Guys, I can’t even tell you how obsessed I am with this Blueberry Chiffon Cake! Been tweaking this recipe for months and finally nailed it. The texture is insane – so fluffy it’s basically like eating a blueberry-flavored cloud. If you’ve never tried making a blueberry chiffon cake before, you’re in for a treat. The way those berries burst in your mouth against that airy cake is just ridiculous. Stick around and I’ll share all my tips that took my chiffon cake game from sad to amazing!
Why This Blueberry Chiffon Cake Recipe Is Gonna Change Your Life
Let’s be real – adding fruit to cakes can be a total disaster. They sink, they make everything soggy, and you end up with this weird wet mess. Been there, cried about that.
Last Thanksgiving, I surprised my family with this blueberry chiffon cake instead of our usual pie, and my dad (who claims he hates “fancy desserts”) ate THREE slices! The whole cake disappeared before dinner was even over.
What makes this blueberry chiffon cake special is how versatile it is. Summer berries? Amazing. Only have frozen blueberries? Works perfectly. Need to make it ahead? This cake actually tastes even better the next day.
Enough talk – let’s get baking this blueberry chiffon cake!
What You’ll Need for This Epic Blueberry Chiffon Cake
For the Cake Base:
- 2¼ cups cake flour – don’t even think about using regular flour, the cake texture will suffer
- 1½ cups sugar (split into 1 cup and ½ cup) – we’ll use these separately
- 1 tbsp baking powder – fresh please! Old baking powder = flat cake
- ½ tsp salt – balances sweetness perfectly
- 7 large eggs, separated – must be room temp for best volume
- ½ cup vegetable oil – creates moisture without heaviness
- ¾ cup cold water – helps dissolve sugar completely
- 2 tsp vanilla extract – real vanilla makes a huge difference
- ½ tsp lemon zest – secret ingredient that makes blueberries pop!
- ½ tsp cream of tartar – stabilizes those egg whites like magic
- 2 cups fresh blueberries – wild ones have more flavor if you can find them
For the Simple Glaze:
- 1½ cups powdered sugar – sift it to avoid lumps!
- 3 tbsp lemon juice – adjust for thickness
- ½ tsp vanilla extract – rounds out the flavor
Pro tip: during summer I use fresh berries, but frozen work great too! Just keep them frozen until the last minute and toss them in a bit of the flour mixture (more on this trick below).
For those with dietary needs, you can try gluten-free cup-for-cup flour with 2 tbsp cornstarch added. Not exactly the same but still pretty darn good.
How to Make the Perfect Blueberry Chiffon Cake
Step 1: Get Everything Ready
Preheat oven to 325°F. DON’T grease your tube pan! Seems wrong but trust me – chiffon cakes need to grip the sides to rise properly.
Separate eggs when cold (easier!), then let whites come to room temp for maximum volume. Mix cake flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Sift twice if you’re feeling fancy (totally worth it).
Step 2: Mix Up Your Wet Stuff
In medium bowl, whisk egg yolks, oil, water, vanilla, and lemon zest until smooth. Looks kinda weird and yellow – that’s normal!
Pour this into your dry ingredients and mix just until no dry spots remain. Over-mixing = tough cake!
Step 3: Whip Those Whites
In super clean, dry bowl (any grease = flat whites!), beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add remaining ½ cup sugar while beating until you get stiff peaks. You’ll know it’s ready when you flip the beater upside down and the peaks stand at attention!
Step 4: The Gentle Fold (Most Important Part!)
This is where most people mess up their blueberry chiffon cake! Gently fold about ⅓ of the egg whites into your batter with a spatula to lighten it. Then add remaining whites in two batches, using a figure-8 motion. Be gentle but thorough.
Toss blueberries with 1 tbsp flour (my trick to prevent sinking!) and fold them in super gently. A few strokes is all it takes – don’t overmix or bye-bye fluffiness.
Step 5: Bake It Right
Pour batter into ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Run a knife through to pop large air bubbles.
Bake 55-65 min until top springs back when touched lightly. Remove from oven and IMMEDIATELY turn pan upside down over a bottle or cooling rack. Looks weird but prevents collapse!
Cool completely (about 2 hrs) before running knife around edges and removing from pan.
Step 6: Glaze & Serve
Mix powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla for glaze. Should be thick but pourable – add more juice if needed. Drizzle over cooled blueberry chiffon cake and let set 10 mins before slicing.
Cut with serrated knife using gentle sawing motion for perfect slices!
Awesome Blueberry Chiffon Cake Variations You Gotta Try
Want to switch things up? These variations are fire:
- Blueberry Lemon Chiffon: Add 1 tbsp lemon zest to batter and use lemon glaze. Pairs amazingly with our Lemon Poppyseed Cake for a citrus dessert table!
