Hi! Chiffon cake is my mom's favorite cake. Because of that, I've decided to become an expert on chiffon baking. I have a problem. Everytime I bake a chiffon cake, it tastes divine. But the problem is that after I take it out of the oven and I put it in the table inside the pan (upside down - as it is supposed to be done) ...it deflates.

When it is in the oven ...it is marvelous and it looks like a balloon. I insert a toothpick in order to check if it is done ...and IT IS WELL BAKED INDEED. But it deflates right at the table.

I have tried everything ...but the problem continues to happen all over again. And because of this ...everytime ...I have to make two more chiffons to stack on top of each other ...till I can reach a height of 3 inches for this only cake after I frost.

Why is this happening? Please HELP!

HELP!!!

Are yuo opening the oven door before it's done? I would think it needs more baking time since the structure isn't set yet. It does rise, so your not deflating the whites before hand.

Mike

Mike: the thing is that I thought about that possibility. And the other day, I decided to leave the cake longer on the oven ...till it was golden brown on top. It was OK ...but the same thing happened when I put the cake at the table. CHIFFON DEFLATING! Please HELP!

Is it acting like a souffle, as soon as it cools it deflates? If it is maybe your putting to much air into it.

Mike

This is how it happens:

a) I look at the cake in the oven: it is golden brown on top and it looks like a great balloon

b) I take the cake out of the oven

c) As soon as it is at the table ...when it is in the pan (upside down) still hot ...it deflates

Is there any baking powder in the recipe, or does it depend on the whites?

Mike

It does have both: baking powder and egg whites

One of two things re happening.

The first: there is to much bp, and it's rising to much for the structure to hold itself.

Second: the egg whites are whipped to much incorporating to much air for the structure to hold itself.

Then the is the third option: a combination of the two. You don't say whether, or not if this recipe has ever worked for you. If it hasn't I would say. Lower the BP by 20%, and turn oven down by 5%.

I just thought of this. Where your turning the cake out is it cool/cold? You could also let it cool by opening the oven door w/ oven off, and let it sit on the door for a while. Sorry I don't have "it's this so do this" response

Mike

I'm trying to imagine how it's deflating when it's upside down.....isn't that defying gravity?

Check your baking powder by placing 1 tsp in 1/3 cup of very hot water it should bubble vigorously if it doesn't and it just fizzes buy a new can.

Mike: your response is of great value to me. Sincerely

Thanks for taking the time to help me. You are so kind!

The thing is that this always happens when I bake chiffons. Everyone of them have deflated. But the taste is out of this world. And it has a very airy and light texture. Everything would be perfect ...but the cake deflates. And because of that ..I have to bake 2 more chiffons in order to stack them on top of each other ...and reach a height of 3 inches after I frost. Please Help!

This is the Recipe I use from book BAKING ILLUSTRATED. I will copy it here ...so you know what ingredients I'm using and give you an idea so you can continue helping me

CHIFFON CAKE:

1 1/3 cups cake flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

7 large eggs, 2 whole, 5 separated, at room temperature

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

And I always use new fresh baking powder!

I would cut the BP to 1-1/2 tsp. Your getting to much lift

Mike

I have made a orange chiffon cake for a wedding before, and the first time I baked it I let it cool in the pan and it deflated, the second time I baked it I took it out of the pan right away, and it did not deflate. I read somewhere that the steam goes back into the cake and deflates it. I am by no means an expert, but I did follow that advice the second time and it worked perfectly. Good luck!

Is there a chance that your oven is running hot? If it it is then the sides are cooking & setting while the inside remains uncooked. When you take it out of the oven the internal structure may not be set enough to support the cake and will collapse. I've had the same problem with my chiffon cakes when i moved house. Found out the oven was running hot.

Try lowering your oven temp by 25 degrees and see if that helps.

Or raise/lower your oven rack away from the heat source.

Or use cake strips or wet paper towels to insulate the sides of your pan.

Thanks Mike and KitchenKat, rvercher23 ...for your responses and great suggestions!

I will be making chiffon this week, so I will try all the advice you are giving me. I will keep you posted! I promise