It isn’t summer without a light, pillow fluffy, spongy, fat-free, sweet treat that’s great eaten alone or soaked in fruit and topped with cream. I’m referring to angel food cake. This cake creates a simple and versatile dessert base and is light on the hips!
Angel Food Cake Origins
Angel food cakes are an American invention with the first sponge cake recipe recorded in 1839 in a book called “The Kentucky Housewife”. However, egg-based sponge and chiffon cakes are found all over the world. An angel food cake is made primarily of egg whites, sugar, a little flour, and flavorings. A lack of butter and oil make it unique from other egg-based cakes.
My Angel Food Cake Recipe Inspiration
A Childhood Memory
I’ve always been a fan of shortcake desserts with angel food cake. As a kid, I remember seeing those twin packages of sponge cakes next to the strawberries and strawberry glaze container in the fruit section of the grocery store. I recall my dad buying them a couple of times. However, I mostly had strawberry shortcake with pie crust and macerated berries with whipped cream. I rarely, if ever, had desserts with angel food cake.
Adult Loving the Cake
As an adult and lover of all things bread and cake, I used to buy angel food cakes for shortcake desserts. For a long time, it didn’t occur to me that I could make my own from scratch. I made my first homemade angel food cake about 10 years ago and it was a flop; the cake was small and dense. After many years of baking under my belt, I got serious and learned the ins and outs (and a little science) of angel food cake. I tried it again adding my preferred flavorings with much success! Woo, hoo! 😊
Angel Food Cake Ingredients
I’m excited to share my angel food cake recipe. I love to use it as the cake base in shortcake desserts with fruit or dipped in dessert sauces. For this recipe’s ingredients, you’ll need a dozen egg whites, cake flour, powdered sugar, granulated sugar, salt, cream of tartar, vanilla, and almond extract. I chose a combination and ratio of ingredients that produce a very tall, light, and pillow-like texture. I’m very proud of this recipe and so glad to share it with you.
Separate the Egg Whites from the Yolks
In a small bowl, separate 12 large egg yolks from egg whites. You’ll need a total of between 420-430 grams. If the eggs are not at room temperature, allow the whites to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes after they’ve been separated. I keep an additional 2-3 eggs aside in case I break a yolk. In fact, in making this particular angel food cake, I broke 2 yolks in cracking the eggs and needed to save those for another dish.
TIP: Reserve the yolks for another dish. You can place them in a covered bowl in the fridge to consume within a few days. For longer storage, place them each in an ice cube tray and freeze to use later. Pop frozen yolks out like ice cubes and thaw in fridge overnight. With the yolks, you can make a hollandaise sauce, fried rice, scrambled eggs, use as a binder in meat or bean patties, etc.
Prep Oven, Pan, & Sift the Flour & Powdered Sugar
Preheat oven to 350˚F (177˚C) . Set aside a 10-inch bundt cake pan, preferably a 16-cup angel food cake pan. Do not grease or butter the pan; the cake needs to adhere to the pan edges as it bakes and cools.
Combine 120 grams (1 cup) of cake flour and 120 grams (1 cup) of powdered sugar. Stir until well combined. Then, sift both together in a medium bowl and set aside. Sifting breaks up any lumps and “lightens” the bulk since this is a light and airy cake.
TIP: Cake flour is preferred as it contains less gluten producing a taller cake and tender crumb. You can use all-purpose flour in place of cake flour.
Whip the Egg Whites & Other Ingredients to Stiff Peaks
In a clean, stand-mixer bowl or large bowl if using an electric hand mixer, pour in the 12 egg whites. Add ½ teaspoon (3 g) of salt. Pour in 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. Then, add ½ teaspoon of almond extract. Almond extract is optional and is only a nuanced flavor, but I like it, so I add it. Use the whisk attachment (or hand mixer beaters) and beat on medium speed until the egg mixture is foamy or frothy about 1 minute.
Add the Acid to Stabilize the Whipped Eggs
Add 1½ teaspoons of cream of tartar; the acid stabilizes the eggs as they whip and helps to keep them fluffy preventing any unnecessary “deflate gate”😉. If you don’t have cream of tartar, you can add instead 3 teaspoons of lemon juice (~½ of a small lemon) or 3 teaspoons of white vinegar. Continue beating on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.
TIP: Soft peaks are reached when the beaters or whisk are lifted, and the top of the egg trail in the bowl flops over. You can also remove the whisk and turn it upside down and the egg trail top should flop over.
Add Granulated Sugar After Soft Peaks
With the machine on high, add 200 grams (1 cup) of granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, and continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. I prefer to use superfine or caster sugar because the finer particles dissolve more quickly and easily in the eggs as they whip. You can simply pulverize your regular granulated sugar until superfine and that would be the same. To ensure the sugar has dissolved, rub a small amount of whipped egg between your fingers and there shouldn’t be any grit.