- Triple Berry Chiffon: Replace half the blueberries with mix of raspberries and blackberries. The color contrast is gorgeous.
- Blueberry Lavender Chiffon: Add 1 tsp dried culinary lavender to sugar and let infuse overnight before using. So fancy!
- Blueberry Cream Cheese Chiffon: After cooling, cut cake in half horizontally and spread with sweetened cream cheese filling. For more decadent cream cheese desserts, check our Cherry Cheesecake.
- Blueberry Almond Chiffon: Add ½ tsp almond extract and sprinkle with toasted sliced almonds before glaze sets. If you love nuts in desserts, our Hummingbird Cake is also amazing!
Blueberry Chiffon Cake
Equipment
- 10-inch tube pan
- Electric mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Spatula
- Wire rack
- Serrated knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- For the Cake Base:
- 2¼ cups cake flour
- 1½ cups sugar divided: 1 cup and ½ cup
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 7 large eggs separated
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup cold water
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- ½ tsp cream of tartar
- 2 cups fresh blueberries
- For the Simple Glaze:
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Do not grease the tube pan.
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together cake flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, vegetable oil, cold water, vanilla extract, and lemon zest until smooth.
- Combine: Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Whip Egg Whites: In a clean, grease-free bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add remaining ½ cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
- Fold in Whites: Gently fold ⅓ of the egg whites into the batter to lighten it, then fold in the remaining whites in two batches.
- Prepare Blueberries: Toss blueberries with 1 tbsp flour to prevent sinking, then fold them gently into the batter.
- Bake: Pour batter into tube pan, smooth the top, and bake for 55-65 minutes until the cake springs back when touched.
- Cool: Immediately invert the pan onto a bottle or wire rack and let cool completely (~2 hours).
- Glaze: Mix powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract to make a thick but pourable glaze. Drizzle over cooled cake and let set for 10 minutes before slicing.
- Serve: Cut using a serrated knife and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Your Burning Blueberry Chiffon Cake Questions Answered!
What is the difference between a sponge cake and a chiffon cake?
Sponge cakes rely entirely on whipped eggs for structure and don’t use any added fat. Chiffon cakes (like this blueberry chiffon cake) contain vegetable oil which makes them more tender and moist while still being super light. The oil in chiffon cakes also helps them stay fresh longer – my blueberry chiffon cake is still amazing 3 days later, while sponge cakes get dry quickly.
What is the most delicious cake in the world?
Ok this is totally subjective but blueberry chiffon cake is definitely top 5 material! The combo of light, airy texture with bursts of fruit is kinda unbeatable. Other contenders include our Brooklyn Blackout Cake for chocolate lovers or Mint Oreo Cheesecake if you’re into rich desserts. But honestly, the best cake is whatever makes YOU happy!
How do I keep my blueberries from sinking to the bottom of a cake?
My foolproof trick: toss blueberries in 1-2 tbsp flour before adding to the batter! The flour creates a little barrier that helps berries “stick” in place during baking. Another pro tip specifically for blueberry chiffon cake: fold berries in at the very end with minimal mixing, which keeps the batter thick enough to support them. Also, using room temp berries (not straight from fridge) helps them distribute more evenly.
Why is it called a chiffon cake?
It’s called chiffon cake because it’s as light and airy as chiffon fabric! This cake style was invented in 1927 by an insurance salesman named Harry Baker (seriously!) who kept the recipe secret for 20 years before selling it to General Mills. The name perfectly describes how this blueberry chiffon cake feels – like biting into a soft, delicate cloud!
Are chiffon cakes healthier?
Compared to many other cakes, blueberry chiffon cake is on the healthier side! It uses oil instead of butter (less saturated fat), gets most volume from egg whites rather than tons of flour/sugar, and hello – blueberries are literally superfoods packed with antioxidants! The airiness also means you’re eating less cake per slice compared to dense cakes. Not saying it’s health food, but as desserts go, you could do way worse!
Make This Blueberry Chiffon Cake Recipe Yours!
First time I nailed this blueberry chiffon cake, I literally took pics from every angle and sent them to everyone. My sister drove over just to try it! There’s something so satisfying about creating something this gorgeous and delicious from scratch.
What I love most about this recipe is how it balances old-school technique with modern flavors. My grandma made chiffon cakes but never thought to add fresh blueberries – now when I make this, it’s like connecting generations through dessert.
Don’t stress if your first attempt isn’t Instagram-perfect. Took me three tries to get it right! The journey is worth it when you slice into that perfect blueberry chiffon cake with its beautiful purple swirls.
If you loved this recipe, definitely check out our Mint Oreo Cheesecake for another show-stopping dessert!
Made this blueberry chiffon cake? Drop a comment and let me know how it turned out! And don’t forget to tag your pics – seeing your kitchen wins seriously makes my day!