Heavenly Angel Food Cake

Recipe Ingredients

Here are the main ingredients in our Heavenly Angel Food Cake recipe and their importance.

Powdered Sugar: Used in combination with the cake flour to create a tender crumb. Its fine texture helps to prevent the formation of gluten, resulting in a delicate cake.

Cake Flour: Essential for angel food cake because it has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour. This low protein content minimizes gluten development, resulting in the cake's signature light and airy texture.

Egg Whites: The primary structural component of angel food cake. When beaten, egg whites create a meringue that provides volume and lift to the cake. The air incorporated into the egg whites during beating is what gives angel food cake its characteristic lightness.

Cream of Tartar: An acid that stabilizes the egg white meringue. It helps the egg whites to whip to a greater volume and prevents them from collapsing. It also contributes to the cake's bright white color.

Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the cake and helps to stabilize the egg white meringue. It also contributes to the cake's moistness.

Other Ingredients You’ll Need: Vanilla extract, almond extract, salt. 

How to Make Heavenly Angel Food Cake

Here are the basic steps to make Heavenly Angel Food Cake, see full recipe below for all the details.

1. Combine Dry Ingredients

Mix powdered sugar and cake flour in a bowl. Set aside.

2. Beat Egg Whites

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time. Add vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt with the last addition of sugar. Continue beating until stiff, glossy meringue forms. Do NOT underbeat the egg whites. The meringue should be stiff enough to hold its shape.

3. Fold in Dry Ingredients

Fold in sugar-flour mixture, 1/4 cup at a time. Be careful not to overmix. Overmixing will deflate the meringue and result in a dense cake.

4. Bake

Gently push the batter into the angel food cake pan (tube pan). Do NOT grease the angel food cake pan. The batter needs to cling to the sides of the pan to rise properly. Cut gently through the batter with a metal spatula to remove any large air pockets.

5. Cool

Immediately turn the pan upside down onto a heatproof funnel or bottle until completely cooled. Cooling the cake upside down prevents it from collapsing. Loosen the cake with a knife or metal spatula to remove from pan.

How to Store Heavenly Angel Food Cake

While angel food cake can be stored for a few days, it's always best when enjoyed fresh. Here's how to properly store your Heavenly Angel Food Cake to maintain its delicate texture and flavor.

Room Temperature

Angel food cake is best stored at room temperature in an airtight container, cake keeper, or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap. This prevents it from drying out. Angel food cake is delicate, so handle it gently when wrapping and storing it to avoid crushing it. It will keep at room temperature for 1-2 days.

Freezer

If you need to store the cake for longer than a couple of days, freezing is the best option. Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer bag or airtight container. This will protect it from freezer burn. It will keep for 3-4 days. Thaw at room temperature for a few hours before serving.