This Homemade Angel Food Cake is an easy, classic summer dessert. Light and airy, it’s baked in a tube pan, sliced into two layers, and filled with Cool Whip and fresh berries for a simple, refreshing finish.
Table of Contents
- Recipe Overview
- Ingredients
- Baking Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- Recipe
Recipe Overview
This angel food cake is straightforward but benefits from a few specific tools and techniques. You’ll need a hand mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment, clean mixing bowls and utensils, an offset spatula for folding, and an ungreased 10-inch tube pan.
The most important step is whipping the egg whites to stiff peaks. Make sure bowls and beaters are completely free of grease and that no yolk gets into the whites. After folding in the dry ingredients gently with a spatula, bake until golden and cool the cake upside down so it retains its height.
Grab Your Ingredients
For this recipe you will need:
- 1 1/4 cups cake flour (do not substitute all-purpose)
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups large egg whites (about 11 large eggs)
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 8 oz Cool Whip, thawed (optional)
- Fresh berries — raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, or a mix (optional)
Helpful Angel Food Cake Baking Tips
- Do not grease the tube pan — the batter needs to cling to the sides to rise properly.
- Ensure the mixing bowl and whisk are completely clean and dry; even a trace of grease prevents egg whites from whipping correctly.
- Wiping the bowl and whisk with a paper towel dampened with distilled white vinegar helps remove residue.
- Beat egg whites to soft peaks, add cream of tartar and extracts, then continue to stiff peaks for structure.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites with a spatula — do not use the mixer for this step.
- Bake until the top is golden and springs back when lightly pressed.
- Cool the cake upside down on the pan’s feet or on two cans of equal height so it keeps its volume.
- Use a serrated knife to slice the cooled cake lengthwise into two layers if you want to fill it.
- Add Cool Whip and berries only after the cake is completely cool.
Recipe FAQs
No. Do not grease the pan. The batter needs to cling to the sides in order to climb and set properly while baking.
Gently press the top; if it springs back, the cake is done. It should be golden and slightly firm.
Inverting the cake prevents it from collapsing and helps it maintain its airy structure as it cools.
Balance the pan upside down on two equal-height cans to allow air circulation while it cools.
Homemade Angel Food Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups cake flour
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups large egg whites (from about 11 eggs)
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 8 oz Cool Whip, thawed (optional)
- Fresh berries (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries), optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and position rack just above center.
- Whisk together cake flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Set aside.
- Using a mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-high until frothy and soft peaks form.
- Add cream of tartar, vanilla, and almond extracts, then continue beating until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the whipped egg whites with a spatula. Do not use the mixer for this step.
- Pour batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan and bake 45 minutes at 350°F, until the top is golden and springs back.
- Cool the cake upside down on the pan’s feet or on two equal-height cans until completely cool.
- Run a knife around the edges, remove the cake from the pan, and use a serrated knife to slice the cake horizontally into two layers if desired.
- Spread a layer of Cool Whip on the bottom half, add berries, top with the second layer, and repeat if you like.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Baking times do not include cooling time.
- Do not grease the tube pan.
- Ensure bowls and beaters are spotless before whipping egg whites; a tiny amount of grease will prevent proper peaks.
- Test doneness by pressing the top — it should spring back.
- Cool upside down to preserve volume; use cans if the pan lacks feet.
- Filling with Cool Whip and berries is optional; only add after the cake is cooled.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 205 kcal | Carbohydrates: 44 g | Protein: 5 g | Fat: 1 g | Sugar: 32 g
Nutritional values are estimates and will vary with specific ingredients used.