Posted on 03/29/2023 6:30:18 AM PDT by Red Badger
(Last Updated On: March 21, 2023)
NATIONAL LEMON CHIFFON CAKE DAY
National Lemon Chiffon Cake Day on March 29th offers a bright and zesty celebration among the cake holidays.
#LemonChiffonCakeDay
For a nice refreshing spring dessert, chiffon cake is a very light cake made with vegetable oil, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, and flavorings. The fluffy texture is made by beating egg whites until stiff and folding them into the cake batter before baking.
Chiffon cakes tend to be lower in saturated fat than butter cakes, potentially making them healthier than their butter-heavy counterparts.
The Secret of Chiffon
The recipe for the chiffon cake was a closely guarded secret for years. In the 1920s, angel food cake was quite popular, but Henry Baker thought he could make a lighter, richer cake. The insurance salesman-turned-caterer tinkered with ingredients until 1927 when he came upon the perfect combination of ingredients and methods to produce the airy richness he was looking for.
Keeping the recipe to himself, he offered his services to the Brown Derby Restaurant in Los Angeles which catered to Hollywood’s elite. Until 1947, Baker was the only person to bake chiffon cakes. Baker’s secret combination and methods relied on what bakers and chefs already knew about cakes and leavening. The lightness of angel food cakes relies on egg whites to create the loft and airiness. Traditional cakes used baking soda or powder for leavening. Baker combined both egg whites and baking powder to achieve a lightness like no other. And yet there was one other trick up Baker’s sleeve. Where angel food cake contained no butter, fat, or shortening of any kind, Baker added vegetable oil.
While today adding vegetable oil to cake recipes is commonplace, back in 1927 these oils were a newer ingredient to home kitchens. His cakes continued to grow in popularity and as they did so did the variety of chiffon cakes he made. Then, in 1947, Baker sold his recipe to General Mills for an undisclosed amount. The rest is baking history.
HOW TO OBSERVE LEMON CHIFFON CAKE DAY
Visit a local bakery or restaurant and order a slice of lemon chiffon cake.
Give your favorite baker a shout-out.
Try your hand at baking a lemon chiffon cake.
Invite friends and family over to be your tasters.
Try one of these delicious recipes:
Taste of Home Lemon Chiffon Cake:
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/lemon-chiffon-cake
All Recipes Lemon Chiffon Cake:
https://allrecipes.com/recipe/lemon-chiffon-cake/
Use #LemonChiffonCakeDay to post on social media.
NATIONAL LEMON CHIFFON CAKE DAY HISTORY
National Day Calendar continues to research the origins of this lemony cake day.
Lemon Chiffon FAQ
Q. Is lemon chiffon served with frosting or a glaze?
A. A lemon chiffon cake can be served with either frosting or a glaze. It’s also tasty without either one!
Q. What kind of pan do I use to bake a lemon chiffon cake?
A. Use a tube pan to bake a lemon chiffon cake. Like other light and airy batters it needs more surface area to help it rise.
Q. How many calories are in a serving of lemon chiffon cake?
A. One slice (1/12 of the cake) contains approximately 400 calories.
Chiffon Ping!..................
Interesting. I might have to check this out. I have a bunch of lemons that I need to use somehow.
My Grandma used to make this cake. Us grandkids absolutely loved it. Thanks for the memories.
Lemon Chiffon is even better as an ice cream flavor!
There’s a reason I haven’t eaten any ice cream in years. 😛
Until I read this, I didn’t know it was such a relatively ‘new’ (1920’s) invention...............
Only get it once a year, for good reason.
“If you think it’s butter, but it’s snot, it’s Chiffon!”
From my AI:
Chiffon is a lightweight fabric which is associated with elegance and luxury. It drapes well and has a shimmery and sheer appearance, resembling a fine net or mesh under a magnifying glass.
The term “chiffon” literally translates as “cloth” or “rag” in French, but has come to be synonymous with any type of lustrous, sheer fabric woven in a particular style.
Mmmmm!!!! Thanks!
At least I’m at the age where I can enjoy just the occasional picture.
Yeah ‘cause otherwise, uh-ohs. 😲😁
Chiffon is a lightweight fabric which is associated with elegance and luxury. It drapes well and has a shimmery and sheer appearance, resembling a fine net or mesh under a magnifying glass.
The term “chiffon” literally translates as “cloth” or “rag” in French, but has come to be synonymous with any type of lustrous, sheer fabric woven in a particular style.
🤣🤣🤣
Luigis has a lemon Italian ice that is very refreshing on hot summer days. I don’t like lemon usua,ly, but the italIan Ice is actusl.y quite nice tasting.
Luigi’s sure brings back refreshing memories. I didn’t know the brand was still around. I looked up the website — Luigi’s got started in 1978.
That fit with my recollection of the general timeframe for the new treat coming to town.
It stood out way back then such that I even remembered the name to this day, even as a zillion brands, names, and ideas have come and gone.
Our local supermarket carries them. I like the cherry flavored best, but do like the occasional lemon too when it’s really hot out.
There was a trend - I think in the 50s and 60s to make everything “chiffon” - meaning whipped so it was “airy.”
My mother preferred pumpkin chiffon pie for Thanksgiving and would always make that b/c it wasn’t as heavy as regular pumpkin pie.
She would make angle food cake - also made by whipping egg whites and then folding in the other ingredients - for my birthday or for strawberry shortcake.
As for lemon chiffon cake - sounds like lot of work, as other chiffons are. I have a huge crop of lemons this year and I’m not fond of lemon meringue pie so maybe the lemon chiffon cake? I’ll have to clear an entire day to make it.
My husband (Italian descent) loved Italian ices - I bought them all the time for him. Also love lemon ice on a hot day.
My daughter recently bought some kind of electronic contraption that makes ices so I may have to look into that to get rid of a massive lemon crop I have this year (we’ve had lots of rain). Either that or make lemoncello...
I’m not sure the luigi’s is ‘authentic Italian ice’, but it’s still good- it’s pretty dense, almost like icecream but harder, denser— maybe like a frozen solid sherbet- they have a few flavors- i dont care for their mango- but the cherry and lemon are good
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