Best Angel Food Cake Recipe

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Homemade Angel Food Cake is just so good!  This light and fluffy sponge cake recipe is one of the best comforting desserts over the spring and summer months! It’s melt-in-your-mouth delicious and you’ll never to revert back to the ‘blah’ store-bought version again!

Gluten-Free & Sugar-free options available!  If you love fluffy desserts, you’ll love 17 Irresistible Fluffy Desserts!

fluffy angel food cake

Angel Food Cake is The Answer!

Are you looking for a dessert that is light, fluffy, and sure to impress? You don’t need to search any longer – Angel Food Cake is the answer. It’s a light and airy dessert traditionally flavored with vanilla extract.

Not only is it a light, delicious treat, but it’s also easy to make. This simple recipe guides you step-by-step to creating a delicious cake that will wow!

A well-made angel food cake should be light and airy with a balanced sweetness. This recipe is the perfect blend of flavors and textures that everyone will love. It is easy to make and is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Your family and friends won’t be able to get enough of this delicious cake!

From the classic slice of angel food cake with whipped cream and strawberries, to a deliciously funfetti angel food cake with pink marshmallow frosting and birthday candles, these cakes are here to stay!

And…I’ve come to the realization that I am in dire need of a new angel food cake pan.  But my old-faithful cake pan I’ve had for probably 20 years or so is still hanging with mama!  So, we survived and baked another delicious cake, without any damage.  If it ain’t broken, why fix it?  LOL…maybe it’s time?!

slice of angel food cake with whipped cream and strawberries

How to Make The Best Homemade Angel Food Cake

With a few simple ingredients and a little bit of patience, you can make a delicious and impressive cake that’s sure to be enjoyed by your family and friends. Just remember that the key to success is to use quality ingredients, be careful not to overmix the batter, and have patience while the cake is baking.

With a few simple tips and tricks, you’ll have a light, fluffy, and delicious cake in no time!

What You’ll Need

Cake Recipe

Can you believe it?  Only 7 ingredients!  Plus, a mixer and a tube pan, you’re ready to rock and roll!

angel food cake on cake plate

Preparing the Batter

  1. Place egg whites in a large bowl for 30 minutes at room temperature.
  2. Sift 1/2 cup sugar and flour together twice, then set aside.
  3. Place oven rack in the lowest position. Preheat oven to 350°.
  4. Add cream of tartar, extracts and salt to room temperature egg whites and using mixer, beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, beating on high until stiff peaks form. Gradually fold in flour mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time.
  5. Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets.

Baking the Cake

  1. Bake until lightly browned and entire top appears dry, 35-40 minutes. Immediately invert pan; cool completely, about 1 hour.
  2. Run a knife around side and center tube of pan. Remove cake to a serving plate. 
  3. Frost with your favorite frosting (sprinkles included) or serve with fruit and whipped cream!

slice of the best homemade angel food cake

Baking & Releasing the Cake Tips

  • Angel food cake pans do not get greased, floured or anything! Seems ironic, right?  The cake actually needs to cling to the sides of the pan in order to rise, and if those pan sides are greased, there’s nothing there for the batter to grasp on to. If you grease it, you get an unfluffy, flat cake.
  • Cool the cake upside-down, to keep its volume. Ideally, your tube cake pan will be designed to do so easily.
  • One the cake has cooled, flip it back to right-side-up. Take a thin, flexible smooth knife and run it around both the center tube and the outer edge of the cake pan.
  • Use the tube to pull the cake out of the pan. Place the cake on an inverted baking pan.
  • Cut the bottom free with your smooth knife.
  • Invert cake onto a serving plate, and twist the tube to remove it completely.
  • Check out Taste of Home’s 10 Mistakes Everybody Makes When Baking Angel Food Cake for more tips.

Presenting the Cake

Frost with your favorite frosting (sprinkles included) or serve with fruit and whipped cream!

How to Get Nice Slices of Cake

To get nice slices of angel cake, grab your bread knife or a good serrated knife. Use a gentle sawing motion to cut slices of this airy cake. This will help protect the appearance and texture.

how to make angel food cakeangel food cake on a platterFLUFFY SPONGE ANGEL FOOD CAKE RECIPENow that you have the know-how to make this delicious cake recipe, why not give it a try your next family gathering? Give it a go and let us know how you liked it in the comments below.

You’ll be surprised just how easy this really is to make this homemade fluffy angel food cake and especially how delicious it is!!  Enjoy!

More Spring Desserts!

Best Angel Food Cake

Best Angel Food Cake Recipe

Kim Lange
Homemade angel food cake is just so good!  This light, spongy and fluffy Angel food cake is one of the best comforting desserts over the spring and summer months! 
No ratings yet
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 16 Servings
Calories

Ingredients
 
 

  • 9 large egg whites 1 & 1/4 cups
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar divided
  • 1 cup cake flour OR gluten-free flour + 2 tablespoons of cornstarch
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • teaspoon almond extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • Place egg whites in a large bowl for 30 minutes at room temperature.
  • Sift 1/2 cup sugar and flour together twice, then set aside.
  • Place oven rack in the lowest position. Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Add cream of tartar, extracts and salt to room temperature egg whites and using mixer, beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, beating on high until stiff peaks form. Gradually fold in flour mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time.
  • Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets.
  • Bake until lightly browned and entire top appears dry, 35-40 minutes. Immediately invert pan; cool completely, about 1 hour.
  • Run a knife around side and center tube of pan. Remove cake to a serving plate.

Notes

Cake Flour Substitution using All Purpose Flour or Gluten-Free Flour with Cornstarch
  • For every 1 cup of cake flour, use 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour and add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift together with sugar as directed in step 2. 
Healthy Options
  • Gluten Free Flour - Use Bob's Red Mill or King Arthur's Gluten Free Flours (same measurements
  • Sugar-free Option - Use Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener (same measurements)
Keyword cake, fluffy desserts, spring dessert, summer, vanilla
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Recipe found on Taste of Home

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