• This recipe uses 8-inch chiffon tube pan. Make sure your chiffon cake pan does NOT have a non-stick coating or your cake will not rise. The cake needs to cling to the side of the pan to rise tall. So a non-stick coating will ruin the rise!

Prepare the pineapple:

• Puree the pineapple in a blender or a food processor. Pour this into a small saucepan or pan and bring to a boil
  
• Then let it simmer over medium-low heat for about 2-3 minutes to cook off extra liquid. You will need about 100 grams (about 3/4 cup) for the cake
  

Preheat the oven:

• Position the oven rack, 4th from the top. Start preheating the oven at 330 F (165 C) for conventional oven. For convection oven,lower the temperature by 20 F (15 C). Position the rack to the lower 3rd of the oven

Prepare the cake batter:

• Whisk the egg yolks, cooking oil, pineapple puree, and pineapple juice.
  
• Sift in the cake flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder into the batter. Whisk until all are well-combined. Set aside
  

Prepare the meringue:

• Beat the egg whites on medium speed until frothy for about 30 seconds. Then add cream of tartar or lemon juice/vinegar
• Whip until it turns whitish and air bubbles are fine, another 30 seconds.
• Gradually add the sugar as you beat, in 3 batches. I beat them at medium speed (speed 4 on Kitchen Aid). This will take a bit longer compared to beating at high speed. I used to do higher speed (speed 6 or even 8), but the meringue is smoother and nicer when I maintain the speed on 6. I highly recommend stopping several times to check on the consistency and scraping the sides of the bowl to make sure no sugar is left on the side of the bowl.
• Whip until you reach a stiff peak but still have a slight bent on the tip. When you lift the whisk up, the meringue should stand tall with a slight bent on the tip like a hook. Then lower the speed to the lowest and whip for about 30 seconds to minimize air bubbles
  

Fold the meringue into the cake batter:

• Gently fold 1/3 of the meringue into the thick batter.
  
• Using a whisk, using a cutting motion and fold over to mix. Repeat this motion several rounds.
• Continue on with the second 1/3  of the meringue again to mix. For the last 1/3 of the meringue, use a rubber spatula instead to ensure you get all the batter at the bottom of the bowl mixed in as well. Use a cut down in the middle and fold over motion to fold gently but quickly.
  
• Make sure you don't see any more white meringue. The mixture should be fluffy and voluminous and pourable consistency
  
• Pour the batter into an UNGREASED chiffon cake pan. Use a skewer to draw a zig zag to pop bubbles inside the cake batter and to even out the batter throughout the pan. Use a rubber spatula to smooth the surface. Gently drop the cake pan from about 10 cm height on the counter 2-3 times.
  

Baking:

• This chiffon cake batter is a bit "wetter" and therefore we need to make sure it is baked long enough. Pop into the oven and place on the positioned rack. Bake for 50-55 minutes
• I know this is weird to say, but it's actually "safer" to overbake chiffon cake than underbaking. Underbaking tends to cause the cake to collapse. If you insert a skewer into the cake, it should come out completely clean.
  
• Don't be alarm if your cake has some cracks on top. What you are looking at will become the bottom of your cake. I know many people mind it a lot and make a big fuss when the top of the chiffon cake cracks, but actually it's not a flaw.
  

Invert to cool down immediately:

• Once out of the oven, drop the cake pan from about 10 cm height on the counter several times to prevent shrinkage. Then carefully invert the pan upside down immediately. Your chiffon pan may have the little stands for you to invert. Please don't be tempted to remove from the pan if it's still warm. It takes about three to four hours to cool completely

Unmolding:

• Once it's cool down completely, use an offset spatula and press it firmly against the pan, sort of angling the spatula a bit and run through the edge as you turn the pan. This will ensure the brown crust won't peel off by the spatula. Some may peel off, but majority should be there. Gently push the base to lift the cake out. Use an offset spatula again, firmly press towards the pan and run through the base of the pan and then carefully release the cake.

Save some cake crumbs for decorating (optional):

• I scrape off some crumbs from the pan after unmolding. I also scrape off some brown crumbs from the chiffon cake. I save these crumbs to top on the cake later.
  
• This is optional. You don't have to do this. I let the crumbs dry out by leaving them out overnight and then I "toasted" them in a dry pan over low heat to crisp them up a bit.
  

Prepare the yogurt whipped cream:

• Place the heavy cream in a cold mixing bowl and whisk with a standmixer or a handmixer to whip until soft peak. Add the rest of the ingredients and whip on medium speed until it holds a firm peak.
  

Assembling:

• Place the chiffon cake on a cutting board. This is optional, use a serrated knife to horizontally slice the cake in half.
  
• Place the base half of chiffon cake on a cake platter. Put 1/2 of the whipped cream on top.
  
• Layer the other half of the chiffon cake on top. Spread the rest of the cream on top and also spread it to the side of the cake to very thinly coat the crumb
  
• 
• You can leave the chiffon cake whole and then just apply the whipped cream on top and the covering the side of the chiffon cake.
• Chill the cake in the fridge for about 1 hour to let the cream set firmer before serving

Serving:

• Just before serving. I sprinkle those cake crumbs on top of the cake if you choose to do so