The Chiffon: An Imported Classic Cake

The best-loved desserts in the Philippines were traditionally derived from Spanish and French classics: flan, brazo, tocino del cielo, yemas, and sans rival (a local version of the French dacquoise). But with the influx of U.S. products, advertising, and mass information at the start of the twentieth century, American cakes—in particular, the chiffon cake—became the dessert Filipino matrons used to demonstrate their baking prowess. In place of the dense, rich European cakes, the light, airy American cakes and breads became the standard by which baked products were judged. Today, chiffon cakes are still baked in Filipino homes and are sold in mass quantities at bakeries all over the country.