Angel Food Cake Recipe (2024)

This homemade Angel Food Cake is perfection. Light, moist, airy, and absolutely delicious! If you love angel food, don’t miss my Coconut Angel Food Cake and Coconut Angel Food Cupcakes!

Angel Food Cake Recipe (1)

Angel Food Cake

When you are making homemade Angel Food Cake it’s important to be aware of two things. It uses a lot of eggs. Scratch that. It uses a lot of egg WHITES. Read the recipe before you start.

#panfail #cakefail #bakerfail

Now, if I could go back in time I would have definitely given MYSELF that advice. But, I was halfway through my recipe before I realized that I did not own an angel food pan.

Improvising angel food cake in a fancy bundt pan is NOT A GOOD IDEA.

It is a BAD idea.

It is a terrible idea.

Angel Food Cake Recipe (2)

This is what happens when you make angel food cake in a fancy bundt pan that you have to spread GOOP in so that the cake doesn’t stick but the cake is supposed to stick and therefore the cake cannot properly set up and it falls and flattens itself into a 1-inch high disc of not-bad tasting but horribly disfigured angel food cake.

So I drove to the store and bought a pan.

Angel Food Cake Recipe (3)

That was the best decision I made all day.

Well, that and the roasted strawberries. I mean, who knew roasted strawberries would be SO amazing?!?

Angel Food Cake Recipe (4)

Angel Food Cake Recipe

The most COMMON MISTAKE in baking angel food cakes is to not weigh the eggs. It is important to measure or weigh your egg whites for this recipe! Eggs can vary so greatly in size that it could be disastrous if you simply use 12 egg whites.

Room temperature ingredients are a must! We have very fresh eggs (sometimes laid that very day!) and because they are so fresh they separate very well. If you don’t have chickens, you may want to separate the eggs right out of the refrigerator and then allow the whites to come to room temperature. Separating when cooler will help you avoid broken yolks.

When whipping eggs make sure your bowl is clean and cool. Try not to overbeat! Stiff glossy peaks are the key phrase and what to look for in your eggs.

If you are baking this cake at a higher altitude, be sure to check out my High Altitude Baking Tips.

If you want a smooth strawberry sauce, simply place the roasted strawberries into a blender or food processor until you reach the desired consistency. If you do this you may not need to add the strawberry spread. Just keep an eye on it.

Angel Food Cake Recipe (5)

This is before and after roasting the strawberries. I highly recommend doing this! My house smelled like heaven for 6 hours after I removed them from the oven!

Angel Food Cake Recipe (6)

This Angel Food Cake Recipe with Roasted Strawberries lasted all of one day in our house. It tastes better than any store-bought angel food cake, which is saying a lot for a kid who was raised on the store-bought stuff.

I declare it the perfect angel food cake!

Angel Food Cake Recipe (7)

5 from 12 votes

Angel Food Cake

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

This homemade Angel Food Cake is perfection. Light, moist, airy, and absolutely delicious!

SavePrint Rate Comment

Ingredients

Angel Food Cake

  • 1 ¼ cups (125 g)sifted cake flour
  • 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated white sugar, divided
  • 1 ½ cups (360 g) egg whites at room temperature (from about 12 large eggs)
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon pure almond extract

Roasted Strawberries

  • 2 cups (250 g) sliced fresh strawberries
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 10 ounces strawberry spread, or jam/jelly preserves
  • Cool Whip, optional

Instructions

Angel Food Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and locate your angel food cake pan. Do not butter or spray or grease the pan in any way.

  • In a large bowl sift together ¾ cup (150 grams) of granulated sugar and the sifted cake flour.

  • In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until foamy, about 2 minutes.

  • Add the cream of tartar, lemon juice, vanilla, and almond extract and continue to beat until soft peaks form roughly 2-3 minutes.

  • Gradually beat in the remaining ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until glossy stiff peaks form. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

  • Remove bowl from stand mixer.

  • Sift the flour mixture (¼ cup at a time) over the egg whites and using a rubber spatula, gently fold (do not stir) the flour into the egg whites.

  • Pour the batter into the pan and run a metal spatula or knife through the batter in a zig-zag motion to remove any air pockets. Smooth the top and then bake in the preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes. The cake is done when the cake springs back when gently pressed or there are cracks over the top.

  • Immediately upon removing from the oven invert the pan and allow the cake to cool for about 1 ½ hours. While the cake is cooling, roast the strawberries.

  • When completely cool, run an offset spatula or knife around the sides and center tube of the pan to loosen the cake and then remove the cake from the pan.

  • Next, use the offset spatula (or knife) along the bottom and remove. Set cake on cake stand.

Roasted Strawberries

  • Increase the oven temperature to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  • Place sliced strawberries in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

  • Drizzle evenly with syrup and sprinkle cinnamon on top.

  • Roast for 10-12 minutes, or until berries are tender and have begun to release their juices.

  • Place strawberry spread into a medium bowl. Dump roasted strawberries on top of spread and mix together with a fork. If the mixture seems too thick can add up to ½ cup warm water.

  • When ready to serve, pour some sauce (not all) over cake. Cut cake using either a very (very) sharp knife or a serrated knife. Use a ‘saw’ motion and try not to press the cake down as you cut. Place the piece on a plate and drop a dollop of whipped cream on top. Cover with more strawberry sauce.

Course: Dessert

Keyword: Angel Food Cake Recipe

Servings: 12

Author: Amanda Rettke–iambaker.net

Did you make this recipe?

Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.

