Angel Food Cake

Angel Food Cake is a cloud of perfectly sweetened, beautifully light, and airy sponge cake, making an easy go-to dessert for all occasions. Unlike the underwhelming store-bought versions, this recipe unlocks its true potential as a show-stopping, delicious dessert with endless options for topping and serving.

Course Dessert

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1 10

Servings

Calories 148kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

1⅓-1½ cups egg whites, about 11 large eggs
1½ teaspoon cream of tartar
1⅔ cups sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup cake flour
1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon almond extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325℉/163℃.
Separate the eggs immediately after removing them from the fridge to prevent egg yolks from breaking and getting in the egg whites.
Place egg whites in a large bowl or stand mixer bowl; let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Add cream of tartar.
Add sugar and salt to a food processor and grind until it turns into powder.
Reserve ¾ cup powdered sugar and add the rest to the flour. Whisk flour. Set aside.
Start beating the egg whites with an electric mixer at medium-low speed until frothy, about 1 minute.
Increase speed to medium-high and slowly add the reserved sugar (about 2-3 tablespoons at a time), making sure sugar is thoroughly mixed.
Keep beating until soft peaks form, about 6-7 minutes. Do not overbeat. Add vanilla, lemon juice, and almond extract and mix until incorporated.
Switch to a rubber spatula and start incorporating the flour mixture into the egg white mixture in 3-4 additions, folding gently with each addition until incorporated.
Scrape the mixture into a 12-cup ungreased tube pan.
Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40-45 minutes. Start checking after 40 minutes. It is okay to have some cracks.
Let the cake cool on a cooling rack for about 1-2 hours before removing it from the pan.
To remove the cake, unmold and run a knife around the edge inside the pan. Place it on a platter, and serve it with lemon curd and fresh fruit.

Notes

Separate the eggs when they're cold, then let the whites come to room temperature before beating them.
Lightly grind your sugar in a food processor. You want it finer than granulated but not as fine as powdered sugar.
Be gentle with the batter because air is the key to the perfect angel food cake.
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition