This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
A classic for good reason, angel food cake is light, airy and infinitely versatile. Serve it with fresh fruit and whipped cream or enjoy it as is.
If you’ve only ever eaten store-bought angel food cakes, you’re in for a treat. Homemade angel food cake is one of a kind. It’s large, light as a feather and incredibly moist, with a delicate vanilla and almond flavor and a slightly crispy golden crust. This has a reputation for being tricky, but it’s actually quite simple once you know a few simple techniques.
This recipe walks you through every step, from whisking the egg whites to incorporating the flour, so you can make a beautiful angel food cake with confidence. Serve it with fresh berries and whipped cream, lemon curd or simply a dusting of icing sugar.
Contents
Why is it called angel food cake?
Angel food cake has been an American favorite since the late 1800s. It became popular around the time the hand-cranked egg beater was invented, making it much easier to whip the dozen or more egg whites needed to create its characteristic noble texture. Its name comes from its incredibly light and airy texture, which was said to be “fit for angels”, especially compared to the rich butter cakes of the time.
What you’ll need to make angel food cake
To make angel food cake, you will need cake flour, sugar, egg whites, cream of tartar, salt, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
Step by step instructions
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together flour and ¾ cup sugar until smooth.
Step 2: Beat the egg whites. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Add cream of tartar and salt, then beat on medium speed until opaque and fluffy, about 2 minutes. With the mixer running, gradually add the remaining ¾ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, over about 1 minute. Continue beating until the whites are smooth, glossy, and hold soft peaks that curl gently at the ends, 2 to 3 minutes more.
Pro tip: Stop beating as soon as the whites look glossy and maintain a slight curl. If you beat too much, the mixture will lose its shine, appear dry, lumpy or curdled, and will not rise properly in the oven.
Step 3: Add the snippets. Pour the vanilla and almond extracts into the bowl and beat for about 10 seconds until the flavors combine.
Step 4: Add the dry ingredients. Place a sieve over the bowl and sift the flour-sugar mixture over the egg whites a few tablespoons at a time, using a large rubber spatula to gently incorporate the dry ingredients in wide, light strokes to avoid deflating the dough.
Pro tip: Take your time folding to avoid deflating the whites. If some of the flour-sugar mixture accidentally drifts or spills on the counter while you’re sifting, simply sweep it up and sift it onto the dough.
Step 5: Bake the cake. Scrape the batter into the prepared tube pan, smoothing the surface and wiping up any drips along the inside edge. Tap the pan firmly 2 to 3 times on the counter before baking for 45 to 55 minutes in a 325°F oven until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
Step 6: Invert, cool and unmold. Immediately invert the pan onto the built-in bowl feet (if equipped) or place the central tube over the neck of a bottle to cool for 2 to 3 hours; once completely cooled, turn it right side out, run a thin knife around the outer edge and center tube to loosen the cake. Transfer the cake to a serving platter, bottom side up.
Step 7: Serve. Slice with a serrated knife, using a light sawing motion. The cake is best eaten fresh, the same day it is prepared.
More Simple Cake Recipes You’ll Love
Angel food cake
Angel food cake with a delicate golden crust and a soft, light-as-air center.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cake flour (see note)
- 1½ cups sugar, divided
- 12 large egg whites
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C) and place an oven rack in the lower middle position. Prepare an ungreased 9-inch (23 cm) tubular baking pan with a 16-cup capacity, preferably with a removable bottom. (The angel food cake should stick to the sides of the pan when it rises, so don’t grease it.) If your pan doesn’t have a removable bottom, line the bottom with parchment paper (do not grease it).
-
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and ¾ cup (150 g) sugar until smooth.
-
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer), beat the egg whites on medium-low speed (4) until broken and foamy, about 1 minute. Add the cream of tartar and salt, then increase the speed to medium (6) and continue beating until the whites become opaque and form very soft, puffy mounds, about 2 minutes more.
-
With the mixer still running on medium speed, gradually add the remaining ¾ cup (150 g) sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, taking about 1 minute total to add all the sugar. Once all the sugar is added, continue beating until the whites are glossy and hold soft peaks, 2 to 3 minutes. When you remove the whisk from the bowl, the peaks should curl gently at the tip and the mixture should have a satiny smooth appearance, not dry or grainy. Be careful not to overbeat: the whites should still seem soft and creamy, not stiff or lumpy.
-
Add the vanilla and almond extracts and beat until blended, about 10 seconds.
-
Place a sieve or fine sieve over the bowl. Sift the flour mixture over the egg whites a few tablespoons at a time, folding gently after each addition with a large rubber spatula. Use broad, light strokes, moving down to the bottom of the bowl and lifting the dough up and over itself. Take your time here, the goal is to incorporate the flour without deflating the whites. If any flour mixture falls on the counter, simply sift it over the dough.
-
Once all the flour mixture is incorporated, gently scrape the dough into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Lightly run a paper towel or your finger along the top inside edge of the pan to wipe away any streaks or drips of batter. Give the pan two or three gentle taps on the counter to release any large air bubbles.
-
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and springs back when lightly pressed in the center. A toothpick inserted into the cake should come out clean.
-
Immediately turn the pan over to cool completely. If your tube mold has small feet, turn it upside down. Otherwise, carefully invert the pan over the neck of a bottle or funnel so air can circulate underneath. Let the cake cool completely, 2 to 3 hours.
-
To unmold, turn the cake over and run a thin knife around the outer edge of the cake and the center tube to loosen it from the pan, taking care not to separate the crust too much from the cake. Remove the outer ring, then run the knife under the cake to release the bottom, or peel off the parchment paper if using it.
-
Transfer the cake to a serving platter, bottom side up. Using a serrated knife, slice with a light sawing motion. Angel food cake is best served the same day it is prepared.
Remarks
- For best results, use bleached cake flour, which gives angel food cake its characteristic light and airy texture. Popular supermarket brands like Swans Down and Softasilk are ideal. Unbleached cake flour, like King Arthur flour, will work, but the cake may not rise as high or bake as tender.
- Fresh egg whites are best for angel food cake. Cardboard egg whites don’t whip as well due to pasteurization, so the cake may not rise as high or have the same light, airy texture.
Nutritional information
Per serving (12 servings)Calories: 157kilocaloriesCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 5gSodium: 153mgSugar: 25g
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional information on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. Data is calculated via an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these numbers should only be considered estimates. Different factors such as types of produce or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and how ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information of a given recipe. Additionally, different online calculators provide different results based on their own nutritional data sources and algorithms. To get the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your favorite nutritional calculator.
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Find out how your comment data is processed.
