Angel food cake is a cake made with egg whites only and without any fat or leavening agents. It is somewhat similar in flavor to a sponge cake, but the two have very different ingredients. Angel food cake is so light you’ll feel like a cloud is melting in your mouth when you take a bite! Serve it with a dollop of whipped cream and mixed fresh berries for a delectable dessert.
While angel food cake is not inherently difficult to make, there are a few different techniques involved to get the perfect texture. So, if you are a beginner baker, make sure to read through all my tips carefully so yours turns out perfectly! For more cake recipes, try my hot milk cake, Victoria sponge cake, and white cake recipe.
What You Need To Make This Recipe
Sugar — you’ll whizz granulated sugar in your food processor into superfine granules, making it the perfect texture to easily dissolve in egg whites.
Flour — cake flour is a must for this recipe. All-purpose flour will yield a more bread-like result that isn’t ideal.
Salt — salt enhances the flavors in this simple cake.
Egg whites — you need egg whites from 10 to 12 large eggs. Since eggs can vary widely in size, measure out the weight or volume of the separated egg whites. You want 355g or 1½ cups of egg whites.
Cream of tartar — cream of tartar helps to stabilize the meringue and keeps it from deflating.
Vanilla — use high-quality store-bought or homemade vanilla extract for the best flavor.
How To Make Angel Food Cake
1. Blend the granulated sugar in a food processor until the sugar is very finely ground. Remove 1 cup of the fine sugar and leave the rest in the food processor. Add the cake flour and salt to the food processor. Pulse 10 times. Set a fine mesh sieve over a medium bowl and sift the reserved 1 cup of fine sugar into the bowl. Discard any large granules caught by the sieve. Place the same sieve over a separate large bowl and add the sugar and flour mixture from the food processor. Sift the sugar and flour together into the large bowl and set aside.
2. Combine the egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl. Use an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment to whip egg whites on low speed until they turn frothy on top.
3. Once the egg whites become frothy, increase the speed to medium and add the reserved 1 cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, into the egg whites.
4. Once all the reserved sugar is incorporated, beat the egg whites until soft, glossy peaks form. (Not stiff peaks!) This will take about 5 minutes overall. Add the vanilla extract and beat at low speed until incorporated.
5. Sift a third of the flour and sugar mixture over the egg whites.
6. Gently fold in the dry ingredients with a spatula. Repeat two more times to use up all the sugar and flour mixture.
7. Transfer the batter to a clean, ungreased 16-cup capacity angel food cake pan. Gently tap the pan on the counter a few times or run a knife or skewer through the batter to help break up any large air bubbles trapped in the batter.
8. Bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes on an oven rack in the bottom third of your oven. The cake should be golden brown, and a skewer inserted in the center should come out clean. Invert the pan onto the counter and allow the cake to cool upside-down in the pan for at least 1 hour. Once the cake is completely cooled, run a long, thin knife along the outer edge between the cake and the pan and around the center tube. Pull the center piece out to remove the cake. Run the knife along the bottom of the pan and invert onto a cake stand.
Why Whip The Egg Whites To Soft Peaks?
Whipping the egg whites to soft peaks is vital for the perfect angel food cake. Soft peaks will puff up nicely in the oven. Stiff peaks have a set structure and will not rise much more in the oven.
To help stabilize the whipped egg whites, you need an acid like cream of tartar. While you can use other acids like lemon juice or white vinegar in a pinch, cream of tartar will give you the best meringue. Make sure it is fresh for the best results.
For the ultimate cloud-like meringue, let the egg whites come to room temperature before whipping them. This will help incorporate more air and make the meringue super fluffy.
Cool The Cake Upside Down
It might seem strange, but cooling your angel food cake upside down is one of the most important steps!
Most angel food cake pans have feet so that when you invert the cake, there is space between the cake and the counter or wire rack. This allows the cake to expand more and hold its shape while it cools. If you do not cool it inverted, the cake will collapse.
If your tube pan does not have feet, invert it and place a wine bottle or other glass or metal bottle with a neck into the center hole to suspend it above the counter while it cools.
Why Did My Cake Collapse?
There are a few reasons why your angel food cake might have collapsed. Here are some easy tips to ensure it stays fluffy and tall:
- Be sure to beat the egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Underbeating the whites can mean the meringue didn’t fully develop, which can cause it to lose air and deflate during baking.
- Use cream of tartar. Cream of tartar is an acid that helps to stabilize egg whites, so they hold their shape. Make sure you use fresh cream of tartar; if it’s expired, it will not be effective!
- Don’t open the oven door while the cake is baking. I know it’s tempting to take a quick peek, but don’t do it! When you open the oven door, heat is released, which can cause the meringue to flatten.
- Invert the tube pan to cool the cake. As I mentioned above, cooling the cake upside down is so important to help the cake keep its light, airy texture. It will deflate if you cool it right-side up.
- Add almond extract for a little bit of extra flavor. 1/4 to 1/2 a teaspoon will do the trick!
Serving Suggestions
Angel food cake does not need much dressing up, so feel free to serve it as-is. It will be delicious! But if you want to add a little something, here are a few ideas:
- Dust with powdered sugar.
- Serve with whipped cream and fresh berries.
- Scoop lemon curd over each slice. Homemade lemon curd is an excellent way to use up the egg yolks you’ll have leftover from making the meringue!
Keep in mind that most toppings can make the cake soggy quite quickly. I typically decorate my angel food cake right before serving with powdered sugar and serve each slice with whipped cream and berries on the side.
Storage Tips
Tightly wrap leftover angel food cake in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container and store it at room temperature for up to 2 days. It is best enjoyed as soon as possible for the ideal texture.
