This light and airy Angel Food Cake tastes like a slice of heaven. It’s lovely on its own, and even more delicious with lightly sweetened whipped cream and fresh berries or a spoonful of lemon curd.
Skip the store-bought boxed cakes — homemade angel food cake has a delicate, snowy-white crumb and an ethereal texture that’s surprisingly easy to achieve. If you enjoy baking, try some of my other favorite cakes as well.
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- Homemade is better: The texture is incredibly light and tender — far superior to store-bought options.
- Stores easily: This cake keeps well, so you can make it ahead and add toppings just before serving.
Angel Food Cake Overview
Angel food cake differs from a classic white cake: the batter contains no butter, oil, or egg yolks. Instead, whipped egg whites provide the lift that creates a moist, cloud-like sponge. Serve slices with whipped cream and fruit, or cut it into pieces for a trifle layered with pudding and berries for an elegant dessert.
Ingredients
The ingredient list is short and straightforward. For best results, bring the egg whites to room temperature before whipping. Exact measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Flour: Cake flour gives the lightest texture. If you don’t have cake flour, substitute using a standard conversion.
- Granulated sugar: Sugar is divided between the dry ingredients and the whipped egg whites to stabilize and sweeten the cake.
- Salt: Just a pinch enhances the flavor.
- Egg whites: These supply all the lift—there’s no baking powder or soda.
- Cream of tartar: Stabilizes the egg whites so the cake holds its volume while baking.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a gentle, warm flavor.
Instructions
Follow these steps for a reliably tall, tender cake.
Make and Prep the Batter
- Prepare: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Have a 9- or 10-inch tube cake pan ready. Do not grease the pan.
- Pulse the sugar: Pulse the granulated sugar in a food processor a few times to make it finer.
- Froth the egg whites: Wipe the mixing bowl and whisk with a little white vinegar or lemon juice to remove any fat, then dry. Add the room-temperature egg whites and cream of tartar and whip on medium-high until very frothy, about 1 minute.
- Add sugar gradually: With the mixer on medium-high, slowly add the pulsed sugar. Once incorporated, increase speed to high and whip until medium-stiff peaks form, about 4–5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla until just combined.
- Fold in flour and salt: Sift the cake flour and salt over the whites in 2–3 additions. Fold gently with a silicone spatula after each addition, stopping when only a few streaks remain. Finish folding until no streaks of flour remain.
- Transfer to pan: Spoon the batter into the ungreased tube pan and smooth the top.
Bake and Cool
- Bake: Bake 35–40 minutes, until the cake springs back when lightly pressed or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool upside down: Immediately invert the pan onto a cooling rack and let the cake cool completely in the pan. This prevents collapse and helps it set.
- Release and serve: Once cool, run a sharp knife around the inner tube and outer edge to loosen the cake, then unmold. Slice with a serrated knife and serve with whipped cream and fresh berries.
Why Cool the Cake Upside Down?
Cooling the cake upside down prevents it from collapsing under its own weight. When inverted over a rack, air circulates under and around the cake so it sets tall and keeps its shape. After it cools, run a sharp knife around the edges to free it from the pan before unmolding.
Can I Make This in a Bundt Pan?
Use a straight-sided tube pan for angel food cake. Bundt pans have fluted sides and make it difficult to release the delicate cake intact. A smooth tube pan gives the best results.
Tips for Perfect Angel Food Cake
- Egg handling: Separate eggs while cold for easier separation, then let the whites come to room temperature before whipping.
- Clean equipment: Wipe the bowl and whisk with vinegar or lemon juice to remove any grease that would prevent the whites from whipping properly.
- Be careful separating: A single speck of yolk can stop the whites from reaching full volume. Separate each egg into a small bowl first if needed.
- Don’t grease the pan: The batter needs to cling to the pan sides to rise; greasing will prevent proper lift.
- Flavor options: Try vanilla paste, a teaspoon of almond extract, or 1–2 teaspoons of citrus zest for variation.
- Gentle folding: Fold the flour in carefully — overmixing will deflate the batter and collapse the cake.
Storing Angel Food Cake
- Room temperature: Wrap in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
- Freezing: Wrap tightly in plastic and foil, place in an airtight container or freezer bag, and freeze for up to 5–6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Advance prep: Bake the cake up to one day in advance for best texture.
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Angel Food Cake
Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 12 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons cake flour
- 1 large pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Prepare a 9- or 10-inch tube cake pan; do not grease.
- Pulse 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar in a food processor 4–5 times until slightly finer.
- Wipe the mixer bowl and whisk with white vinegar or lemon juice, then dry. Add 12 room-temperature egg whites and 1 teaspoon cream of tartar and whip on medium-high until frothy, about 1 minute.
- With the mixer on medium-high, slowly add the pulsed sugar. Once incorporated, whip on high until medium-stiff peaks form, about 4–5 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla and whip just until combined.
- Sift 1 cup + 2 tablespoons cake flour and a pinch of salt over the egg whites in 2–3 additions. Fold gently after each addition until no streaks of flour remain.
- Spoon the batter into the ungreased tube pan and smooth the top.
- Bake 35–40 minutes, until the cake springs back when lightly pressed or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Invert the pan onto a cooling rack and cool completely in the pan. Once cool, run a knife around the tube and outer edge to release the cake.
- Slice with a serrated knife and serve with whipped cream and fresh berries.
Notes
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 44 g
Protein: 6 g
Fat: 1 g
Sugar: 28 g
Nutrition information is an approximation.