Don’t be intimidated by making homemade angel food cake! Learn how to make this from-scratch angel food cake recipe, including how to fold together the delicate egg white batter and the right way to cool the light, fluffy cake so it doesn’t deflate.
When my great-grandmother got married, she knew how to make exactly two things: fried chicken and angel food cake.
How these were the only two things she knew how to cook, we will never know. But the angel food cake was pretty convenient, given that it was my great-grandfather’s favorite dessert. When my mother came along, it became her favorite dessert as well and was her birthday cake every year.
I was in college before I made a homemade angel food cake for her. Growing up, she usually just made it from a boxed mix, mostly because she wasn’t the type to expend the energy for a homemade cake on herself.
Now that Momma is gone, her favorite dessert holds a whole new meaning for me. I still like to make one around her birthday—using my great-grandmother’s recipe—and eat a slice (or two) in her memory. It always seems like one of the best ways to honor her.
Homemade angel food cake has a reputation for being difficult or unapproachable, but really you just have to know what you’re doing. I’m going to walk you through some of the common questions and show you that it’s not that hard at all.
What is angel food cake?
Angel food cake is a type of sponge cake that has no fat in it and is leavened using only whipped egg whites.
That’s right! Unlike peanut butter cake or coconut cake, a true angel food cake recipe will contain zero butter, oil, egg yolks, or any other fat.
The result is a cake with a very light, airy texture that is bright white on the inside and perfectly sweet with a lovely vanilla flavor.
Stephie’s testing notes
- Let your egg whites come to room temperature. The batter for this cake comes together better and the whites whip up better when you let them come to room temperature first. Some folks find it easier to separate eggs when they are cold. If you’re in this camp, separate the eggs straight out the fridge, then cover the bowl with the whites and let it rest until the whites are at room temperature.
- You need to actually sift in this recipe. I’ll be honest: I’m usually more of a “do as I say, not as I do” gal when it comes to sifting. But for the perfect angel food cake, you actually DO need to sift the dry ingredients.
- Use a hand mixer. I’ve made this recipe many times, and every time I make it with a stand mixer, it falls. My theory is that the whisk of the stand mixer can’t quite get to the very bottom of the bowl when whipping the egg whites the way that you can with an electric hand mixer. So save your stand mixer for sour cream coffee cake and rely on your hand mixer for this one.
Ingredient notes
For full measurements and step-by-step instructions, scroll down to the printable recipe card.
With no fat, baking powder, or baking soda, the ingredients list for this recipe is relatively short:
- Swans Down cake flour: Yes, my Ma-ma’s recipe calls specifically for Swans Down cake flour. No, this post is not sponsored. Yes, you can probably use a different brand of cake flour, but I am superstitious enough to only use Swans Down. Do not use all-purpose flour—it is too heavy for this recipe.
- Granulated sugar: The sugar sweetens the cake, helps stabilize the egg white foam, and serves as a tenderizer in this recipe.
- Room-temperature egg whites: The majority of the cake is made up of beaten egg whites. Allow them to come to room temperature before making your cake.
- Fine sea salt: Like all desserts, this cake benefits from just a pinch of salt to balance out the sweetness.
- Cream of tartar: Cream of tartar helps stabilize the egg whites, lets the whites reach their maximum volume when baking, and helps keep the cake bright white. Cream of tartar can be found with the spices in the baking aisle of the grocery store.
- Vanilla extract: I always use pure vanilla extract when baking for adding the best flavor. Since this cake is so simply flavored, use the good stuff and avoid imitation vanilla here.
When separating the egg whites, I recommend separating each white into a small bowl, then transferring it to your large mixing bowl. This way you can make sure no yolk or shell gets into each white before you add it to the rest of the batch. If any yolk breaks apart into one of the egg whites, discard that white and start over.
Do you have to use an angel food cake pan?
Angel food cake batter is essentially a foam formed by the air bubbles you create when whipping the egg whites.
As the cake rises in the oven, it climbs and holds onto the side of the cake pan. After the cake comes out of the oven, the pan is immediately inverted (turned upside-down), allowing gravity to hold the cake in place until it cools and sets.
Because of this, you MUST use an aluminum angel food cake pan with a removable inner tube when making this or any other angel food cake recipe.
Do not be fooled by so-called “non-stick” angel food cake pans or other non-stick tube pans. The cake must be able to stick to the sides and center of the pan in order to get the proper rise and texture.
Most angel food cake pans are pretty inexpensive, so it’s worth it to keep one dedicated to making this recipe if you are a big angel food cake fan.
Other tools you’ll need
In addition to an angel food cake pan and measuring cups, you will need:
Make sure you do not use a plastic mixing bowl. Plastic holds on tightly to fat molecules even after washing, which can transfer into your cake and make it fall.
