Chiffon cake and sponge cake are very similar in appearance and have similar production processes, but they still have substantial differences:

1. Material processing There are differences

Chiffon cake: eggs, sugar, wheat flour, vegetable oil, water or milk; sponge cake: eggs, sugar, wheat flour, melted butter. From the material point of view, chiffon cake uses a higher water content than sponge cake, and chiffon cake uses vegetable oil. Sponge cake has a low liquid content and a high powder content, so it has a solid texture and can provide better support. The chiffon cake formula has a high liquid content and low powder content, so the chiffon cake tastes light and soft.

Chiffon cake uses vegetable oil. Oil can lubricate and soften the batter particles and make the cake body more moist. Water or milk alone cannot achieve this effect.

2. Different ways to beat eggs

There are two ways to beat eggs, whole egg method and separated egg method. Beating whole eggs means beating a whole egg without separating the yolk and protein. Whipping with separate eggs means mainly beating egg whites, and the amount of bubbles in the egg whites is much greater than that of beaten whole eggs.

Chiffon Cake: It is whipped using the egg separation method. The main role of the egg yolk is "emulsifier" and the egg white plays the role of aeration.

Sponge cake: You can use whole eggs or separated eggs to beat. In the whole-egg method, the eggs mainly play the role of aeration. In the egg splitting method, the egg yolk and egg white need to be aerated at the same time. Although the egg yolk does not need to be as firm as the egg white, it still needs to be beaten until white.

Chiffon cake mainly mixes beaten egg whites and flour-pasted egg yolks, while sponge cake mixes whipped whole egg liquid and flour directly.

3. Baking process

Chiffon cakes and sponge cakes made using the split-egg method need to shake the air bubbles before sending them to the oven. Because the texture of the batter and meringue is slightly thick, it is easy for air to be pressed in. Dropping it vigorously can shake out larger air bubbles.

Whole egg sponge cake is mixed directly with flour and it is not easy to press in air, so there is no need to perform this step.

Chiffon’s flour content is slightly less, so the support of the whole cake is not very strong. Therefore, the demolding process must wait until the cake has cooled, otherwise it will easily collapse. However, due to its strong load-bearing capacity, sponges do not need to be buckled after baking.

4. Difference in taste

The taste of Qifeng can be felt to be very soft, light and light. The texture of the sponge is more solid, and the aroma of the egg is very rich. Some sponge cakes may taste a little dry.

Generally, the birthday cakes or other decorated cakes we buy are made of sponge cakes, because sponge cakes are much more solid than chiffon cakes and have strong supporting power. Will deform. Chiffon cake is very soft, and it is very delicious as a small cupcake.