Chiffon Cake

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line bottom of 16-cup tube pan with parchment paper but do not grease. Whisk sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt together in large bowl. Whisk in whole eggs, egg yolks, water, oil, vanilla, and almond extract until batter is just smooth.
2. Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip egg whites and cream of tartar on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and whip until stiff peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes. Using large rubber spatula, fold whites into batter, smearing any stubborn pockets of egg white against the side of the bowl.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan, smooth top with rubber spatula, and gently tap pan on counter to release air bubbles.
4. Bake cake until skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 55 minutes to 1 hour 5 minutes. If cake has prongs around rim for elevating cake, invert pan on them. If not, invert pan over neck of bottle or funnel so that air can circulate all around it. Let cake cool completely, about 2 hours.
5. Run knife around edge of cake to loosen, then gently tap pan upside down on counter to release cake. Peel off parchment, turn cake right side up onto serving platter, and serve. (Cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 4 days.)

If your tube pan has a removable bottom, you do not need to line it with parchment. Serve as is or dust with confectioners’ sugar

MOCHA-NUT CHIFFON CAKE
Substitute 3⁄4 cup brewed espresso or strong coffee for water and omit almond extract. Add 1⁄2 cup finely chopped toasted walnuts and 1 ounce unsweetened grated chocolate to batter before folding in whites.

CHOCOLATE MARBLE CHIFFON CAKE
Combine 1⁄4 cup cocoa and 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar in a small bowl, then stir in 3 tablespoons boiling water and mix until smooth. Follow recipe as directed, dividing batter equally into 2 separate bowls at end of step 2. Mix scant 1⁄2 cup batter from one bowl into cocoa mixture, then partially fold mixture back into same bowl (so that you have one bowl of white batter and one of chocolate batter). Sift 3 tablespoons flour over chocolate batter and continue to fold until just mixed. Pour half the white and then half the chocolate batter into the pan; repeat. Do not tap pan on counter before baking. Bake as directed.

DATE-SPICE CHIFFON CAKE
Omit almond extract. Substitute 1-1⁄2 cups packed dark brown sugar for granulated sugar and add 4-1⁄2 ounces chopped pitted dates, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1⁄2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves to dry ingredients in step 1. Process mixture in food processor until dates are cut into 1⁄8-inch bits and mixture is thoroughly combined. Transfer to bowl and whisk in eggs, egg yolks, water, oil, and vanilla and proceed with recipe as directed.

LEMON OR LEMON-COCONUT CHIFFON CAKE
Substitute 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda for baking powder, decrease water to 2⁄3 cup and vanilla to 1 teaspoon, and omit almond extract. Add 3 tablespoons grated lemon zest (3 lemons) plus 2 tablespoons juice along with vanilla in step 1. (For Lemon-Coconut Chiffon Cake, also add 3⁄4 cup sweetened shredded coconut, coarsely chopped, to batter before folding in whites.)

ORANGE OR CRANBERRY-ORANGE CHIFFON CAKE
Substitute 2 tablespoons grated orange zest plus 3⁄4 cup orange juice (2 oranges) for water. Decrease vanilla to 1 teaspoon and omit almond extract. (For Cranberry-Orange Chiffon Cake, also add 1 cup minced cranberries and 1⁄2 cup finely chopped toasted walnuts to batter before folding in whites.)

BANANA-NUT CHIFFON CAKE
Decrease baking powder to 1-1⁄4 teaspoons and add 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda. Decrease water to 2⁄3 cup and vanilla to 1 teaspoon and omit almond extract. Fold 3 mashed bananas (1 cup) and 1⁄2 cup very finely ground toasted walnuts or pecans into batter before folding in whites in step 2. Increase baking time to 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes.

RED VELVET CHIFFON CAKE
Frosted with FLUFFY WHITE ICING and sprinkled with coconut, this variation is a great one for kids.
Add 1 tablespoon cocoa to dry ingredients in step 1, decrease water to 2⁄3 cup, and add 2 tablespoons red food coloring with extracts.