Angel Food Cake Recipe: How to Make Fluffy Angel Food Cake
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Jun 27, 2024 • 2 min read
Learn how to make a heavenly homemade angel food cake.
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What Is Angel Food Cake?
Angel food cake, also known as angel cake, is a very light, fluffy sponge cake with a golden crust and a cloud-white interior. It does not contain butter, oil, or milk, and instead of baking soda or powder, angel food cake uses meringue as its leavening agent. The egg whites are beaten to soft peaks so that they continue to rise in the pan—typically, a tube pan, but a bundt pan or loaf pan works as well. Angel food cake is a relatively recent invention, likely developed at some point during the nineteenth century around St. Louis, Missouri. In just a few decades, it became an American classic.
What Is Sponge Cake?
Sponge cake is a light, springy cake made from flour, whisked eggs, and sugar. The defining feature of a sponge cake is the whisked eggs—the foamy structure of the eggs allows the cake to rise without baking powder or baking soda. The airy texture of sponge cake absorbs liquid, which is why it serves as the base for desserts like tres leches cake and trifle.
In the French tradition, sponge cake made by whisking whole eggs is called génoise, while sponge cake made by whisking the egg whites and egg yolks separately is known as biscuit. Some sponge cake includes the addition of cold butter, but many recipes are butter- and oil-free.
Fluffy Angel Food Cake Recipe
makes
10–12prep time
20 mintotal time
1 hr 5 mincook time
45 minIngredients
- 1
Place the oven rack in the lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 2
Line a 10-inch tube pan with a removable bottom with parchment paper.
- 3
Sift the dry ingredients together. Combine cake flour, ½ cup of sugar, and salt in a sifter or fine-mesh strainer over a medium bowl and set aside.
- 4
Beat egg whites and remaining sugar together on low speed until foamy, about 1 minute, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or using a hand mixer and a large bowl.
- 5
Increase to medium speed and continue to whisk until the egg white mixture has thickened slightly, about 3–4 minutes.
- 6
With the mixer running, add vanilla extract, almond extract, lemon juice, and cream of tartar.
- 7
Increase speed to medium-high and continue to whisk until egg mixture starts to look glossy and soft peaks form, about 2–3 minutes more.
- 8
Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the flour mixture into the egg white mixture until no streaks remain.
- 9
Gently scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean, about 40–45 minutes.
- 10
Let cool upside down in the pan. Use legs if your tube pan has them, or invert over a bottle or jar. Cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. To serve, run an offset spatula along the sides of the pan and invert onto a serving dish. Remove parchment and gently saw slices using a serrated knife. Serve with whipped cream and fresh berries, if desired.
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