Angel Food Cake
41 comments » 
For as much of a chocoholic as I am today, angel food cake was one of my all-time favorite desserts when I was growing up. As far as I can remember, no one in my family made them from scratch, but they were a Sunday staple at my grandma’s house during the summer. I always enjoyed a big slice of angel food cake, lots of sliced fresh strawberries and a big dollop of Cool Whip to cap off my Sunday dinner. Angel food cake is one of those store-bought favorites that I have been wanting to conquer from scratch. Truth be told, it’s not very difficult at all, and is so, so delicious.
The hardest part of the entire process for me was being patient while the egg whites were beating up into soft peaks. I felt like it took forever! But patience definitely paid off. (I was also a little heavy-handed when it came to slicing it as you can see from the photo above – I smooshed it a bit. Use a very light tough with a sawing back and forth motion using a serrated knife.)
This is such a lovely cake – light and spongy, with just a hint of almond flavor, just like the angel food cakes that I remember from when I was a kid. And of course I had to eat it with fresh strawberries and whipped cream! If you haven’t tackled angel food cake from scratch yet, I highly recommend it. Not too difficult, and very rewarding.
One year ago: Monster Cookies
Two years ago: No-Bake Chocolate, Peanut Butter & Oatmeal Cookies
Three years ago: Wedding Shower Cake
Angel Food Cake
Yield: 10 to 12 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 50 to 60 minutes
Total Time: 90 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup sifted plain cake flour
1½ cups sifted granulated sugar
12 egg whites, at room temperature
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon almond extractDirections:
1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees F. Have ready an ungreased large tube pan (9-inch, 16-cup capacity). If the pan bottom is not removable, line it with parchment paper.
2. Whisk the flour and ¾ cup of the sugar in a small bowl. Place the remaining ¾ cup sugar in another small bowl next to the mixer.
3. Beat the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer at low speed until just broken up and beginning to froth. Add the cream of tartar and salt and beat at medium speed until the whites form very soft, billowy mounds. With the mixer still at medium speed, beat in the remaining ¾ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until all the sugar is added and the whites are shiny and form soft peaks. Add the vanilla, lemon juice and almond extract and beat until just blended.
4. Sift the flour-sugar mixture over the whites, about 3 tablespoons at a time, and gently fold in, using a large rubber spatula.
5. Gently scrape the batter into the pan, smooth the top with the spatula, and give the pan a couple of raps on the counter to release any air bubbles.
6. Bake until the cake is golden brown and the top springs back when pressed firmly, 50 to 60 minutes.
7. If the cake pan has prongs around the rim for elevating the cake, invert the pan onto them. If the pan does not have prongs, invert the pan onto the neck of a bottle or funnel. Let the cake cool completely, 2 to 3 hours.
8. To unmold, run a knife around the edges of the pan, being careful not to separate the golden crust from the cake. Slide the cake out of the pan and cut the same way around the removable bottom to release, or peel off the parchment paper, if using. Place the cake, bottom-side up, on a platter. Cut slices by sawing gently with a large, serrated knife. Serve the cake the day it is made.
(Recipe adapted from Baking Illustrated)
print
save
email
There is something so simple about this cake, but it is so delicious. Simple is good.
And girl, you’ve been busy!!! How many posts you doing a day, 2 or 3? I can’t keep up!
You’re awesome Michelle, and I so look forward to reading your posts every day!
Reply
This is my absolute favorite! I had one every year for birthday as a kid!! I haven’t had one in ages! I need to make one now.
Reply
This light cake is one of my favorites! I love it. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Reply
My mother used to frost angle food cakes with frosting made with Hershey’s chocolate syrup, whipping cream, and ???–never got the recipe. Anyway, she’d buy English Toffee, scrape off the “coating”, and sprinkle on top to add crunch. It was so good, and I’ve been trying to find the recipe. I think it was common in the 1960′s. Have you or any of your readers seen this recipe? Do you have anything similar? Thanks, Michelle! Enjoy your blog.
Reply
Jul on June 30th, 2011 at 8:20 am
I found this using google- maybe this is what your talking about.
http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1830,159183-249206,00.html
Reply
Angel food cake is my dad’s favorite. We used to make it for his birthday every year. There is something about a fresh homemade angel food cake that is so delicious!
Reply
angel food cake is one of those summer staples that we always had in our house. so light and fluffy and delicious!
Reply
If you like using gadgets an electric knife is beautiful for cutting Angel food cakes.
Homemade are the best and plenty of egg yolks for ice cream and/or pasta.
Reply
So simple and yet so delicious! One of my favorite cakes is angel food with a strawberry icing/glaze!
Reply
Looks amazing! I’ve been trying to find a great angel food cake recipe. This may be it!
Reply
Great post! You’re absolutely right – Angel Food Cake is rarely made by scratch any more. My mother (who sadly died when I was a child) was NOT a cook. She made everything from a box….except Angel Food Cake. About once a year, she’d break out this amazingly old pan and make it…I wish I had that pan, but she ditched it years ago.
Reply
12 egg whites! Wow. I have never tried to bake an angel food cake but I really want to and since I can trust your recipes with my eyes closed, this has to be good.
Reply
The only tube pan i have is a kugelhopf pan. Can it be used the same?
