Heavenly Angel Food Cake (Strawberries and Cream). The Best Angel Food Cake- for Real! Angel Food Cake is truly heaven sent. The light, fluffy, white, and tender texture make it easy to eat on repeat.
More delicious cakes you will love: Easy Italian Pear Cake (Torta di Pere) and Italian Chocolate Cake (torta al ciocolato). This light cake makes the perfect dessert after Classic Italian Lasagna Bolognese with Bechamel Sauce!
Why I love this recipe
This special dessert is one of my all-time favorites. It's soft cloud-like texture is ideal for soaking up fruit juices and freshly whipped cream.
I love that you can add a variety of different toppings to make it your own, depending on the season and individual taste. I love it with fresh strawberries and a touch of freshly whipped cream. And if you love strawberries, you might also love this Strawberry Tiramisu Recipe!
Read all the tips below for the secret to creating a sky-high ANGEL FOOD CAKE.
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Simple Ingredients
Cake
- Egg Whites
- Sugar
- Cake flour
- Salt
- Cream of tartar
- Warm water
- Lemon or orange extract
Topping
- Strawberries
- Freshly Whipped and sweetened cream
What is Angel Food Cake?
Angel food cake is a low fat cake recipe made mostly from egg whites, cake flour, and sugar. It's pristine white on the inside with a chewy light brown crumb around the exterior.
What it lacks in butter makes up for in texture. This tall, tender, and timeless cake has a cloud-like crumb and ultra light flavor.
Use for Leftover Egg Yolks
Angel food cake is so light and white since it only uses egg whites. What to do with all the yolks? Make Italian Pastry Cream (Crema Pasticcera) and serve it with the angel food cake!
You can also make the Italian pastry cream in other flavors: Best Italian Pistachio Cream and Italian Chocolate Pastry Cream (Crema Pasticcera). Enjoy!
Tips to Make the Best Angel Food Cake
Follow these tips and you will have a perfectly soft and light cake.
1) Separate the eggs when cold, otherwise the yolk breaks easily.
2) Let the egg whites get to room temperature before beating. They will be more relaxed and fluff up easily. (about 30 minutes out of the fridge)
3) Carefully keep all egg yolks out of the white. To safeguard yourself, separate the egg yolk over a small bowl. If the egg white is “clean” from egg yolk, then you can add it to your measuring cup.
4) Beat egg whites in a very clean bowl without a touch of grease or oil. Fat keeps the whites from getting as fluffy. Use a glass bowl. Don’t use a plastic bowl as it will retain a bit of oil or fat from previous dishes no matter how well you have washed it. Beat whites until a soft peak NOT stiff meringue.
5) Use CAKE FLOUR! It will make the cake more airy and light. Incorporate the sifted dry ingredients slowly to the beaten egg whites. I highly recommend SIFTING THE DRY ingredients. An extra step to make it even more fluffy.
6) Do NOT overbeat the batter. The egg whites will deflate. Fold the mixture with a spatula and make figure 8 movements. Add the flour gradually, using a soft folding motion. The egg whites will stay fluffier.
7) Do not grease the angel food cake pan. The batter “clings” to the side of the pan as it rises. You will not get as much rise if it is greased. However, that it why you will need an angel food cake “tube” pan with a removable bottom.
8) Cook until the minimum time listed below before checking on the cake. An underdone cake, or one with many changes in temperature (from the door opening), is at risk of falling.
9) I generally cut down the sugar content of my desserts drastically. However, in the case of an angel food cake, it will not rise as well without the extra sugar. You can cut it down some, but realize it may make a denser cake.
10) Lastly, you will want to cool the cake upside down on a cooling rack. This will make the cake even more tall and fluffy!
All it takes is a little patience to get the best result. It is worth it, trust me!
Equipment
Tube Pan I recommend for this cake.
The Sifter/strainer/mesh I love. I also use this for other baking and cooking.
Also try this version: Heavenly Angel Food Cake with Blueberries
More Delicious Desserts for YOU
From my Cucina to your Table, Mangia! Mangia!
Made with Amore, Elena
Make sure to leave a ⭐️star rating on the recipe card and comment below if you make the recipe. I love to connect with you through my recipes.
I would love for you to tag me on Instagram @cucinabyelena so I can see your delicious Italian recipes. To get more ideas, follow me on Pinterest.
