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National Lemon Chiffon Cake Day

Food · March 29

A day for lemon chiffon cake, the tall, airy cake made with oil and whipped egg whites and brightened with fresh lemon.

National Lemon Chiffon Cake Day falls on Monday, March 29, 2027. That is 153 days away.

Lemon chiffon cake is tall, pale and remarkably light. It sits somewhere between a sponge cake and a butter cake, borrowing the airiness of one and the tenderness of the other.

The trick is in the method. Instead of butter, the batter uses vegetable oil, which keeps the crumb soft and moist even after a day or two. Egg whites are whipped separately until they hold peaks, then folded in to lift the cake. Lemon zest and juice give it a clean, bright flavor that reads more like sunshine than dessert.

Most chiffon cakes are baked in a tube pan with an ungreased side, so the batter can climb the walls as it rises. Bakers often turn the pan upside down to cool, which keeps the cake from sinking under its own weight. It looks odd on the counter, a cake hanging over a bottle neck, but it works.

Serving is simple. A thin lemon glaze, a dusting of powdered sugar, or a spoonful of whipped cream and berries is plenty. Some people split it into layers with lemon curd for something more formal.

A slice holds its shape but gives way easily under a fork, and the lemon lingers after the last bite.

Ways to celebrate

• Bake a lemon chiffon cake in a tube pan and cool it upside down.
• Look for a slice at a local bakery or diner.
• Try topping a slice with lemon curd and fresh berries.
• Share a piece with a neighbor or coworker.
• Zest a lemon and notice how much fragrance the peel holds.

Dates

Categories: Food days