Angel Food Cake Recipe {From Scratch} (2024)

Quick and easy angel food cake recipe from scratch, requiring simple ingredients. It has a wonderful light, airy fluffy texture. Top it off with whipped cream, glaze, frosting, fresh fruits and enjoy it at Summer parties.

This angel food cake is a CLASSIC family recipe that's been passed along generations.

If you have been making it from a box, you need to STOP and try this recipe!

I know that some people are intimidated by making this cake at home because if the recipe is not followed properly, the cake can deflate but this is a super detailed post and nothing will go wrong,

Angel Food Cake Origin

Based on my research, it became popular in the late 19th century. Some people say that its fluffy white texture resembles the "food of the angels" and that why it got this name.

Angel food cake ingredients:

• Cake flour
• Sugar
• Cream of tartar
• Egg whites
• Vanilla and almond extracts

Angel food cake topping options:

• Fresh fruits (Especially berries)
• Jams and preserves
• Whipped cream (or Cool Whip)
• Frosting
• Glaze
• Ganache
• Pudding
• Nutella syrup
• Caramel sauce
• Apple pie filling
• Cherry pie filling
• Lemon curd

Angel food cake frosting options:

• Blackberry buttercream frosting
• Strawberry buttercream frosting
• Mango frosting
• Orange buttercream frosting

Tips for Angel Food Cake:

• DON'T grease the cake pan or the batter will not rise well.
• You must use a tube pan and not a bundt pan because the tube shape really helps with the baking and the classic appearance of this cake. I highly recommend using a 2 piece angel food cake pan because it is easier to remove the cake from the pan.
• You MUST usecake flour. You can easily make it at home with just 2 ingredients. That’s what gives this cake its delicate texture.
• DON'T add any yolks in this recipe. Take a lot of care when separating the egg yolks and whites to prevent contamination or else the cake will not rise properly.
• You can play around with different extracts and use whichever ones you like.
• The cake must fully cool down before you remove it from the pan.
• The cake must fully cool down before you top it off with any icing, glazes or fruits. I only suggest doing this just prior to serving so that the cake doesn't absorb too much moisture.
• You can DOUBLE the dry ingredients and mix them together and store them in a sealed jar and that would make an excellent angel food cake mix you will always have on hand.
• You can use this recipe to make easy angel food cake CUPCAKES too. The baking time would obviously be less than that for a cake.
• Angel food cake without cream of tartar does not work out well. Please DON'T skip cream of tartar.

Flavor Options for Homemade Angel Food Cake:

• To make pineapple angel food cake, top off the cake with whipped cream or American buttercream frosting and sliced pineapples.
• To make strawberry angel food cake, top off this cake with whipped cream or American buttercream frosting and fresh strawberries.
• To make lemon angel food cake, use lemon extract and lemon zest and top it off with lemon glaze or lemon frosting.
• To make pumpkin angel food cake, use pumpkin pie spice and top it off with pumpkin frosting.
• To makechocolate angel food cake, top off this cake with chocolate ganache or chocolate buttercream frosting.

Other angel food cake desserts:

Use this cake in:

• Tiramisu
• Trifles
• Birthday cake with lots of candies and sprinkles
• Wedding cake with fresh edible flowers
• Strawberry shortcake

You can use leftovers in other angel food cake recipes too... just get creative and have fun!

Is it ok for a diabetics to eat angel food cake?

No, this cake has granulated sugar and it's not suitable for diabetics but if you were to make this cake with artificial sweeteners like Splenda, it should probably be good for diabetics but always consult your doctor/nutritionist since I don't have a medical background.

Is angel food cake good for you?

I would not call it a healthy cake at all because there is a lot of sugar in it. However, it is lighter compared to other cakes that are packed with butter and sour cream. I would suggest enjoying it in moderation.

Can you freeze angel food cake?

Yes, cover it completely in saran wrap and store it in a sealed freezer bag for up to 1 month.

Why didn't my angel food cake rise? Why did it fall/sink?

• You may have over-mixed the batter, causing the egg whites to deflate.
• Some egg yolks may have gotten mixed into the egg whites and that may have affected the batter.
• You might have greased the pan. It CANNOT be greased or else the cake will not rise! The batter sticks to the sides as it rises during baking.
• You may have removed it from the oven before it was fully baked, causing it collapse as it cooled.

How to store angel food cake?

Store it in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in a sealed freezer bag for up to 1 month.

What does angel food cake taste like?

It has a light, fluffy and airy texture unlike other cakes. It's made with only egg whites and is considered to be a type of sponge cake.

How to cut angel food cake?

Here are some tips:

• Chill the cake in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before slicing it.
• Use a serrated knife or else the cake slice with compress and "squish" with the pressure.
• Clean the knife after each cut so as to avoid cake buildup and get clean slices.
• Some people also like to use dental floss to make even slices.

How to remove angel food cake from pan?

1. Cool the cake upside down so that it keeps its volume.
2. Once the cake has cooled down completely, flip it back.
3. Run a knife around the center tube and the outer edge of the cake pan and remove the cake.

How to tell angel food cake is done baking?

There are 2 methods:

1. Insert a toothpick or wooden skewer in the cake and if it comes out clean, your cake is done. This is my preferred method.
2. Tap the top of the cake gently and if it springs back, the cake is fully baked.

Can you make an angel food cake in a regular pan?

I really don't recommend it. The tube shape of the pan allows even baking and helps create the classic appearance of this cake and it also allows easy removal of the cake since the pans are designed a certain way.

What is the difference between a sponge cake and angel food cake?

Angel cake is made with just egg whites and has a lighter texture but sponge cakes are richer because they are made with whole eggs (egg yolks and egg whites).

How to make angel food cake?

1. Whisk together flour, sugar and salt.
2. Beat the egg whites, cream of tartar and extracts until peaks form.
3. Pour batter in un-greased cake pan.
4. Bake
5. Invert the pan and let the cake cool
6. Invert it back again and top it off with frosting, glaze, fruits e.t.c.

What is angel food cake?

It is a type of sponge cake that is white, light, fluffy and airy. It's made with only egg whites rather than full eggs. It's usually served with whipped cream and fresh berries.

Is angel food cake gluten free?

If you use gluten free flour like Bob's Red Mill brand, you can easily make gluten free angel food cake.

Other Classic Cake Recipes:

Easy Orange Cake

Depression Cake (Wacky Cake)

Pistachio Cake Recipe

I shared this recipe a few weeks ago at Recipe Girl's blog.