Angel Food Cake Recipe (8)

Categorized in: Cakes

Related Recipes

Cakes

Strawberry Earthquake Cake

Cakes

Salted Caramel Pound Cake

Cakes

Banana Crumb Cake

Bars

Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

Meet Amanda Rettke

Amanda Rettke is the creator of I Am Baker, and the bestselling author of Surprise Inside Cakes: Amazing Cakes for Every Occasion – With a Little Something Extra Inside.Over the course of her 15+ year blogging adventure, she has been featured in and collaborated with the Food Network, New York Times, LA Times, Country Living Magazine, People Magazine, Epicurious, Brides, Romantic Homes, life:beautiful, Publishers Weekly, The Daily Mail, Star Tribune, The Globe and Mail, DailyCandy, YumSugar, The Knot, The Kitchn, and Parade, to name a few.

Angel Food Cake Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to angel food cake? ›

Angel food cake is one-of-a-kind, and no other cake recipe matches its super fluffy, airy texture. Though it's a type of sponge cake, it differs from other popular recipes because it's traditionally made using no butter or oil in the batter. Instead, beaten egg whites are the secret to its ultra-light texture.

What makes angel food cake different? ›

Angel food cake, or angel cake, is a type of sponge cake made with egg whites, flour, and sugar. A whipping agent, such as cream of tartar, is commonly added. It differs from other cakes because it uses no butter. Its aerated texture comes from whipped egg white.

Can you cook an angel food cake in a 9x13 pan? ›

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray. Mix pineapple with juice and cake mix together in a large bowl until well combined; pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Can I use regular flour instead of cake flour for angel food cake? ›

If you don't have cake flour, you can make a cake flour substitute: Begin with 1 level cup of all-purpose flour. Then remove 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, and add 2 tablespoons of either cornstarch or arrowroot powder to the flour.

Why do you cook angel food cake upside down? ›

Every angel food cake has to be cooled upside down in the pan. Why? Until the cake is completely cooled, its spongy structure hasn't set. Flipping it upside down makes sure it doesn't collapse during that process.

Is angel food cake healthier than regular cake? ›

Angel food cake gets its lift from beaten egg whites. No egg yolks and no butter mean the cake contains no fat. And without the fat, the cake is also lower in calories than say pound cakes, cupcakes or ice cream. A homemade angel food cake isn't difficult to make and tastes far superior to most store-bought varieties.

How to fancy up angel food cake? ›

Serving Suggestions: Fresh berries, whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, 7-minute frosting, and /or chocolate ganache are all wonderful accompaniments! Make-Ahead: Angel food cake can be prepared one day in advance; once cooled completely and removed from the tube pan, cover with plastic wrap and keep at room temperature.

How to improve angel food cake mix? ›

Give your boxed angel food cake mix a summery twist by adding a can of crushed pineapple to it. Gently fold it into the whisked batter, careful not to deflate the mixture. If you over-whisk it, the cake will turn out chewy and dense.

Why do you not grease pan for angel food cake? ›

Do not grease the angel food cake tube pan (one in which the center tube is higher than the walls of pan and the bottom is removable.) You want the batter to cling to the side while it is rising. A greased pan will not allow the batter to rise.

Can you use parchment paper for angel food cake? ›

This recipe can be made in a classic angel food cake pan or in standard-size muffin tins/pans with paper cup liners. If the angel food cake pan used does not have a removable bottom, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. In either case, do not grease the pan or the parchment paper liner.

Can you use a springform pan for angel food cake? ›

Serve this tender, light-as-air cake in spring or summer, topped with your favorite seasonal fruit (we used strawberries), for a slice of heaven in every bite. Most angel food recipes require a specific tube pan, but this one shows you how to make the cake with just a soda can, a nonstick springform pan, and some tape.

Can you over mix angel food cake? ›

In delicate sponge-type cakes (like chiffon or angel food cake) there are two moments for concern. First, when you're whipping the egg foam, and second, when you're incorporating the flour. An overmixed egg foam will be slack, wet, loose, and unable to hold peaks.

Can you use carton egg whites for angel food cake? ›

Recipe Notes

Don't use carton liquid egg whites. Make sure they're completely warmed to room temperature. Only use an unlined tube pan for this recipe, nonstick will not work.

Can I use frozen egg whites for angel food cake? ›

Of course, if you can use fresh egg whites without the waste issue that would be even better. I just wanted to let you know that, if frozen egg whites is what you have, please don't miss out on baking a beautiful angel food cake because I'm here to tell you that it's of to use those and you can go for it!

Why don't you grease the pan for angel food cake? ›

Do not grease the angel food cake tube pan (one in which the center tube is higher than the walls of pan and the bottom is removable.) You want the batter to cling to the side while it is rising. A greased pan will not allow the batter to rise.

Why won t my angel food cake rise? ›

Baking: The temperature at which an angel food is baked is very important – if it's too low, the cake won't rise like it should. If it's too high, the top of the cake will set before the cake has fully risen, and it will stifle itself. Either way, the result is a less-than-airy angel food.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Delena Feil

Last Updated:

Views: 6218

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (65 voted)

Reviews: 88% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Delena Feil

Birthday: 1998-08-29

Address: 747 Lubowitz Run, Sidmouth, HI 90646-5543

Phone: +99513241752844

Job: Design Supervisor

Hobby: Digital arts, Lacemaking, Air sports, Running, Scouting, Shooting, Puzzles

Introduction: My name is Delena Feil, I am a clean, splendid, calm, fancy, jolly, bright, faithful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.