Angel Food Cake Recipe
I love how this angel food cake recipe turns 8 basic ingredients into a fluffy, light cake that's so much better than store-bought. It's soft and cloud-like, and the flavor is incredible.
Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 1 cup cake flour
- 1 ½ cups sugar, divided in half
- 12 large egg whites, separated, room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract, must have
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Sift cake flour and 3/4 cup sugar into a bowl and set aside.
- Using stand mixer or electric hand mixer on medium-high speed, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt until it forms soft peaks. Add the other 3/4 cup sugar slowly, and then beat on high until stiff peaks form.
- Beating on low speed, add in flour mixture and both extracts slowly, stopping as soon as batter is incorporated. Do not over-mix. Using rubber spatula, fold in the sides and bottoms of bowl, to fully incorporate.
- Spoon batter into un-greased angel food cake pan. Do not grease the 2-piece angel food cake pan. Gently shake to even out batter.
- Bake 30-35 min, or until the top springs back with a gentle touch, and top is golden.
- Invert pan upside down, to cool completely. Run a thin knife around pan sides, and remove bottom from the sides. Gently cut bottom away from pan.
Equipment
- Tube Pan, with removable inner core
Notes
- It's important that no egg yolk gets mixed in with the egg whites, as it's the egg whites that make this cake extra airy and light.
- Separate the eggs while they’re cold, but let the whites come to room temperature before whipping. They’ll whip up higher and more stable that way.
- Make sure your mixing bowl and beaters are completely clean and dry. Any grease or residue will prevent the egg whites from forming stiff peaks.
- Sift the flour and sugar together more than once for the lightest texture. It helps keep the batter airy and lump-free.
- Add sugar gradually while beating the egg whites. This helps the sugar dissolve evenly and keeps the meringue glossy and stable.
- Stop mixing as soon as the flour mixture is incorporated. Over-mixing can deflate the batter and make the cake dense.
- Never grease the pan. The batter needs to cling to the sides to rise properly.
- Cool the cake upside down in the pan. This prevents it from collapsing and keeps the crumb soft and fluffy.
- Use a serrated knife to slice the cake. A regular knife can compress the delicate texture.
- Store the cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. Avoid refrigerating, as it can dry out the crumb.
- Serve with fresh berries and whipped cream for a simple, classic finish that highlights the cake’s light flavor.
- This recipe is part of our Valentine's Day Recipes Collection.
Nutrition (per serving)
Serving: 1g | Calories: 158kcal | Carbohydrates: 34.5g | Protein: 4.5g | Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 104mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 25.3g