Light, airy, and delicately sweet — this perfect angel food cake rises tall with a soft cloud-like crumb. With only 6 ingredients, each one plays a crucial role, and precision is key. For best results, follow the recipe steps and video closely. Angel food cake’s signature texture depends on proper technique and specific ingredients.
What Is Angel Food Cake?
Looking for a dessert that floats rather than sits heavy? Meet angel food cake — the feather-light cake where butter, fat, and egg yolks are left behind. Made mostly from egg whites, sugar, and cake flour, this fat-free cake is pristine white inside with a slightly chewy, golden-brown crust. What it lacks in richness, it makes up for in its soft, airy texture and subtle sweetness.
What are the 6 Essential Ingredients to Bake Angel Food Cake?
With just six ingredients, there’s no room for substitutes. Each one matters:
- Granulated Sugar: Start by pulsing it in a food processor to make superfine sugar. It’s finer than regular granulated sugar but not as powdery as confectioners’ sugar — ideal for building the cake’s structure.
- Cake Flour: Low in protein, cake flour creates a tender, soft crumb. Avoid all-purpose flour — it makes the cake too dense. Use a cake flour substitute only if absolutely necessary.
- Salt: Enhances flavor and balances sweetness.
- Egg Whites: The sole leavening agent. Use freshly separated egg whites — not from a carton or previously frozen — for maximum volume.
- Cream of Tartar: An acid that stabilizes the whipped egg whites. Without it, your cake may deflate. Found in the spice aisle, and crucial for success.
- Vanilla Extract: Just a touch adds flavor depth.
How to Make Angel Food Cake (Step-by-Step)
1. Make Superfine Sugar
Pulse granulated sugar in a food processor or blender. Set aside 1 cup — it will go into the egg whites later.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients
Add the remaining sugar, cake flour, and salt to the processor. Pulse to aerate and combine.
3. Whip Egg Whites + Cream of Tartar
Beat on medium-low until foamy. Gradually add the reserved superfine sugar and continue whipping on medium-high until soft peaks form (about 5 minutes). Then add vanilla.
4. Fold in Dry Ingredients
Sift the dry mixture over the whipped egg whites in three additions. Gently fold with a spatula after each to retain volume.
5. Transfer to Tube Pan (Do Not Grease)
Pour the batter into an un-greased tube pan. Greasing prevents the batter from climbing the sides, which is essential for height.
6. Bake at 325°F (163°C)
Bake until the cake is golden and springs back lightly when touched.
7. Cool Upside-Down
Invert the pan on a cooling rack. If you cool it upright, the cake may collapse under its own weight. Let it cool completely before removing.
8. Release + Slice
Run a thin knife around the sides and center to loosen. Tap gently if needed. Use a serrated knife to slice — never a straight-edged one, or you’ll squish the cake.
Can I Use a Bundt Pan for Baking Angel Food Cake?
No — a Bundt pan won’t work. Its curved shape and decorative edges make it almost impossible to remove the cake intact. You need a straight-sided tube pan with a flat bottom. Even a thin nonstick coating is fine — just don’t grease it.
Tip: You’ll need exactly 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (or 18 tablespoons total) of cake flour. Odd, but precise for structure.
Soft Peaks Are Key
Whip your egg whites to soft peaks — not stiff. Soft peaks gently fold over when the beaters are lifted, allowing the cake to expand further in the oven. Over-whipping to stiff peaks can cause collapse.
Pro tip: Avoid even a trace of yolk in your whites — fat prevents proper whipping. Crack each egg into a separate bowl first, then transfer the white to the mixer.
Summary: The Magic Is in the Details
- Use fresh, not boxed or frozen, egg whites
- Pulse sugar to create superfine consistency
- Whip egg whites into soft, not stiff, peaks
- Sift and gently fold dry ingredients in batches
- Do not grease the tube pan
- Cool completely upside down
- Use a serrated knife to slice
Recommended Tools
- Food Processor or Blender – For superfine sugar
- Egg Separator – Keeps yolks out of your whites
- Stand or Hand Mixer – Essential for whipping
- Fine Mesh Sieve – For sifting flour into the batter
- Tube Pan – Straight sides, flat base
- Cooling Rack – To support upside-down cooling
This angel food cake is worth the attention to detail — the reward is a sky-high, fluffy dessert that tastes like a bite of heaven. Serve it plain, with berries, or alongside homemade lemon curd from those leftover yolks.