To freeze, wrap it well in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and store it in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for a few hours before digging in.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Measure your flour correctly. Adding too much cake flour to the recipe is a common mistake that will throw off the texture of the angel food cake. The most accurate way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you don’t have one, fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
- Keep the egg yolks out! Even a small amount of egg yolk can cause the egg whites to not whip up properly. Separate the eggs while cold to make it easier, and crack each one into an individual bowl before adding the whites to your measuring container. This way, if a yolk breaks, you don’t contaminate all of the egg whites.
- Bring egg whites to room temperature. After separating the eggs, allow the egg whites to warm to room temperature. They will be much easier to aerate.
- DO NOT grease/butter/oil your cake pan! The batter needs to cling to the wall of the pan to rise properly. It also needs to stick to the sides of the tube pan so it doesn’t fall out when you invert the pan to cool the cake.
- Take care when folding in the dry ingredients. Incorporate them gently and be careful not to deflate the meringue.
- Use a serrated knife to slice the cake. You cannot press down on a fluffy angel food cake without smashing it, so gently saw each slice with a sharp serrated knife, like a bread knife.
Frequently Asked Questions
An ungreased 9- or 10-inch 16-cup capacity non-stick tube pan is definitely ideal. If you don’t have an uncoated tube pan, you can use an uncoated 9-inch loaf pan with a piece of parchment paper on the bottom. Divide the batter between two loaf pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Invert the pans onto a wire rack and let cool.
Do not use a decorative bundt pan. Since you need to cut the cake away from the sides of the pan, a bundt pan’s design will make it far too difficult, and the cake may very well be destroyed while you try to remove it.
No, you cannot swap the granulated sugar for powdered sugar in this recipe. When granulated sugar is blitzed in the food processor, it becomes superfine sugar. While much finer than granulated sugar, superfine sugar is not powdery like powdered sugar.
Caster sugar (superfine sugar) can be used instead of granulated sugar, but I do recommend still pulsing it a few times in a food processor in case any granules are larger or stuck together.
They can be used in a pinch, but pre-packaged egg whites from a carton do not whip up and expand as much as fresh egg whites. You need the egg whites to rise as much as possible because there is no other leavening agent (like baking powder or baking soda) in this recipe. If you do use a carton of egg whites, keep in mind your cake may not rise as much or could fall in the oven.
Yes, for this recipe you need cake flour. Cake flour has less protein than all-purpose flour and plays a huge role in giving angel food cake its light texture. If you do not have cake flour on hand, try a homemade cake flour substitute instead.
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Angel Food Cake Recipe
Video
Equipment
- 9 to 10-inch tube pan.
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups granulated sugar (350g)
- 1 cup cake flour (112g)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups large egg whites (10-12 large eggs) (355g)
- 1½ teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Position an oven rack in the bottom third of your oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Have a 9 or 10-inch ungreased tube pan (16-cup capacity) ready.
- Place the sugar in a food processor and blend until the sugar is very finely ground, about 1 minute. (This creates superfine sugar, perfect for dissolving into egg whites!) Remove 1 cup of the fine sugar (200g), leaving the rest in the food processor.
- To the food processor, add the cake flour and salt. Pulse 10 times.
- Set a fine mesh sieve over a medium bowl. Sift the reserved 1 cup of fine sugar into the bowl. Discard any large grains caught by the sieve.
- Place the same sieve over a separate large bowl and add the sugar and flour mixture. Sift the sugar and flour together into the large bowl and set aside.
- In a clean, large mixing bowl, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar. Use an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat the egg whites on low speed until they turn frothy on top, about 1 minute.
- Once the egg whites become frothy, increase the speed to medium and sprinkle the reserved 1 cup of fine sugar 1 tablespoon at a time into the egg whites. Once the sugar is incorporated, beat the egg whites until soft, glossy peaks form. This will take about 5 minutes overall. Add the vanilla and beat on low speed just until incorporated.
- Sift a third of the flour and sugar mixture over the egg whites and gently fold in the dry ingredients with a spatula. Repeat two more times.
- Transfer the batter to a clean, ungreased tube pan. Smooth the top and clean off the sides of the pan. Gently tap the pan on the counter a few times or run a knife or skewer through the batter to help break up any large air bubbles that may have gotten trapped.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Invert the pan onto the counter and allow the cake to cool upside-down in the pan for at least 1 hour. Most angel food cake pans have feet at the top so the cake can cool upside down but if yours doesn’t just invert onto a wire rack.
- Once the cake is completely cooled, run a thin knife along the outer edge between the cake and the pan, and around the center tube, then pull the center-piece out to remove the cake. Run the knife along the bottom of the pan and invert onto a cake stand. Place the cake on a serving plate and dust with powdered sugar, if desired. Serve alone or with whipped cream and berries.
Notes
- Measure your flour correctly. Adding too much cake flour to the recipe is a common mistake that will throw off the texture of the angel food cake. The most accurate way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you don’t have one, fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
- Keep the egg yolks out! Even a small amount of egg yolk can cause the egg whites to not whip up properly. Separate the eggs while cold to make it easier, and crack each one into an individual bowl before adding the whites to your measuring container. This way, if a yolk breaks, you don’t contaminate all of the egg whites.
- Bring egg whites to room temperature. After separating the eggs, allow the egg whites to warm to room temperature. They will be much easier to aerate.
- DO NOT grease/butter/oil your cake pan! The batter needs to cling to the wall of the pan to rise properly. It also needs to stick to the sides of the tube pan so it doesn’t fall out when you invert the pan to cool the cake.
- Take care when folding in the dry ingredients. Incorporate them gently and be careful not to deflate the meringue.
- Use a serrated knife to slice the cake. You cannot press down on a fluffy angel food cake without smashing it, so gently saw each slice with a sharp serrated knife, like a bread knife.