If you’re still nervous about your bowl being clean enough, you can wipe the inside of the bowl, as well as your mixer beaters and spatula, with a paper towel moistened with a bit of vinegar. Let it dry, then start making the batter. This tip works for any time you’re making a meringue, such as pavlovas or meringue cookies.
As I mentioned in my testing notes above, I also recommend using a hand mixer instead of a stand mixer for this recipe. It is easier to make sure all of the egg whites at the bottom of the bowl are evenly whipped with a hand mixer than it is with a stand mixer.
How to make the perfect angel food cake
Before you start, remember that gentleness is the key to this recipe. Be patient when folding the batter together and don’t try to rush it.
Sift together the cake flour and ½ cup of the sugar. Set this aside.
In a very clean large bowl, add the egg whites and the salt. Mix on low speed with the mixer until foamy, then increase the speed to medium-high. Once the whites just pass the foamy stage and start to become “fluffy,” add the cream of tartar and the vanilla.
Turn the speed to high and beat until medium peaks form.
Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of sugar over the top of the egg white mixture and mix on medium speed for no more than 10-20 seconds. You just want the sugar to be incorporated—we’re not going for stiff peaks in this recipe.
Folding the batter
Now for the fun part: folding!
To fold in your flour mixture, sprinkle it over the top of your whipped whites in 4 installments. With a large spatula, cut down the middle of the batter to the bottom of the bowl and bring the spatula up the side, folding the batter over as you bring the spatula up.
Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat. This will incorporate your dry ingredients without dismantling the foam you have already created.
As you fold, make sure you get all the way to the bottom of the bowl. Fully fold in each installment of the flour before adding the next one. This will take a little bit of time, but when in doubt, it’s better to go slowly than rush this step.
Very gently pour the batter into an ungreased angel food cake pan.
Bake the cake for 30 minutes at 275°F, then increase the heat to 325°F and bake for another 30 minutes. Do not open the oven when increasing the heat.
You’ll know the cake is done when it is golden on top and any cracks that have formed are relatively dry.
Cooling and removing the cake from the pan
When you remove the cake from the oven, immediately invert the pan. Some pans have little “legs” so you can rest it upside-down directly on the countertop. You can also place the tube part over the neck of a wine or vinegar bottle.
Let the cake cool completely (I mean it!) while inverted before removing the cake from the pan.
To remove the cake from the pan, then run a knife or thin offset spatula around the edge of the pan. Lift the tube section out of the pan, then run the knife or spatula around the inner tube and under the cake to remove the cake from the pan.
Serving suggestions
So what’s the best way to enjoy this famously light, delicate cake?
My momma’s favorite way to eat angel food cake was with a drizzle of homemade lemon curd and fresh berries, especially strawberries and blueberries. Add a dollop of whipped cream if you like!
For a twist on this, give grapefruit curd a try instead.
A spoonful of a fruit sauce, such as raspberry sauce or blueberry sauce, would be delicious as well.
Some folks like to add a frosting to their angel food cake recipe. This isn’t my personal favorite, but I’d recommend using something light, such as a whipped cream frosting, if that’s your thing.
Storage tips
Store the cake lightly covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. (Assuming you don’t eat it all first!)
Do not store angel food cake in the fridge. The condensation from the refrigerator will make the cake soggy. The same goes for the freezer—this is not a cake you can freeze successfully.
Frequently asked questions
When you stop the mixer, pull the beaters out of the egg white mixture and turn them so the beaters are facing up. Take a look at how the egg whites hold to the beaters.
Soft peaks will hold to the beater but relax back on themselves quite a bit. Medium peaks (sometimes called firm peaks) will hold their shape, but the tip will droop over slightly. Stiff peaks will completely hold their shape, with the tip standing straight up. Overbeaten egg whites will start to look almost curdled.
If you don’t have cake flour on hand and can’t get to the store, you can make a cake flour substitute using all-purpose flour and cornstarch.
Measure 1 cup of all-purpose flour, then remove 2 tablespoons of it. Add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift this mixture at least 3-4 times to get the light, airy texture of cake flour. Now you can re-measure based on how much cake flour you need for the recipe (in this case, 1 cup).
A few common things that can cause the cake to fall include not getting the egg white mixture whipped well enough, stirring in the dry ingredients instead of gently folding, and opening the oven while the cake is in the middle of baking. I also find that my cakes are more likely to fall when I use a stand mixer instead of a hand mixer.
You also must flip the cake upside down after it comes out of the oven while it’s cooling, or else the pressure of gravity will cause it to fall before the structure has cooled and fully set.
Angel Food Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup Swans Down cake flour
- 1½ cups sugar divided
- 11 egg whites room temperature
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- 1 heaping teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275°F.
