Angel Food Cake is a very light cake with only 6 ingredients. Egg white is the main ingredient and you need 12 beaten egg whites for this cake. Key for success is to bake the batter in a special tube pan with a flat bottom and straight sides and when separating the eggs, make sure no yolk gets into the egg white. Any traces of fat can inhibit foam formation. Following these two steps will make your cake fluffy, light and airy, which is delicious on its own, but also in combination with berries and / or whipped cream.
Angel food cake is one of the lightest cakes I’ve ever eaten. For those who prefer less fat: no butter, sour cream or other typical “high-fat” ingredients are necessary, so this cake is low-fat! Just sayin’… 😉.
Tools & Equipment
- 25,4cm / 10-inch tube pan
- Egg separator
- Fine mesh strainer
- Food processor
- Silicone spatula
- Stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment
- Wire rack
Recipe Tips
Egg White: for this recipe you need 12 egg whites (!!). You could buy egg white substitutes or egg white from a carton, but it is better to use freshly separated eggs, as they allow the air to circulate better and result in more volume. Separate the eggs as soon as you take them out of the fridge, because it is easier to separate them while they are still cold. Start about 1 hour before you process the egg whites to make sure they have room temperature, which is important.
Tube Pan: to make an angel food cake, this type of pan is essential. Do not use a bundt pan, because it is very difficult to get the cake out in one piece. You need a tube pan with a flat bottom and straight sides. The structure and stability of an angel food cake requires this special pan. I use this Tube Pan (not sponsored).
Do NOT Grease The Pan: by greasing the pan, the batter will slide down the sides and not be able to rise properly.
Cool Upside Down: when the cake comes out of the oven, it needs to be cooled upside down. My tube pan has small feet, which makes it easy to cool the cake upside down. If your pan has no feet, place the pan upside down on a wire rack and let the cake cool completely.
Slice The Cake: use a sharp serrated knife, a normal knife can squish your cake.
Directions – How to Make an Angel Food Cake
Place the oven rack in the lower middle position and preheat the oven to 163°C / 325°F. Weigh all the ingredients.
Pulse the sugar in a food processor until it is very fine. Remove about 200g of sugar and set aside. Add cake flour and salt to the remaining sugar in the food processor and pulse 5-10 times until airy and light.
In a large bowl of a stand mixer whisk together egg whites and cream of tartar at medium-low speed until foamy, for about 1 minute. Increase to medium-high, slowly add the remaining sugar and whisk until soft peaks form, for about 5 minutes. Add vanilla extract and beat until just incorporated.
Use a fine-mesh strainer to slowly sift the flour mixture into the egg white mixture in 3 additions. Gently fold it in with a silicone spatula after each addition. Do not add the flour mixture all at once to prevent the cake from deflating.
Spread the batter into the ungreased tube pan and tap the pan gently on the counter to smooth the surface. Bake for 40-45 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Rotate the pan halfway through baking.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely upside down on a wire rack, for about 3 hours.
Run a thin knife around the edges and gently tap the pan on the counter until the cake is released. Dust the cake with powdered sugar and decorate with berries, if desired.
Storage: you can make an angel food cake 1 day in advance. Cover it tightly and store at room temperature overnight. After that, keep the cake in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze it for up to 3 months.
My Summary for Angel Food Cake
Difficulty: simple.
Taste: the cake is slightly sweet, but not too much. Simply delicious.
Texture: angel food cake is light, airy and so soft.
PROS: by following a few simple steps, it is easy to make this cake and you can combine it with so many toppings: any berries, whipped cream, pastry cream or whatever you like.
CONS: the recipe can seem a little intimidating, but actually it’s not that difficult. Just give it a try!
