Homemade angel food cake is a springtime necessity! This recipe for the best angel food cake is not difficult and is absolutely delicious!
This is one of my most popular Easter recipes! I wanted to reshare so you don’t miss out! This is the time of year that angel food cake is craved. Stores start stocking fresh strawberries again. And what is better to have fresh strawberries with that angel food cake. I know that I usually make 4 or 5 angel food cakes just for Easter weekend. This recipe is the best because it results in a fluffy, soft (but not dry) cake that has just the right amount of sweetness. I think this is one of those foods that people believe must be very difficult to make. Angel food cake is however, pretty easy. Don’t be afraid to try making it. Trust me, once you know how to make your own, you won’t be able to go back to the store bought kind.
Let’s talk about the pan to make an angel food cake for a moment. This recipe calls for a 10-inch tube pan. These pans can either be a 1 piece tube pan or a 2 piece pan. Meaning that the outside of the tube pan is one piece and the bottom and inner tube part are the 2nd piece. Either kind will work just fine. I have both kinds, but I always use my 1 piece pan just because I like it.
There are a few simple steps that must be followed when making angel food cake. Important step number 1 is to sift the powdered sugar and flour together 3 times. It seems redundant to do this 3 times, but it is essential.
Important step number 2…angel food cake gets its high fluff from stiffly beaten egg whites. When it comes to beating egg whites up fluffy there is one thing that can sabotage the whole process. Grease or fat. Even the tiniest bit with cause the whites not to whip up or can cause them to break down after beating them. So, even though I am using clean kitchenware to start with, I still give my mixing bowl, whisk attachment, spatula, and tube pan an extra good scrubbing with lots of dish soap to ensure they are completely grease free. Then when separating the egg whites from the yolks, be extra careful not to break the yolks or get any yolk in the whites. The tiniest bit of yolk will prevent the whites from fluffing.
Important step number 3…Fold. Don’t stir. Add the flour/powdered sugar a 1/4 cup at a time by sprinkling it on the top of the stiffly beaten egg whites and FOLD it in. To fold, use a rubber spatula to cut down through the mixture, move across the bottom of the bowl, and come back up, folding some of the mixture from the bottom over close to the surface. Stirring with the flour in will deflate the egg whites and your angel food cake will not be nice and high. After folding the first bit of flour/powdered sugar in about 1/2 way, add the next 1/4 cup of flour. Fold about 1/2 way in and add another 1/4 cup of flour/powdered sugar. Repeat until all flour/powdered sugar has been added in and has been folded completely into the egg whites.
Gently scoop the angel food cake batter into the UNGREASED 10 inch tube pan. Resist the instinct to grease the pan! Greasing the tube pan will ruin the angel food cake by breaking down the egg whites. Resist! Then use a sharp knife and move it around the batter in a clockwise (or counter clockwise) swirl circle. This will pop big air bubbles, but not deflate the egg whites. It also evens out the batter from being put in the pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes in the center of the oven. I have to lower one of my oven racks so it is in the middle. When the angel food cake is done IMMEDIATELY turn the tube pan upside down to cool the angel food cake. This is CRUCIAL. Don’t worry, the cake will not fall out. My tube pan balances upside down on a cooling rack perfectly. If you are using a 2 piece pan do not remove the outside, yet. Let the angel food cake cool completely while upside down.
After the angel food cake is cool. Run a sharp knife around the outside and around the inside tube. If using a 2 piece tube pan remove the outside piece, then remove the cake of the inside piece. If using a 1 piece tube pan, turn the pan at an angle and use a thin spatula to loosen the cake in one or two spots on the bottom. The cake should pretty much pop right out. Slice with a serrated knife and serve with fresh berries and whipped cream.
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Homemade angel food cake is a springtime necessity! This recipe for the best angel food cake is not difficult and is absolutely delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 Cup Flour
- 1 1/2 Cups Egg Whites (this is about 12 large eggs) (room temp. *see note)
- 1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar
- 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 tsp Almond Extract
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1 Cup Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and adjust oven racks if necessary for the angel food cake to be right in the center of the oven. Also be sure that all kitchen equipment you will be using are completely free of any grease. Even though already clean, I usually give mine and extra hand scrub to be sure there is not any grease as even the tiniest bit will ruin an angel food cake.
- Sift the flour and powdered sugar together 3 times. Set aside.
- Beat the eggs whites, cream of tartar, vanilla, almond extract, and salt together for about 30 seconds, then with the beaters or mixer running, add the cup of sugar in a slow steady stream. Continue to beat on high until stiff peaks form.
- FOLD, not stir, the flour/powdered sugar into the egg whites a 1/4 cup at a time. Once the previous 1/4 cup has been folded in halfway, add the next 1/4 cup. Repeat until all the flour/powdered sugar has been added and is completely folded in.
- Gently spoon the batter into an UNGREASED 10 inch tube pan. Run a sharp knife in a clockwise (or counter clockwise) circle around the tube pan to even out the batter and pop large air bubbles, but not deflate the batter.
- Bake at 350 degrees in the center of the oven for 40 minutes. IMMEDIATELY, turn and set the tube pan upside down after removing it from the oven. Do not remove outside piece of the tube yet. Allow the angel food cake to cool completely while upside down.
- Once cool, flip back over and run a sharp knife around the outside edge and inside tube. Remove the outside piece of the pan if using a 2 piece tube pan and then remove the cake from the inside piece. If using a 1 piece tube pan, turn the pan over at a slight angle and use a thin spatula to loosen a the bottom just a bit. The angel food cake should pop right out.
- Slice with a serrated knife and serve with fresh fruit and whipped cream.
Notes
To quickly bring egg whites to room temperature, place the eggs in a bowl of hot tap water for 3 or 4 minutes before cracking them. Dry the eggs and proceed in cracking the eggs and separating the yolks from the whites.
Keywords: angel food cake, sponge cake, easter, dessert
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My cake is flipped over right now! I’m so excited to try it, it looks amazing!
Awesome! I’m so excited for you!!!