Homemade Angel Food Cake, a light delicious cake. Perfect on its own or filled with some creamy whipped cream and fresh berries. The perfect cake recipe to wow your family and friends.
Homemade Angel Food Cake
This is a cake that brings back some wonderful Canadian memories, my mother loved this Angel Food Cake. It is so light perfect for this time of year when there are so many fresh berries around just begging to be stacked on a whipped cream layer cake.
I decided it would also be the perfect dessert to share with my Italian friends, which I discovered was something they had never tried before, a cake made with egg whites. The perfect cake to be smothered with whipped cream and berries or any fruit of choice or naked if you prefer.
Soft peaks, and stiff peaks.
How to make an Angel Food Cake:
- Sift together flour, salt and 1/4 cup of sugar.
- In a large bowl beat the egg whites, lemon juice and vanilla on medium speed until soft peaks form.
- Gradually add part of the sugar (a little at a time), continue beating until stiff peaks form (don’t over beat).
- Fold in flour (quarter cup at a time), gently fold until combined (do not over fold).
- Spoon into an ungreased 9 inch tube pan. Gently cut through batter with a metal knife to eliminate air bubbles.
- Bake for approximately 40-45 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in pan upside down.
Flour folded into the batter and batter in the tube pan.
Some Angel Food Cakes use cream of tartar, but I beat the egg whites with lemon juice, because it makes the perfect replacement for cream of tartar which I have a hard time finding in Italy.
Why do you cool an Angel Food Cake upside down?
Because Angel Food Cakes are leavened with air (egg whites) if you don’t cool them upside down they will collapse. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven immediately place on a cooling rack.
Tips for making the perfect Angel Food Cake:
- Your eggs should be room temperature, so remove them from the fridge at least one hour before preparing.
- Make sure the bowl you use for beating the egg whites is completely clean and dry.
- The eggs must be beaten until stiff, hold the bowl upside down and they should not slide out.
- Be sure to gently fold in the flour, do not beat in the flour or it will surely over beat the batter, which will make a tough rubbery cake.
- Use a Tube Pan and do not grease it, the batter needs to cling to the sides of the pan in order to rise.
How to Store an Angel Food Cake:
Be sure to store the cake in an air tight container or wrap tightly and store in an airtight bag. It will keep up to two days at room temperature or one week in the fridge.
How to Freeze an Angel Food Cake:
To freeze the wrap it tightly with foil or plastic wrap, and place it in a freezer bag or place the cooled cake in an airtight container. Properly stored, it keep for up to four to six months.
You are probably thinking all those egg yolks now what do I make? Here are a few ideas!
- Italian Pastry Cream
- Pasticciotti Italian Cream Filled Tarts
- Fresh Fruit Tart with Italian Cream Filling
I actually decided to make this cake two ways, one way red and white, strawberries and cream for Canada Day July 1st, and red, white and blue for the 4th of July. So whichever way you make this Angel Food Cake one of these ways or your way, I hope you enjoy it!
Angel Food Cake
Homemade Angel Food Cake
Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE
- 1 cup flour (130 grams)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups sugar divided (250 grams)
- 8 egg whites (room temperature)
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice or 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
TOPPING
- 1 1/4 cups cream (whipping or whole) (300 grams)
- 1/2 cup mascarpone (112.5 grams)
- 1 tablespoon powdered/icing sugar
- 2-3 cups berries of choice (200-300 grams) more if desired
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350° (175° celisius).
FOR THE CAKE
- In a medium bowl sift together the flour, salt and 1/4 cup sugar 3 times.
- In a large bowl beat the egg whites, lemon juice and vanilla on medium speed until soft peaks form, gradually add the 1 cup sugar (a little at a time), continue beating until stiff peaks form (don't over beat).
- Fold in the flour (a quarter cup at a time), gently fold until combined (do not over fold). Spoon into ungreased 9 inch tube pan. Gently cut through batter with a metal knife to eliminate air bubbles.
- Bake for approximately 40-45 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan upside down. Remove from the pan (you will need to carefully run your knife around the edges to help release the cake) slice the cake in two layers, spread half the topping on one layer, add some berries, top with second layer and spread with remaining topping and berries or desired fruit. Enjoy!
FOR THE TOPPING
- In a medium bowl beat together the cream, mascarpone and icing sugar (be sure to sift the icing sugar into the bowl to eliminate any lumps), beat until thick.
Video
Nutrition
Updated from August 28, 2015.
