strawberry chiffon shortcake, perfected

In 2007, when this website was still in its infancy, I shared a recipe for a layered strawberry chiffon shortcake. I’d never made a chiffon cake before, but I brought it to a friend’s rooftop birthday BBQ, correctly assuming that no one would be unhappy with a towering, featherweight cake sandwiched with whipped cream and fresh strawberries, however inexpertly made. While I could appreciate a chiffon cake back then, I wasn’t a superfan. Chiffon cakes seemed a little stiff and lean. Plus, they’re fussy: there’s sifting; cake flour instead of all-purpose flour; superfine sugar instead of regular granulated; an uneven number of egg whites and egg yolks; cream of tartar; and a minimum of three bowls just for the cake layers. Oh, and chiffon cakes have a tendency to dip in the center as they cool. Gosh, where do we sign up!? Read more »