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Heavenly Angel Food Cake (Strawberries and Cream)
Angel Food Cake is truly heaven sent. The light, fluffy, white, and tender texture make it easy to eat on repeat. This special dessert is one of my all time favorites. It's soft cloud like texture is ideal for soaking up fruit juices and freshly whipped cream . I love that you can add a variety of different toppings to make it your own depending on the season and individual taste. I love it with fresh strawberries and a touch of fresh whipped cream.
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Ingredients
Cake
- 12 eggs, separate the egg yolks and egg whites in separate bowls. Best if the egg whites are at room temperature before whipping. ONLY USE WHITES.
- 1 ¾ cups (224g) sugar
- 1 cup (125g) cake flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar
- ⅓ cup (79 ml) warm water
- 2 teaspoons real lemon or orange extract
Toppings
- Freshly whipped and sweetened cream
- Cut strawberries or fruit of choice
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
- In a food processor spin the sugar until superfine about 2 minutes
- Sift half the sugar with salt and cake flour
- Set remaining sugar aside
- In a stand mixer, using a ballon whisk attachment, combine egg whites (make sure there is no trace of yolks), water, lemon or orange extract, and cream of tartar and beat on medium speed
- Once the mixture becomes frothy, slowly sift in the reserve sugar. Continue to beat the eggs until medium stiff peaks form.
- Sift the flour mixture onto the egg mixture in small amounts at a time (just enough to dust the top of the egg mixture). Using a spatula, gently fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture until incorporated (be careful to not over mix). Continue this process until all of the flour mixture has been incorporated into the egg mixture.
- Place the batter into an angel food cake baking pan (do NOT grease or oil the sides of the pan).
- Bake for 30-35 mins
- Cool, upside down, on a cooling rack for 1 hour before removing from pan (this keeps the cake from collapsing as it cools, allowing for a light fluffy texture)
Serving
1. Cut thick slices of cake with a serrated knife. Top with sliced fruit and whipped cream.
Notes
Recipe for leftover egg yolks: Italian Pastry Cream (Crema Pasticcera)
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Category: Sweet/ Dessert
- Method: Italian/ French/ American
- Cuisine: Italian/ French/ American
Keywords: dessert, cake, angel food cake, sweet recipe, dessert recipe, strawberries, strawberry, whipped cream
Vito says
Delicious
★★★★★
Elena says
Happy you love the recipe!
Angela Brescia Goldstein says
12 large eggs is approximately how much in cups/ounces
Elena says
You are only using the egg whites, so you do not need the measurement for the whole egg.
Elena says
Honestly, the only angel food cake recipe worth making! So good!
★★★★★
Sato’s says
Top notch. My favorite desserts are simple ones. But this recipe has a way of making it feel much more. The one thing you never want with angel food is a dry cake, and you will never have a more moist cake with this.
Thanks Elena!
★★★★★
Elena says
Happy you loved it Sato! It is a super moist cake.
Tiffany+Sato says
I can tell you I have never been a fan of angel food cake…. Until this recipe. It’s the perfect texture and sweetness. You don’t even need to sugar your fruit when you add it to this. It may become a new summer staple in our house.
★★★★★
Elena says
So happy you loved it Tiffany. It is a delicious cake recipe and one of our favorites too.
Roberta says
Best Angel cake ever!!!!
Elena thank you for sharing this recipe
★★★★★
Elena says
Thank you :)! Time to make it again!
Janis Bennion says
So light & delicious! Simple ingredients, and easy to follow instructions. The perfect accompaniment to fresh summer fruit. Yum!
★★★★★
Elena says
Thank you! It makes a light and wonderful summer dessert!
Brandon Plewe says
Insanely good and super easy to make. You can tell Elena has been troubleshooting the places where guys like me might screw up, like thinking you need to grease the sides of the pan. Thanks for this perfect recipe to a spring and summertime staple!
★★★★★
Elena says
Brandon, you are most welcome! All the tips go a long way with this recipe. Enjoy with family and friends. It makes for a light dessert that is always well received.
Elena says
This is the best angel food cake recipe! We love to make it for family and friends.
★★★★★
Stefanie Smith says
This cake is perfection, I made it for Easter and it was so delicious! It was also my first time making Angel Food from scratch.
The instructions were straight forward and easy to follow.
Thank you, Elena!
★★★★★
Elena says
It is a family favorite here too! You are welcome!Many more cake recipes to try!
Nicky says
Using the tips, I made the best angel food cake of my life. I ate it with fresh berries and it was heaven! Maybe that's why it's called "Angel" food cake.
★★★★★
Elena says
I am so happy! Once you try it homemade there is no going back!