Angel Food Cake
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The perfect angel food cake is easier to achieve than you think, as long as you have the right recipe in front of you. This in-depth post will help you bake a light and airy angel food cake using 6 simple ingredients with the most ideal delicate texture. I’ve tested both cake flour and a DIY substitute, so you can make it with what you have on hand.
MASTERING ANGEL FOOD CAKE– MADE SIMPLE
Angel food cake used to be my ultimate baking nemesis. Despite beginning my scratch baking journey with cakes, my early attempts at this delicate classic were total disasters. After more than a decade of perfecting cakes and mastering more complex techniques, I finally set out to conquer the perfect angel food cake, and I did it. More than once! Which means I’m going to make sure you can do it, too.
While most angel food cake recipes utilize cake flour, I also tested a combination of all-purpose flour and cornstarch so you can use what you have on hand and avoid buying an ingredient you may never use again. No matter which flour I used, the results were the same: a cloud-like, snow-white interior, a lightly toasted golden exterior, and the moistest, fluffiest crumb— an absolute marvel considering it’s made from just six ingredients, with no butter or oil in sight.
To get it just right on your first try, be sure you read through this post and the recipe carefully before starting (I’ve also included a video!). Even if you’re new to baking, I’ve got you covered, and I know you can master this traditionally fussy cake with confidence.
ANGEL FOOD CAKE INGREDIENTS
Just 6 simple ingredients! With so few ingredients, I want to be sure you understand why we’re using each one.
GRANULATED SUGAR: instead of using superfine sugar, a sugar that most home bakers don’t keep on hand (I certainly don’t!), you’ll be processing your granulated sugar in a food processor to create a superfine version. The texture you’ll create is between granulated sugar and powdered sugar, and is crucial to that iconic structure and texture of angel food cake.
CAKE FLOUR: this type of flour is lower protein than all-purpose flour, which means a tender crumb in your cake. While I do prefer you use cake flour, my tests with a combination of all-purpose flour + cornstarch replicate as closely as possible the same ideal lower protein without sacrificing on taste.
EGG WHITES: whipped egg whites give 100% of the lift to this cake, as there are no leaveners in this angel food cake recipe. Do not use cartoned egg whites as fresh eggs will give you the most idea lift. You’ll have a lot of egg yolks leftover, so be sure to check the recipe card for suggestions on what you can do with them.
CREAM OF TARTAR: cream of tartar is acidic and aids in stabilizing the whipped egg whites. The egg white + sugar combination is considered a meringue, and without cream of tartar, that meringue would completely collapse in the oven.
SALT & VANILLA EXTRACT: both are crucial to adding flavor, since there are so few ingredients to flavor this cake. Without butter, milk, or any other flavorings, it’s essential you use high quality pure vanilla extract. Also, resist the temptation to omit salt for fear of the cake tasting salty.
OVERVIEW: HOW TO MAKE ANGEL FOOD CAKE
You will find more detailed steps in the recipe card, but I want to give you some visuals so you know what to look for. I encourage you to use the video as well so insure you’re knowing what to expect as you move through the instructions.
Process the sugar + set some aside: I used a food processor but you can also use a blender. After it’s been processed, remove 1 cup. You’ll reserve this for adding to the egg whites to help create the meringue base.
Add the flour + salt: this is the mixture you’ll be folding into the meringue. Processing the flour (or flour + cornstarch) and salt helps aerate the mixture and keep everything light and airy.
Begin whipping egg whites + cream of tartar: beat on medium speed until the mixture is foamy. Then, stop the mixer and add the vanilla extract.
Slowly add the sugar: bump the mixer speed up to medium-high speed and slowly add the reserved sugar.
Beat to soft peaks: another increase of the mixer speed to high! At this speed, you’ll whip the mixture until it forms soft peaks, which will take about 5 minutes.
HOW TO IDENTIFY SOFT PEAKS
You will know you have soft peaks when you pull the whisk out of the bowl and the peaks form but quickly droop back down. They do not dribble or drip, but rather stand up for a brief moment before collapsing onto themselves. Soft peaks will continue to expand in the oven while stiff peaks are pretty set in their structure.
Add the flour in 6 additions: it is absolutely crucial that you not add all of the flour at one time, as you will deflate the meringue you just worked so hard to create! Slowly add the flour by gently dusting the flour onto the top of the meringue and folding it in with a spatula. You’ll fold each addition completely into the meringue before adding the next addition.
Pour batter into the tube pan: no grease! You’ll wiggle the pan on the counter to level the top before baking.
Bake: I’ve tested at 325ºF, but prefer the browning and structure at 350ºF.
Cool upside down: if your tube pan doesn’t have feet, you’ll want to do this on a cooling rack so the air can get to the cake’s surface. The pan I linked in the recipe card has feet so you don’t need your cooling rack at all.
