to draw out the juice.  Refrigerate if not using in 30 minutes.

And here is Don's birthday cake.  I split a layer and filled it with strawberries and whipped cream.  Then topped the cake with more of the same.  It was yummy, good as the kids would say.

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday dear Don,

Happy Birthday to you!

(But you don't have to wait for a birthday.)

 To print click on arrow upper right side.⇩