Angel Food Cake
Pillowy soft angel food cake is easy to make with the right ingredients and a few tricks. For a light and tender cake, you’ll need bleached cake flour (our Test Kitchen recommends Swans Down brand) and a dozen egg whites. Separate the eggs carefully to prevent any yolks from getting into the batter. Beat the eggs with sugar and a little cream of tartar until they are white, glossy, and stiff. Once the cake has been baked, remove the pan from the oven, and let the cake cool upside down in the pan. This trick will help the cake pull away from the sides of the pan and remove cleanly without tearing. This homemade angel food cake will star at your next soiree.
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Recipe Summary
Ingredients
Directions
Variations
Pineapple Angel Food Cake: Prepare recipe as directed. Stir together 1 1/4 cups (about 5 oz.) powdered sugar (sifted), 2 Tbsp. pineapple juice, and 1 tsp. lemon zest in a bowl until smooth. Spoon glaze over cake.
Lemon Angel Food Cake: Prepare recipe as directed, substituting 1/2 tsp. lemon extract for almond extract.
Chocolate Angel Food Cake: Prepare recipe as directed, adding 1/4 cup sifted unsweetened cocoa to cake flour before folding into egg white mixture in Step 1. Do not glaze.