Amish Angel food cake is a classic low-fat cake made primarily from egg whites, cake flour, and sugar. The interior is cloud-like and snow white, while the exterior develops a delicate light-brown crust. This tender, timeless dessert has an airy crumb and a subtle, ultra-light flavor that truly feels heavenly.
When made well, angel food cake melts on the tongue. Its fine crumb and restrained sweetness make it an ideal choice for pairing with fresh fruit, whipped cream, or using in layered trifles.
Ingredients
- Egg Whites — The main ingredient that creates the cake’s cloud-like texture. Whipped egg whites trap air and provide structure and leavening.
- Cream of Tartar — Stabilizes whipped egg whites so they hold volume and resist collapsing.
- White Sugar — Adds sweetness and helps stabilize the whipped whites.
- Vanilla — A small amount brightens and rounds the cake’s flavor.
- Confectioner’s Sugar — Helps create a smooth, fine crumb and contributes light sweetness to the batter.
- Cake Flour — Lower protein flour for a tender, delicate crumb. (If you don’t have cake flour, you can substitute all-purpose flour with a cornstarch adjustment; see Notes.)
- Salt — Enhances and balances the flavors.
These components combine to produce an angel food cake that is light, airy, and subtly sweet with a delicate texture.
How to Make Angel Food Cake (Tips)
Angel food cake relies on properly whipped egg whites for its characteristic lift and texture. A few careful steps will help you achieve a successful cake: separate the eggs cleanly, stabilize and whip the whites to the right stage, and gently incorporate the dry ingredients.
When separating eggs, avoid any yolk in the whites. Even a small trace of fat prevents whites from reaching their maximum volume. Crack each egg into a small bowl first, then transfer the white to the mixing bowl. This way a broken yolk won’t contaminate all your whites. Cold eggs separate more easily; bring whites to room temperature before whipping for best volume.
Sift dry ingredients and add them to the whipped whites in several light additions, folding gently after each. This preserves air and prevents deflation. Do not pour all the dry ingredients in at once, which risks collapsing the foam.
Use an ungreased tube pan. The cake needs to cling to the pan sides as it rises; greasing will reduce the cake’s height. After baking, cool the cake inverted so gravity helps maintain the airy structure. If you need to slice the cake, use a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to avoid compressing the crumb.
Seven Simple Things to Remember
- Separate egg whites carefully so no yolk contaminates them.
- Use a clean, dry bowl and whisk attachment to beat whites.
- Whip whites to soft-to-firm peaks rather than rock-hard peaks.
- Sift and gently fold in dry ingredients in a few additions.
- Do not grease the tube pan; the cake needs the sides to rise properly.
- Cool the cake upside-down to preserve volume.
- Slice with a serrated knife to prevent squashing the crumb.
Angel Food Cake Toppings
Angel food cake is delightful on its own and often needs no frosting. Its light texture pairs especially well with fresh berries and lightly sweetened whipped cream. For a show-stopping dessert, cut the cake into cubes and layer it into a trifle with fruit and custard or whipped cream.
You can also serve slices with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a fruit sauce, or dust the cake lightly with confectioners’ sugar. Keep toppings simple so the airy cake remains the star.
Flavor Variations
For a flavored twist, some cooks add powdered gelatin dessert (such as flavored gelatin) to the dry ingredients to introduce fruit flavors. If you try this, reduce the powdered sugar slightly to keep the balance of dry ingredients. Another easy variation is chocolate: replace a small portion of the flour with unsweetened cocoa powder to create a light chocolate angel food cake.
Baking in a 9×13″ Pan
If you don’t have a tube pan, you can bake angel food cake in a 9×13″ metal pan (avoid non-stick). Do not grease the pan. Line the bottom with a strip of parchment for easier removal if desired. Bake until the top is dry and slightly cracked, then cool the pan inverted by supporting it on four equal-height points so air can circulate underneath. When cool, loosen edges with a thin knife and gently remove the cake.
How to Store Angel Food Cake
Store angel food cake at room temperature in an airtight container for 3–4 days for best texture and flavor. You can freeze the cake for up to three months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
What to Do with Egg Yolks
Angel food cake uses only egg whites, so you’ll be left with several yolks. Egg yolks are perfect for many other recipes: custards, lemon curd, crème anglaise, rich pie fillings, homemade ice cream, custard-based puddings, or a classic pastry cream for trifle layers. You can also freeze yolks for later use; whisk them with a pinch of salt or a little sugar and store in a labeled container.
More Amish Cake Recipes
- Chocolate Zucchini Cake
- Date and Walnut Cake (Amish Date Pudding)
- Amish Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake
- Shoofly Cake (Amish Molasses Cake)
- Tiramisu Torte
- Fluffy White Cake
- A Collection of Amish Cake Recipes
If you try this Amish Angel Food Cake recipe, please leave feedback and let others know how it turned out.
📖 Recipe Card
Amish Angel Food Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 – 2 1/4 cups egg whites (about 12 egg whites), room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
- 1 cup cake flour (see notes for substitutions)
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a large, clean, dry bowl, whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar on medium speed until foamy, about 1 minute.
- Increase speed to medium-high and slowly add the granulated sugar, whipping until soft peaks form. Add the vanilla and beat until just incorporated.
- Sift together the confectioners’ sugar, cake flour, and salt through a fine-mesh strainer.
- In three additions, very slowly sift the flour mixture over the whipped whites, gently folding with a rubber spatula after each addition. Take care not to deflate the mixture.
- Pour and spread the batter into an ungreased 10″ tube pan (or ungreased 9×13″ pan if preferred). Smooth the top gently.
- Bake about 40–45 minutes (35–40 minutes for a 9×13), until the top appears dry and springs back when lightly touched.
- Remove from oven and immediately invert the pan onto a wire rack or pan stilts to cool completely while upside-down.
- When cool, run a thin knife around the outer and inner edges to loosen the cake. Remove the outer pan (if two-piece) and loosen the bottom, then transfer the cake to a serving plate.
- Dust with confectioners’ sugar if desired and slice with a serrated knife. Serve with whipped cream and fresh berries, or cut into cubes for trifles.
Notes
Cake flour substitute: Use all-purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons per cup, and replace the removed portion with 2 tablespoons cornstarch for each cup to mimic cake flour. You can also use plain all-purpose flour; the cake will still turn out well though slightly denser.
Use fresh egg whites rather than carton whites for best volume. Separate eggs when cold, then bring the whites to room temperature before whipping for the fluffiest peaks.
Use an angel food cake pan when possible; do not grease the pan. A two-piece tube pan with removable bottom makes cooling and removal easier.