Classic Angel Food Cake
A tall, snow-white, cloud-soft cake made from whipped egg whites, cake flour, and sugar, with no butter or oil. It has a delicate vanilla flavor and a springy, tender crumb. Serve it plain, dusted with powdered sugar, or piled with berries and cream.
- Prep
- 37 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Wait
- 2 hr 30 min
- Total
- 3 hr 47 min
- Makes
- 1 10-inch tube cake (12 slices)
Steps
Before you start
- Separate the eggs while cold (easier), then let the whites sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Whites warm up whip to greater volume.
- Use a spotlessly clean, grease-free bowl and whisk. Any fat or egg yolk will keep the whites from whipping. Wipe the bowl with a little vinegar or lemon juice on a paper towel, then dry it.
- Do NOT grease the tube pan. The batter needs to grip the sides to climb and stay tall.
- Position an oven rack in the lower third and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Plan for about 2 hours of upside-down cooling.
Prep oven and whitesOven 350°F / 175°C
- Set an oven rack in the lower third and preheat to 350°F (175°C).
- Leave the 10-inch tube pan ungreased and unlined.
- Measure 360 g (1½ cups) egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer and let them stand at room temperature for 30 minutes while you gather the other ingredients.
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Ready when: Whites feel neither cold nor warm to the touch and the oven has reached 350°F (175°C)
Tip: Make sure the bowl and whisk are completely free of grease or yolk, or the whites will not whip properly.
Sift flour and sugar
- In a medium bowl, whisk the cake flour with ¾ cup (150 g) of the sugar.
- Sift the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve three times onto a sheet of parchment or back into the bowl.
- This aerates the flour so it folds in without deflating the whites.
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Ready when: Mixture is very light, fluffy, and uniform in color
Tip: Do not skip the repeated sifting. Clumps of flour are hard to fold in without knocking out air.
Whip to foamy
- Add the salt and cream of tartar to the egg whites.
- Whisk on medium speed for 1½–2 minutes, until the whites are opaque, foamy, and look like soft bubble bath with small, even bubbles.
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Ready when: Whites are white, foamy, and just beginning to hold a faint trail from the whisk
Tip: Starting at medium speed builds a fine, stable foam. Starting on high makes large, weak bubbles.
Whip to stiff peaks
- With the mixer on medium-high speed, add the remaining ¾ cup (150 g) sugar 1 tablespoon at a time over about 3 minutes.
- Continue whipping 2–3 minutes more, until the meringue is thick, glossy, and holds a stiff peak that stands straight up when the whisk is lifted.
- Add the vanilla and almond extract (if using) during the last 15 seconds.
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Ready when: Peaks stand straight with only a slight curl at the tip, the meringue is glossy, and it does not slide when the bowl is tilted
Tip: Stop as soon as peaks are stiff and glossy. Overbeaten meringue looks dry and clumpy and will not rise well.
Fold in flour
- Sift about one quarter of the flour mixture over the meringue.
- Using a large spatula, gently fold by cutting down through the center, sweeping across the bottom, and turning the bowl, until just a few streaks of flour remain.
- Repeat with the remaining flour in 3 more additions.
- Fold only until no dry pockets of flour remain, about 2 minutes total.
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Ready when: Batter is smooth, voluminous, and has no visible flour streaks or pockets
Tip: Scrape all the way to the bottom of the bowl, where flour likes to hide.
Fill the pan
- Gently scoop the batter into the ungreased tube pan in large spoonfuls, spreading the top level.
- Run a thin knife or skewer through the batter in a spiral to pop large air pockets, then rap the pan gently once on the counter.
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Ready when: Batter reaches about ¾ of the way up the pan with a flat, even top
Tip: Don't over-tap or over-stir; you want to remove only the biggest air pockets.
Bake the cakeOven 350°F / 175°C
- Bake on the lower-third rack at 350°F (175°C) for 35–40 minutes.
- Do not open the oven door during the first 30 minutes.
- The cake is done when the top is deep golden brown and cracked, and springs back when lightly touched.
- A skewer inserted near the center should come out clean and dry.
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Ready when: Top is deep golden, dry, and springs back when pressed lightly; a skewer comes out clean
Tip: If the top browns too quickly before 30 minutes, loosely tent with foil.
Invert and cool
- Immediately remove the pan from the oven and flip it upside down.
- If the pan has feet, rest it on them; otherwise slide the center tube over the neck of a wine bottle.
- Let the cake hang upside down until completely cool, about 2 hours.
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Ready when: Pan is fully cool to the touch and the cake feels firm
Tip: Never cool angel food cake right side up; it will shrink and become dense and gummy.
Release and serve
- Run a thin knife around the outer edge and around the center tube, pressing the blade against the pan.
- Lift out the center tube with the cake, then run the knife under the base and carefully slide the cake onto a serving plate.
- Slice with a serrated knife using a gentle sawing motion.
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Ready when: Cake releases cleanly with a smooth, golden crust
Tip: A serrated knife or an angel food cake comb cuts without squashing the airy crumb.
Good to know
Tips
- Weigh the egg whites and flour for the most reliable results; volume can vary.
- Use a pan with a removable bottom and never grease or use nonstick; the batter needs to cling to the sides to rise.
- Avoid cartons of liquid egg whites unless they're labeled as whippable; some do not foam well.
- Serve with fresh berries and lightly sweetened whipped cream, or a dusting of powdered sugar.
Make ahead
The cake can be baked, cooled, and wrapped airtight up to 1 day ahead. Keep at room temperature and add toppings just before serving.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: wrap tightly or keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Fridge: not recommended, as it dries the crumb (store only if topped with whipped cream or fruit, for up to 2 days). Freezer: wrap whole cake or slices in two layers of plastic wrap and foil for up to 2 months; thaw, still wrapped, at room temperature for 2–3 hours.
Substitutions
- cake flour → All-purpose flour plus cornstarch. For 1 cup cake flour, measure 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (about 105 g) all-purpose flour and 2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch, then sift together several times. The texture will be slightly less tender.
- cream of tartar → Lemon juice or white vinegar. Use 1½ teaspoons (7 ml) per 1½ teaspoons cream of tartar; the foam will be a little less stable, so whip carefully.
- almond extract → Extra vanilla or ½ teaspoon lemon zest. Fold lemon zest in with the last addition of flour for a citrus note.
- granulated sugar (for the egg whites) → Regular granulated sugar pulsed in a food processor. Pulsing for 20–30 seconds approximates superfine sugar, which dissolves more easily into the whites.
