Floral Chiffon Cake

There’s a new dessert diva in town, and her name is Floral Chiffon Cake. Yes, chiffon cake—like the one your great-aunt used to make, but with a glow-up so dazzling, it deserves its own runway (or at least a dedicated corner on your Instagram feed).

First things first—what exactly is a chiffon cake? In short, it’s the love child of a sponge cake and a butter cake. Light and airy thanks to whipped egg whites, but rich and moist thanks to oil.

Think of it as the Audrey Hepburn of cakes: classic, elegant, and always in style. Or at least, back in style. Because—plot twist—chiffon cakes are making a comeback in a big, beautiful way.

And now? We give this airy wonder a modern makeover with floral flair and a splash of elderflower liquor. Yes, we booze up the batter, because why not? It’s 2025, and we all deserve a little extra sparkle in our sponge.

The result? This light, delicate, Floral Chiffon Cake tastes like a spring garden threw a party in your mouth. But wait, it gets better. We top it with a white elderflower glaze so glossy, you can practically see your reflection in it. Then we go full botanical fashion show with a cascade of edible flowers—think pansies, violets, marigolds, and maybe a rogue herb or two. The whole thing looks like it was crafted by cake angels on a picnic in Provence.

Not all flowers are safe to eat

So it’s important to use only edible flowers that are organically grown and pesticide-free. Here’s a list of beautiful, commonly used edible flowers that are safe (and stunning) to decorate cakes like this show-stopping one:

In conclusion, if you’re looking for a dessert that turns heads, sparks joy, and makes your guests say “Wait, you made that?!”, this is your answer. It’s light, it’s luscious, and yes—it’s the prettiest thing to ever happen to your dessert table. It will steal the spotlight at your next brunch. Or wedding. Or Tuesday.

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Floral Chiffon Cake

Course Dessert

Cuisine Amercian

Keyword Chiffon Cake, Edible Flower Cake, edible flowers, Elderflower Cake, Flower Chiffon Cake

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes

Servings 8

Author Lora Wiley-Lennartz

Ingredients

Cake:

• 7 large eggs.
• 2 cups sifted cake flour
• 1 ½ cups white sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup cold water
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons Elderflower liquor
• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 cup edible flowers

Glaze:

• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon elderflower liquor
• 1 1/2 cups edible flowers

Instructions

Make the Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
2. Separate the eggs.
3. Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
4. Make a well in the middle.
5. Add the egg yolks, water, oil, vanilla extract, and elderflower liquor to the well in this order. Do not beat.
6. Beat egg whites separately. When they start to foam, add the cream of tartar and beat until stiff peaks form.
7. Beat the dry ingredients batter until smooth and light. Pour it slowly over the egg whites.
8. Sprinkle the edible flowers over the top.
9. Gently fold together with a rubber spatula. Do not stir.
10. Transfer the batter into an un-greased 9" angel food tube pan.
11. Bake for 55 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out
12. Invert the pan onto a wire rack fitted over a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
13. When the cake has cooled completely, de-pan and place it right side up on the wire rack.

Glaze the Cake:

1. Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk and elderberry liquor.
2. Pour the glaze over the cake a bit at a time. Use a pastry knife to spread the glaze evenly over the cake. Don’t worry too much about imperfections. The flowers will cover them.
3. Sprinkle the edible flowers over the top.
4. When the glaze has hardened, transfer to a serving plate.
5. Cut and serve.

So, do you like this Floral Chiffon Cake? Then also check out some of these other delicious recipes:

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