TIP: Stiff peaks are reached when the beaters or whisk are lifted, and the top of the egg trail stands straight up. You can also remove the whisk and turn it upside down and the egg trail top should stand up. Sugar has been dissolved when you rub a little mixture between your fingers and it’s smooth and not grainy.
Fold Flour & Powdered Sugar into the Whipped Egg Whites
You can leave your beaten eggs in the bowl and continue from there, but since my bowl is deep, I find it easier to transfer the eggs to a wider, more shallow bowl. Then, sift about ½ cup of the flour and powdered mixture over the egg fluff and fold it in. Continue to sift the flour mixture in ½-cup increments and fold until all is folded in.
TIP: To fold, make a figure 8 with the spatula. Start in the center of the batter and fold the mixture over going around the edges of the bowl and through the center. Be careful not to stir the mixture or the egg whites will deflate.
Spoon Mixture into Pan, Pop Air Pockets, & Bake
Spoon the mixture in the ungreased pan. Use a knife or spatula to smooth out the top and swirl through the batter to eliminate any air pockets. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top of the cake looks dry and springs back to the touch. It should be golden brown.
Invert Cake to Cool (Very Important Step!)
Invert the cake pan upside down so the outside bottom is facing up. Allow the cake to cool for 1-1½ hours. If using a Bundt pan with a hole in the center, invert the pan on a glass bottle with a long neck (wine bottle). If using a cake pan without a hole in the center, place the pan inverted and propped (with 3-4 canned goods along the pan edges) so that air flows through the bottom to cool.
TIP: Inverting the cake keeps it from sinking or falling as it cools. If you don’t invert it, the cake will sink somewhat and become dense. Since the pan is ungreased, the cake will continue to stick to the pan and will NOT fall out.
Loosen Cake with a Knife
Once completely cooled, run a knife along the edges of the cake and around the center. If using a cake pan where the bottom removes, release the bottom, and run the knife along the bottom as well. Remove the cake from the pan.
How to Cut Angel Food Cake
It’s best to use a serrated knife to cut this cake since it is light and spongy. A serrated knife produces clean, smooth cuts.
Angel Food Cake Close-ups!
Notice the height and sponge.
Storing Angel Food Cake
You can store the cake whole or cut into chunks or slices. Store it at room temperature in a sealed container for up to a week. For longer storage, place the whole or sliced cake in a freezer bag or container and freeze for up to several months. Then, thaw and enjoy.
Serving Suggestions:
- Flip the cake onto a serving plate and decorate with frosting.
- Leave the cake naked and pile on your desired fruit.
- Leave the cake naked and sift powdered sugar over the top.
- Cut slices using a serrated knife for strawberry shortcake.
- Cut into small chunks and use to make a strawberry shortcake or blueberry shortcake trifle, or dip them in chocolate fondue or caramel sauce like dulce de leche.
Flavor & Color Variations:
- For a chocolate angel food cake, replace ¼ cup of cake flour with ¼ cup of cocoa powder and sift with the flour and powdered sugar.
- Try different flavor extracts like chocolate, peppermint, rum, brandy, or caramel for a chocolate angel food cake. For more fruit flavoring add in orange or lemon extracts.
- For a spice cake, consider adding cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves or other spices sifted with the flour & powdered sugar mixture.
- Add 4 drops of gel food coloring (preferred color) with the extracts.
Keys to a Successful Light & Tall Angel Food Cake:
- Fold instead of stirring the flour and powdered sugar to prevent deflated egg whites.
- Sifting flour and powdered sugar breaks up any lumps and “lightens” the bulk.
- Cake flour is lighter than regular flour thus creating a tall(er) and tender cake.
- Acid like cream of tartar (lemon juice or vinegar) stabilizes the eggs to prevent deflating.
- Inverting the cake pan to cool keeps the cake from “falling” and becoming dense.
- Small particles of sugar, like superfine granulated sugar and powdered sugar, dissolve more quickly and are lighter thus maintaining a light cake. If you can’t find superfine (caster) sugar, you can simply place your regular granulated (cane) sugar in a food processor and pulverize until the particles are superfine in texture but not as fine as powdered sugar.
Angel Food Cake Final Thoughts
This is a fantastic cake. With grocery store prices on the rise, making your own is worth the time and money. You actually get a two for one deal when you make your own angel food cake, because you get a cake and lots of egg yolks for other meals. That’s a deal! The cake freezes well to be eaten all summer long. I hope you give it a try for your summer sweet treat desires.
Baker’s Perspective
While it might seem intimidated, angel food cake is not a difficult cake to bake. Honestly, the most time-consuming part is separating the egg whites from the yolks. If time is of the essence, you can separate the eggs the day before you want to bake the cake. Store the egg whites in a bowl covered in the fridge until 30 minutes before you whip them; allow them to set out at room temperature. There are some steps like sifting and folding, but none are too time consuming. I wouldn’t recommend skipping any of the small steps as they do make a difference in the overall texture and appearance of the cake. In general, this recipe is not difficult. It produces a pretty, store-bought-like, angel food cake. It’s a keeper for a great summertime light dessert with fruit, cream, chocolate, frosting, or ice cream. You will impress your friends! Yes, please!
