This slightly sweet and vanilla-scented Angel Food Cake is the perfect vehicle for juicy berries, lemon curd or juicy whipped cream!
In this recipe
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What pan to use
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Tips for the best cake
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When is it ready?
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toppings
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storage
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Freeze
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Use of leftover egg yolk
BE PICTURED IN; CHARACTERIZED IN:
Angel food cake is just a European sponge cake that immigrated to the United States and took over the no-fat trend of the 1990s. But it was actually the 19th century. Angel Food Cake was ahead of its time. Or behind the times, depending on your views on fat.
VIDEO: How to Make Angel Food Cake
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Angel Food Cake
Do I need an Angel Food cake pan?
An Angel Food pie pan is a tall pan with a removable base and a tube in the middle. As a result, the cake bakes evenly and retains its structure. Some pans also have feet to allow airflow when turned upside down.
If you don’t have an Angel Food cake pan, that’s fine. You can still bake this cake, but you must use a pan with high sides, like a loaf pan, as the dough will rise a lot and you will still have to cool it upside down on a raised surface.
If you decide to try this with a loaf pan, you will need to divide it into two and possibly three loaf pans and only fill them about half full. It will also be difficult to get the cake out of the pan as it will stick to the bottom. It’s best to try sliding a spatula on the side and under the cake to release it once it’s cooled.
You might be tempted to make an angel food cake in a bundt pan. While I’m usually a big fan of experimentation, I wouldn’t use a bundt pan as they usually have a design or texture that would make it difficult to slide a knife around the cake to loosen it.
If you like Angel Food Cake, it’s worth investing in the right pan.
Tips for the best Angel Food Cake
- Never grease the pan. An angel cake has to climb the sides of the pan. Fat would prevent that, and you’d end up with a flat cake.
- Don’t let any fat out of the yolks and don’t let any fat get into your mixing bowl. It prevents your egg white from whipping up.
- Leave the cake to cool upside down in the pan. This helps maintain the cake’s height and light, airy texture.
- Allow air to circulate under the pan to cool it and prevent it from getting sticky.
When is Angel Food Cake ready to bake?
The top should be dry, golden, and slightly cracked, springing back when you touch it.
What toppings go best with Angel Food Cake?
Angel Food Cake is such a light, ethereal cake. It’s practically magical on its own, but what doesn’t like dressing up a little every now and then?
Top your Angel Food Cake with any number of fruits and sauces. A few of my favorites are below:
- Sugared Peaches (Toss them in some sugar and let them sit to release their juice; then spoon them over pieces of cake.)
- Macerated strawberries
- Hardly sweetened whipped cream
- lemon curd
- all of the above
How to store Angel Food Cake
Angel Food Cake can be stored cellophane wrapped on the counter for up to a week. After four days it is still edible, but a bit stale.
Can You Freeze Angel Food Cake?
Yes you can! Packed well in cellophane and aluminum foil, it should keep for up to three months!
What to do with leftover egg yolk?
The benefit of making an Angel Food Cake from scratch is that you’ll have loads of leftover egg yolks! That means you can make ice cream or pasta. If you’re thinking, “I just baked an angel cake; I don’t do anything else!” – I understand. You can also freeze egg yolks.
Want more cake recipes? Try these!
- Lemon poppy seed ring cake
- Lemon Bundt Cake
- Hummingbird Cake
- Vanilla Buttermilk Pie
- Jam Pound Cake
Angel Food Cake
ingredients
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1 cup (130G) cake flour
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1 cup (115G) powdered sugar
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12 big protein
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1 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
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1/2 teaspoon table Salt
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2 teaspoon vanilla extract
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1/2 teaspoon almond extract
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3/4 cup (180G) granulated sugar
special equipment
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blender
method
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Preheat the oven:
Set the oven to 325°F.
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Mix cake flour and powdered sugar:
Sift together the cake flour and powdered sugar into a bowl or onto a piece of parchment.
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Start beating the egg whites by hand:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the egg whites, cream of tartar, salt, and the vanilla and almond extracts. Hold the stand mixer whisk in your hand. Beat the egg whites by hand and aggressively for about a minute. That just helps to start everything.
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Continue beating the egg whites with a mixer:
Place the bowl in the stand mixer base fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until egg whites are thick and fluffy, about 1 minute.
Continue beating on medium speed, gradually sprinkling the granulated sugar over the beaten egg whites until the sugar is incorporated and the eggs are white and glossy with medium stiff peaks.
To test this, stop the mixer, remove the whisk and bowl from the mixer. Lift the mixer out of the egg whites and turn it upside down. A short spike of the egg white should fall off when you pull the whisk out of the bowl.
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Fold in the flour mixture:
Remove the bowl of the stand mixer from the base and slowly shake the flour a little, about 1/4 the flour, over the surface of the egg white. Using a spatula, fold the flour into the egg white. Repeat this process until all of the flour is incorporated.
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Bake:
Scoop the mixture into an ungreased Angel Food cake pan. Bake 40 minutes. The top should be springy, dry, golden and slightly cracked.
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Cool the cake upside down:
Cool the cake upside down on a bottle or the feet of the pan for 90 minutes to 2 hours. This will cool the cake and keep its structure. If you turn the cake over too soon, it will compress or collapse.
Once the cake pan feels completely cool and you’ve waited patiently for at least 90 minutes, slide a knife around the edges and center tube. turn it around Remove the base from the sides. The cake will still be attached to the base. Insert a knife between the base and the cake.
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Surcharge:
Eat with berries, whipped cream, or eat from your hands while you’re in the kitchen. Store covered on the counter for up to a week.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 186 | calories |
| 0g | Fat |
| 40g | carbohydrates |
| 5g | protein |
