Strawberry Mochi Chiffon Cake

• Servings About 12 generous slices (10-inch tube pan)
• Time About 3 1/2 hours (25 min active, 65-70 min baking, 2 hours cooling)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (255g) Birch Benders Strawberry Mochi Complete pancake mix, by weight
• 1 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp (4g) baking powder
• 1/4 tsp (1.5g) salt
• 1/2 cup (110g) vegetable oil
• 5 egg yolks, unbeaten
• 3/4 cup (180g) cold water
• 2 tsp (10g) vanilla
• 1 cup (240g) egg whites (7 or 8 whites)
• 1/2 tsp (2g) cream of tartar

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 325°F, with a rack in the lower third. Do not grease a 10-inch tube pan that is 4 inches deep and has legs. The batter has to climb the sides.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the pancake mix, sugar, baking powder, and salt. If you sift, stir any strawberry bits left in the sifter back into the bowl. Weigh the mix: 255g is about 1 1/2 cups of this mix, not 2 1/4 cups.
3. Make a well in the center and add, in this order: the oil, the egg yolks, the cold water, and the vanilla. Beat with a spoon until the batter is smooth.
4. For the meringue: put the egg whites and cream of tartar in a large, clean bowl, with no yolk and no grease in it. Whip until the whites form very stiff peaks, stiffer than for angel food. A peak should stand straight up, and a spatula should leave a deep, clear trough. Do not underbeat. There is no sugar in this meringue.
5. Pour the yolk batter in a thin stream gradually over the whipped whites. Fold gently with a rubber spatula until just blended, with no streaks. Do not stir.
6. Pour the batter immediately into the ungreased pan and smooth the top.
7. Bake at 325°F for 55 minutes, then raise the heat to 350°F and bake 10 to 15 minutes more, until the top springs back when you touch it lightly.
8. Invert the pan immediately, resting it on its legs so the cake hangs freely and does not touch the counter. Leave it upside down until it is completely cold, about 2 hours. Do not unmold it while it is warm.
9. When it is cold, run a thin spatula around the outer edge and around the tube. Turn the pan over and tap the edge sharply to release the cake.

Levers and swaps

• Sugar: 1 1/4 cups (used): accounts for sugar already in the mix; 1 1/2 cups (300g): sweeter, closer to the classic cake; 1 cup (200g): less sweet, more strawberry
• Baking powder: 1 tsp (used): a small boost on top of the mix's soda; 1/2 tsp: if the cake tends to over-rise or tunnel; Do not skip the cream of tartar: it stabilizes the meringue
• Flour: This pancake mix (used), 255g by weight; Classic chiffon: 2 1/4 cups (255g) sifted cake flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 3 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt; Do not switch mid-recipe

From Travis's kitchen

Baked on November 12, 2026, for a family birthday, in an ungreased two-piece aluminum tube pan with a center chimney and three legs. The oven temperature sometimes runs a little off, so doneness was judged by the spring-back test rather than the clock alone. Cracks on top appeared before the 55-minute mark, which is normal for chiffon and does not by itself mean the cake is done. The final outcome after cooling and unmolding has not been recorded, so it isn't claimed here.

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