Taster’s Perspective
We love how light and airy this cake turns out to be. Angel food cake is a simple flavored cake making it a good base for other flavors. The extra vanilla and little almond extract additions provide a little flavor depth. Check out my many optional flavors listed below and in the recipe for changing it up. While there is plenty of sugar in this recipe, it isn’t overly sweet. There is negligible fat since egg whites don’t have any. You get about 4 grams of protein PER egg white. So, calories- YES, fat-NO, protein-YES. Not bad for a sweet dessert! To us, this cake tastes just like a store-bought version, and we know exactly what’s in it! That’s a bonus! We really enjoyed eating this cake by itself but also in my Strawberry Shortcake & Blueberry Shortcake Trifles. Yummy! It’s a must dessert for the summer season!
Check out my YouTube Channel for all the visuals in making this angel food cake. “Angel Food Cake: Light & Airy, Sweet, Fat-Free Sponge Cake Perfect for Fruit & Cream Summer Desserts”.
Angel Food Cake
Ingredients
- 12 large (420-430 g total) egg whites, room temperature each large egg white weighs ~35 g
- 120 g (1 cup) cake flour or all-purpose (fluffed, scooped, and leveled off if using a measuring cup)
- 120 g (1 cup) powdered sugar
- 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
- ½ tsp (3 g) salt
- 2 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp almond extract optional
- 1½ tsp cream of tartar or 3 tsp lemon juice (½ small lemon) or white vinegar
Instructions
- In a small bowl, separate egg yolks from egg whites. If the eggs are not at room temperature, allow the whites to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes after separating them.TIP: Reserve the yolks for another dish. You can place them in a covered bowl in the fridge to use within a couple of days. For longer storage, place each yolk in individual sections in an ice cube tray, cover with plastic, and freeze to use later. Pop them out like ice cubes and thaw in fridge overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350˚F (177°C). Set aside a 10-inch Bundt cake pan, preferably a 16-cup angel food cake pan. Do not grease or butter the pan; the cake needs to adhere to the pan edges as it bakes and cools.
- Combine flour and powdered sugar and stir until well combined. Then, sift both together in a medium bowl and set aside.TIP: Cake flour is preferred as it contains less gluten producing a taller cake and tender crumb.
- In a clean, stand-mixer bowl or large bowl if using an electric hand mixer, pour in the egg whites. Add the salt and extracts. Use the whisk attachment (or hand mixer beaters) and beat on medium speed until the egg mixture is foamy or frothy (~1 minute).
- Add the cream of tartar and continue beating on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.TIP: Soft peaks are reached when the beaters or whisk are lifted, and the top of the egg trail in the bowl flops over. You can also remove the whisk and turn it upside down and the egg trail top should flop over.
- With the machine on high, add granulated sugar, 2 tbsp at a time, and continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved.TIP: Stiff peaks are reached when the beaters or whisk are lifted, and the top of the egg trail stands straight up. You can also remove the whisk and turn it upside down and the egg trail top should stand up. Sugar has been dissolved when you rub a little mixture between your fingers and it’s smooth and not grainy.
- Sift about ½ cup of the flour and powdered mixture over the egg fluff and fold it in. Continue to sift the flour mixture in ½ cup at a time and fold until all is folded in.TIP: To fold, make a figure 8 with the spatula. Start in the center of the batter and fold the mixture over going around the edges of the bowl and through the center. Be careful not to stir the mixture or the egg whites will deflate.
- Spoon the mixture in the ungreased pan. Use a knife or spatula to smooth out the top and swirl through the batter to eliminate any air pockets.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top of the cake looks dry and springs back to the touch. It should be golden brown.
- Invert cake pan upside down so the outside bottom is facing up. Allow the cake to cool for 1-1½ hours. If using a bundt pan with a hole in the center, invert the pan on a glass bottle with a long neck (wine bottle). If using a cake pan without a hole in the center, place the pan inverted and propped (with 3-4 canned goods around the pan edges) so that air flows through the bottom to cool.TIP: Inverting the cake keeps it from sinking as it cools. If you don’t invert it, the cake will sink somewhat and become dense as it cools. The cake will NOT fall out of the pan because the pan is ungreased.
- Once completely cooled, run a knife along the edges of the cake and around the center to loosen the cake. If using a cake pan where the bottom removes, release the bottom, and run the knife along the bottom as well. Remove cake from the pan and slice using a serrated knife for clean cuts.
Video
Notes
Interested in some other sweet treat recipes? Check these out.
Banana Pudding: No Cook & Egg Free
Argentine Alfajores Sandwich Cookies
Simple Scottish Shortbread Cookies
Gluten-Free & Vegan Scottish Shortbread Cookies
Latin American Tres Leches Cake
Australian & New Zealand Pavlova
New Zealand Kiwi Quick Bread (Regular & Gluten Free)
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