Reply
My dad and I love baking…we made a delicious chocolate angel food cake (unbelievably good!) with a raspberry glaze and fresh whipped cream. A-ma-zing. It would take care of the chocoholic in you too!
Reply
I love this angel food cake because of its light and fluffy texture and because its so easy to make. I used to buy angel cake in the bakery but I find there is nothing better then to make it myself because I get to have control over how sweet the angel cake turns out. I prefer my cakes to be on a slightly less sweeter side (But thats just me). Awesome post and thank you for sharing this recipe!
Reply
angel food cake reminds me of 8th grade basketball, when one mom would always bring us the funfetti angel food cake for after games! i’ve made cupcakes from scratch but need to get a tube pan so i can make a whole cake!!
Reply
I haven’t had much angel food cake in my life. My Dad believed if it wasn’t chocolate it wasn’t dessert, so my mom never made this. I have tried a couple store bought ones at parties before, but have never had a homemade one. This looks amazing – I want to get a pan, so I can make one!
Reply
This is my father’s favorite cake and it is just in time for his birthday! Thank you for posting! Looks amazing!!
Reply
Gorgeous angel food cake, Michelle!
Reply
One of my favorite desserts!
Reply
There is nothing better for a light dessert than angel food cake with strawberries. Love this, Michelle!
Reply
My Mother always made from scratch for my requested birthday cake. Every year that is what I always requested for my Birthday. Loved then then and still do.She would even ask me what color I wanted. Remember a blue one she used food coloring in and iced it with her great homemade icing. Thanks for the recipe and the memories.
Reply
I’ve always loved angel food cake; I never think to make it though – love!
Reply
Angel Food cake is something I have always wanted to try as well. Glad to know it’s not hard.
Reply
Oh it is so lovely! I love angel food cake with strawberries and whipped cream. Honestly I can eat angel food cake all by itself too!
Reply
How gorgeous! I’ve never tried baking an angel food cake before, but now you’ve made me want to run out and grab a tube pan!
Reply
I always wanted to try this angel food cake! I might give it a shot! Thank you for sharing your recipes!
Reply
would the cream of tartar be essential for making this cake? thanks for sharing this recipe!
Reply
Michelle on June 30th, 2011 at 12:11 pm
Hi Lou, It is, it is what helps the egg whites set up.
Reply
i abosultely love that you update your site everyday…that keeps me coming back..i was wondering if u had a recipe for grapenut custard pudding? Thanks so much
Reply
Michelle on June 30th, 2011 at 12:12 pm
Hmmm I’ve never heard of grapenut custard pudding! Sorry I’m not much help!
Reply
This is definitely on my top 100 to make list! Thank you, it looks delicious!
Reply
This Angel Food Cake recipe looks delicious! Have had this cake so many times, but never had an opportunity (and the recipe) to bake one myself. The texture of the cake looks perfect!
Reply
Angel food cake always just tastes like summer to me. My friend’s Mom used to make it all the time and I have great memories of enjoying a nice summer breeze along with my slice of cake. Love it. Want it. Have to make it now.
Reply
I love angel food cake! But I have no room for another baking pan. I wish you could make this in a bundt cake pan… LOL has anyone tried?
Reply
Jennifer @ Raisin Questions on July 12th, 2011 at 6:04 pm
Yes I have tried in a bundt pan! I had trouble with my egg whites peaking, so my cake did not fully bake. I got the cake out of the bundt pan in one piece, but I’m not sure if this because it was more moist due to being under baked. You can see what I mean here — http://raisinquestions.wordpress.com/2011/04/26/how-come-my-guardian-angels-didnt-show-up-for-angel-food-cake/. Michelle, I was laughing when I read your post, because when I recently blogged about my Angel Food Cake experience, it was all about how DIFFICULT it was! I didn’t have the right pan, or cream of tartar, or enough eggs, or a sifter, or an electric mixer… I couldn’t get the egg whites to peak and I was pretty freaked about not being able to get it out of the pan! But I think after reflecting on your post, Angel Food Cake really must be easy for experienced bakers — you just need the right tools, and maybe a little confidence. I’m still gaining that experience, but hopefully one day I will believe that Angel Food Cake is easy!
Reply
Angel Food cake is one of those dishes I’d also like to make from scratch. Your recipe looks simple and delicious. I should try this for the Fourth of July! Wouldn’t it be pretty with blueberries and strawberries? Yum!
Reply
I just made the “cook’s country” version of this cake tonight…also my first. The hardest part for me was…well the whole thing made me very nervous. i didn’t have cake flour so i did a LOT of processing and sifting. The cake is now cooling on a root bear bottle.
Reply
Gorgeous cake! I can’t wait to try it…it’ll be perfect with some fresh strawberries or blueberries, mmm.
Reply
The trick with angel food cake is to bake it in a tube pan. I used a bundt pan the first time I tried it. Big mistake. It stuck to the pan horribly. I turned it into a trifle since it came out of the pan in pieces
Reply
We are looking for Angel Food Cake recipes for National Angel Food Day. If you would please stop by and link-up this recipe and/or if you have any other Angel Food Cake recipes! We would greatly appreciate it!
http://momscrazycooking.blogspot.com/2011/10/this-weeks-cravings-50-angel-food-cake.html
Reply