This traditional angel food cake recipe is fluffy and delicious on its own.
Prep Time: | 30 mins |
Cook Time: | 40 mins |
Total Time: | 1 hr 10 mins |
Servings: | 14 |
Yield: | 1 10-inch tube pan |
Ingredients
- 1 cup cake flour
- 1 ½ cups white sugar, divided
- 12 egg whites
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Clean and fully dry a 10-inch tube pan.
- Sift together flour, and 3/4 cup sugar, set aside.
- Whip egg whites, along with vanilla, cream of tartar, and salt, in a large bowl to medium stiff peaks. Gradually add remaining 3/4 cup sugar while continuing to whip to stiff peaks. When the egg white mixture has reached its maximum volume, fold in the sifted ingredients gradually, 1/3 at a time. Do not overmix. Put the batter into the tube pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the cake springs back when touched, 40 to 45 minutes.
- Balance the tube pan upside down on the top of a bottle to prevent decompression while cooling. When cool, run a knife around the edge of the pan and invert onto a plate.
- Be sure that your 10-inch tube pan is clean and dry. Any amount of oil or residue could deflate the egg whites.
Reviews
My go to recipe – we’s gots the chickens and and overflow of eggs – what better way to use the overstock! This is NO FAIL and absolutely delicious – if you no how to follow directions you cannot mess this up.
Simply followed the recipe, made it in a different pan so just left it. Was still nice and spongey so I take that as a win. Tasted great too
So so so so good! MAKE SURE NOT TO MAKE IT IN A BUNDT PAN it will so much get stuck and it won’t look as pretty as you want it. Boil two cartons of blackberries, the juice of half a lemon, and half a cup of sugar to make an amazing blackberry syrup on top. Will be making this again.
I followed this to the letter. I’d never attempted it in my life EVER though I’m a fairly experienced baker. This was absolutely perfect. Tasted every bit as good as it looked!
I made this cake today and it turned out beautifully! I followed the recipe exactly but only had to bake it 35 minutes for it to be done. This cake is so good and easy to make! This was my first time baking a angel food cake and this will be my go to recipe!
The cake had a great flavor but was more dense than I am used to. I chalked it up to overbeating the eggs in the first step – I couldn’t get them to form soft peaks very quickly. Only other possibility is my cream of tartar wasn’t fresh enough. Had I known, I would have used it in a trifle because it would have really stood up to the wet ingredients there.
Turned out perfectly, as written!
Turns out nice! I use it for strawberry shortcake just like my grandma did. One tip is not to stop and start the mixer once you get to stiff peaks. It will deflate and no matter how long you whip it it will not fluff up as high as it was. Learned from experience.
This was my first time making angel food cake from scratch, and it turned out perfectly! Will definitely continue making it.
Excellent classic recipe. Didn’t change a thing. It came out perfect.
loved it!
Great recipe. First time making angel food cake and I would adjust time to 30-35 minutes. Slightly overcooked it.
This was my first attempt at angel food cake. I happened to have some leftover egg whites and decided to give it a go. It turned out so perfect! So much more moist than a store bought one. I baked it about 40 minutes. I also took the advice of another reviewer and stopped whipping the egg whites just before the stiff peak stage. My batter was thick but still pourable. This one is a keeper! Very easy and delicious. I’m guessing I’ll not be buying angel food cake from the store again.
Recipe was great! I need some practice with whipping the egg whites so that I get a nice fluffy cake- but regardless still tasted great!
it was the best homemade angel food cake.
Great cake. A little on the sweet side so I would probably cut down the sugar by 1/4 C next time. It was about 2-3 inches shorter than them box type but had a much better texture.
it was a mess never again
I realize 375 reviews is probably enough, but this turned out perfectly. I have some experience with Passover sponge cakes, and the principles are similar. Whereas those tend to be heavier, yellow, and eggy, this angel food cake was light, bright white, and airy. I set it on a strawberry puree reduction, and frosted with strawberry whipped cream. Then I topped it with halved fresh strawberries. My husband said it was my best cake so far!
I’ve made this recipe several times (sometimes substituting 2 Tbsp cornstarch plus regular flour for the cake flour) and it’s always turned out great. To make a smaller amount in a bundt pan, I’ve used 9 eggs and 2/3 of the other ingredients. My family loves it topped with 7 minute frosting.
Make sure egg whites are at room temperature.
I didn’t hate it, my husband loved it. My Gram used to make homemade angle food cake and it was so light and fluffy with a wonderfully soft texture. This tasted fine, but the texture was just a bit off for me. It was moist and springy and dense all at the same time. My 16 year old thought it had too many eggs. I wish I had watched my Gram make angle food cake…