Release from the pan + slice: run a butter knife around the inside of the pan to release the cake. If your tube pan has a platform (the one I linked in the recipe card does), you may have to run the knife between the cake and platform as well. Just be sure the cake is inverted so gravity can help you. Use a serrated knife to cut this cake as a regular knife will squish the cake.
SUCCESS TIPS
DEGREASE YOUR TOOLS: this isn’t entirely necessary, but it’s something to keep in mind if your mixing bowls and attachments are often used for frostings and buttery batters. I suggest this when making Swiss meringue buttercream, too, as even one single drop of butter or oil will interfere with the meringue process.
NO EGG YOLKS: similarly, you’ll need to be sure you don’t let a single drop of egg yolk into that egg white mixture. I like this egg separator, which is a silly tool but really helpful in keeping the yolks out.
ADD THE DRY INGREDIENTS SLOWLY: we’re adding in the dry ingredient mixture slowly so that we don’t deflate the cake batter. Angel food is delicate in its final form which can only come from treating the batter delicately, too. Some angel food cake recipes suggest you fold the dry ingredients in until they’re mostly combined, but I find this tends to leave behind flour streaks.
HOW TO SERVE HOMEMADE ANGEL FOOD CAKE
Angel food cake is best served simply! I like to dust it with powdered sugar or alongside whipped cream, strawberry sauce, and/or fresh berries. Be sure you’re using a serrated knife to cut this cake as a regular knife, even a very sharp one, will squish it.
Angel Food Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 and ¾ cups (350g) granulated sugar
- 1 and ⅓ cup (170g) cake flour1
- 10 large egg whites2 at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 and ½ teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Position a rack in the oven to the middle spot, then preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC).
- Place the sugar in a food processor then process (in the "on" mode, not just pulse) for 1 minute. Turn off the processor, allow the dust in the drum to settle, then remove the lid. Remove 1 cup of the sugar and set it aside to use in step 5. Leave the rest of the sugar inside the drum of the food processor.1 and ¾ cups (350g) granulated sugar
- Add the cake flour (or all-purpose flour + cornstarch) and salt to the remaining sugar in the processor, then pulse about 8-10 times to combine and aerate again. Set aside.1 and ⅓ cup (170g) cake flour1, ½ teaspoon salt
- Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer, and beat on medium speed until the mixture is foamy, about 1 minute.10 large egg whites2, 1 and ½ teaspoons cream of tartar
- Stop the mixer, add the vanilla extract, then resume beating the mixture on medium-high speed while you slowly add the reserved sugar.1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Once all of the sugar has been added, increase the mixer speed to high and whip until mixture forms soft peaks, about 4-5 minutes. You will know you have soft peaks when you pull the whisk out of the bowl and the peaks form but quickly droop back down. They do not dribble or drip, but rather stand up for a brief moment before collapsing onto themselves. When you have soft peaks, remove the bowl from the mixer. We will now refer to this mixture as the meringue.
- Slowly add the flour mixture in 6 separate additions to the meringue by gently dusting the flour onto the top of the meringue and folding it in with a spatula. I used 3 to 4 heaping spoonfuls (the larger Tablespoon size) for each addition. Fold each addition into the meringue using a large spatula, taking care that the flour mixture is completely incorporated before adding the next addition. It is crucial that you not add all of the flour at one time, as you will deflate the meringue.
- Pour the batter into an ungreased 9- or 10-inch tube pan3 and gently wiggle the pan to smooth out the top. Bake the cake for 42-46 minutes or until it springs back to the touch and a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and invert the pan on a cooling rack until cool, about 4 hours. If your pan has feet (like the one that I linked), you can invert it directly onto a table. Once the cake is cool, run a thin knife around the edges and gently tap the pan on the counter until the cake releases.
- To serve, dust with powdered sugar or alongside whipped cream, strawberry sauce, and/or fresh berries. It is crucial you use a serrated knife to cut this cake as a regular knife, even a very sharp one, will squish the cake. Store leftovers covered tightly up to 5 days. Cake freezes well, up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then bring to room temperature before serving.
Video
Notes
- Cake flour: while cake flour is my best recommendation, I did test this recipe with the cake flour substitute that I most often use in my own baking. To make your own 1 and ⅓ cup of cake flour substitute, combine 19 Tablespoons (143g) of all-purpose flour and 3 Tablespoons (24g) of cornstarch. Ordinarily, you would sift this mixture to combine and aerate efficiently, but since we are adding the cake flour directly to the food processor to aerate it further, this step is unnecessary. Thus, you can just add the all-purpose flour and cornstarch into the food processor in step #3 where you’re instructed to add the cake flour.
- Egg whites: do not use egg whites from a carton for this cake. Fresh egg whites work the best. Separate the eggs while they’re cold then allow them to come to room temperature before whipping into the meringue. With the extra yolks, make lemon curd or peach curd, or combine with cartoned egg whites to make breakfast casserole or French toast casserole.
- Tube pan: do not use a Bundt cake for angel food cake as it will not rise properly and collapse in the oven.
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.