- Sift together the flour and ½ cup of the sugar. Set aside.1 cup Swans Down cake flour, ½ cups sugar
- In a very clean glass or metal bowl (do not use plastic!), add the egg whites and the salt. Using an electric mixer, beat on low speed until foamy, then increase the speed to medium-high. Once the eggs just pass the foamy stage and start to become "fluffy", add the cream of tartar and vanilla. Return the mixer to high speed and beat to medium peaks. Sprinkle the remaining sugar over the top of the egg whites and mix on medium speed until just incorporated — no more than 10 or 20 seconds.1 cups sugar, 11 egg whites, Pinch of fine sea salt, 1 heaping teaspoon cream of tartar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Sprinkle about ¼ of the sifted flour mixture over the top of the egg whites. Using a large, very clean spatula, fold in flour: cut the spatula down the middle to the bottom of the bowl, then sweep it around, up and over. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat. Continue this process just until the flour is mostly incorporated, then repeat with the rest of the flour mixture, ¼ at a time, folding until just incorporated.
- Gently spoon the batter into an ungreased aluminum angel food cake pan. Bake for 30 minutes, then increase the heat to 325°F and bake for another 30 minutes, until golden on top and the cracks in the top are relatively dry.
- Upon removing from the oven, immediately invert the cake. Some pans have "legs" to let you rest it directly on the countertop, but you can also turn it upside down with the inner tube part of the pan over the neck of a wine or vinegar bottle. Allow to cool completely while inverted.
- To remove the cake from the pan, then run a knife or thin offset spatula around the outer edges of the cake. Lift the tube section out of the pan, then run the knife or spatula around the inner tube and under the cake to remove the cake from the pan.
Notes
- Make sure you use glass or metal bowls when making this cake, as plastic holds onto fat molecules more than glass or metal.
- I recommend using an electric hand mixer and a wide mixing bowl for beating the egg whites as it is easier to ensure all of the whites at the bottom of the bowl are evenly beaten.
- Use only an aluminum angel food cake pan for this recipe; do not use a nonstick tube pan. Make sure to not make anything other than angel food cake in your pan, as any residual fat molecules left in the pan from other recipes can prevent the angel food cake from rising properly.
- Slice your cake with a serrated knife.
Nutrition
About Stephie
Stephie is the creator of Stephie Cooks, a food blog that focuses on creating memories around the food we share, with family recipes at the site’s heart. Stephie lives in Central Illinois with her husband, daughter, and a menagerie of cats and dogs. When she’s not in the kitchen or at her computer writing, you can usually find her curled up with a book or working on one of her many grandma-esque hobbies. Learn more >
Oooo! I can totally do this recipe! My baking patience has doubled so I can definitely take the time to do light and proper folding! The curd with the berries!!!! Too much! But in a totally good way!
You could definitely do this recipe! If you’re at all uncertain, I’d be happy to supervise (read: play with Weezer while you bake, haha).
I’d love to spend a day with your family! This angel food cake looks perfect and yup, I’ve never made one because I always assumed you needed magical powers to get it to turn out correctly but now I’ve got the recipe and the technique and I’m down to give it a go! That lemon curd looks amaaaaaaaaaaaaazing on top!
Only minimal magical powers needed. 🙂 And you can come kick it with us any time you like!
My mom and I both loove angel food cake! This looks perfect!
It’s seriously so good!
How beautiful. This is my favorite cake, but would you believe I’ve never made it from scratch?! The horror!
Let me clarify Stephie’s answer. SHE hadn’t made a homemade one until a few years ago. I made 1,209,543,645 angel food cakes from scratch when I was in 4-H a million years ago. Like so many cakes and so many years ago that my friend’s dad, who ran the local Stop and Shop stopped by on his way home and dropped off 4 more dozen eggs. lol And yes, that was the last time Stephie and her daddy were allowed to cook together. 🙂
What a sweet family story!
My Mom is a quick cook but makes a mess (like me), and my Dad cleans as he goes. My Dad is a fairly decent cook, we’re lucky. But my Mom and I are ‘hover-ers’ meaning, we stand around in the kitchen and judge everything you do! It’s super annoying. My Dad puts a glass of wine in each of our hands and tells us to go sit down!
Honestly, we hadn’t attempted it from scratch until a few years ago when I got brave. It was always the boxed mixes until then. One year when I was about 5, my dad and I decided we would make Momma’s cake for her (boxed mix, obviously). That didn’t go so well. It ended in my dad getting annoyed that his 5 year old seemed to know more than he did about the process (because I did), but still not listening to me. Momma sat in the other room and said “never again”. Haha.
I need to go out and buy an angel food cake pan so I can try your recipe. I love real desserts that aren’t heavy. This would go great with all the berries that are in season right now!
Absolutely lovely. Angel food cake was my dad’s favorite cake. He would have loved this one.