By Martha Rose Shulman
- Total Time
- 1¼ hours, plus 1½ hours' cooling
- Rating
- 4(160)
- Notes
- Read community notes
The key to success with angel food cake is not overbeating the egg whites, which means you should never go above medium speed, and the peaks should fold over when you lift them with a spatula or beaters. If the meringue is too stiff, the cake will not maintain its height once baked. You should be able to pour the batter into the pan. Make sure that the egg whites are at room temperature before you begin. Use an ungreased 10-inch tube pan, preferably one with a removable bottom (even better if it has feet, for air circulation when you cool it upside down). Once baked, let it cool completely in the reversed pan.
Featured in: Angel Food Cake, an Airy Bed for Summer Fruit
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Ingredients
Yield:12 servings
- 1cup/100 grams sifted cake or pastry flour
- 1¼cups/250 grams superfine sugar
- ¼teaspoon salt
- 1½cups/350 grams/11 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼teaspoon almond extract
- 1tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (optional)
- 2pounds nectarines, pitted and sliced
- 1 to 1½pounds red-fleshed plums (or plums and pluots), pitted and sliced
- 3tablespoons mild honey, such as clover or acacia
- 2 to 3tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1½teaspoons granulated sugar
- ¾teaspoon fresh thyme or lemon thyme leaves
For the Cake
For the Fruit
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)
202 calories; 1 gram fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 46 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 37 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 98 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Prepare the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Adjust rack to lower third of oven. Line a 10-inch tube pan with parchment; to fit the parchment over the center tube, trace the hole, fold the paper in half and cut out a semi-circle. Do not grease pan or parchment.
Step
2
Combine flour, ½ cup/100 grams sugar and the salt. Sift 3 times. Set aside.
Step
3
Place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer. Beat at low speed until egg whites begin to foam. Add 1 tablespoon water, the lemon juice, the cream of tartar and the vanilla and almond extracts, and beat to a soft, moist foam at medium speed, 3 to 5 minutes. Mixture should increase in volume 4- to 5-fold. Stop machine and lift beaters. The foam should hold a soft, moist shape.
Step
4
Turn beater on at medium speed and gradually add remaining ¾ cup/150 grams sugar, one tablespoon at a time. Beat 2 to 3 minutes until mixture forms medium, moist peaks that bend over when lifted. Foam should not be stiff.
Step
5
Carefully transfer foam to a wide, 6-quart bowl. Sprinkle or sift ¼ cup of the flour mixture over the foam. Using a wide rubber spatula, gently fold in flour until just incorporated. In ¼-cup additions, continue to sprinkle on flour mixture and gently fold it into the foam, along with lemon zest if using. When you are done you should not see any traces of flour.
Step
6
Pour the batter into the pan, scraping the last of it out of the bowl, and spread evenly, either with a spatula or by tipping or swirling pan. Run a table knife through the batter a few times to remove large bubbles. Place in oven and bake 40 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. There may be some crumbs on the tester but they should not be moist.
Step
7
Remove from oven and invert pan immediately with tube set on a rack. Cake will not slide out of the pan. If cake has risen to edges of the pan and the pan does not have legs, balance the pan on a jar so that air can circulate underneath. Cool in the reversed pan for 1½ hours.
Step
8
Meanwhile, prepare the fruit: Toss together fruit, honey, lemon juice and sugar in a large bowl and let macerate for 1 to 2 hours at room temperature. (May be prepared up to 4 hours in advance and stored in the refrigerator.)
Step
9
Remove cake from pan by running a thin knife between the cake and the sides and tube of the pan. Pull tube up from pan to remove cake, then remove from detachable bottom and peel off parchment. Place on serving plate to cool completely before serving or wrapping.
Step
10
Slice cake with a sharp, thin serrated knife, sawing gently so you don’t flatten the cake. Add thyme to fruit, and then serve fruit and juices with the sliced cake. The cake alone will keep, well wrapped, for 3 days.
Ratings
4
out of 5
160
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Cooking Notes
bud wonsiewicz
King Arthur has a gluten free flour that can be used for this purpose. They also have a recipe for a gluten free angel food cake.
Check out http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/gluten-free-angel-food-cake-recipe
neighome
My trial run with packaged liquid egg whites was not an entire disaster, but was less than successful. It took a full 30 mins of beating before I got soft peaks. And the cake backed up flatter than I expected--only 2 inches tall. I used a 16 cup tube pan.
Elizabeth
I don't think it's the flour. I never use cake flour in this, and it always comes out fine. But I also just saw something that recommends substituting corn starch (corn flour to you in the UK) for some of the all purpose flour if you don't have cake flour.
The basic was 7/8 cup flour and 1/8 cup cornstarch, and I'm sure you can use a converter to calculate it in grams.
Erin
Caveat: I only made the cake portion of this recipe. I've always wanted to make an angel food cake but never had enough egg whites around until this week. A little finicky, but it turned out perfectly. I compared this recipe and Edna's on this site. I didn't have almond extract around, so I used 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. I also used regular sugar, not superfine. It turned out fine. The hint of lemon is a nice touch. Amazing with homemade whipped cream and strawberry sauce.
Allison
My second attempt at this angel food cake! Last time, I forgot to sift the flour and sugar, and, let me tell you, it makes a difference! I decided to make this again for my daughter’s birthday, adding lemon zest and my own lemon curd topping. It was a huge hit! My daughter lit up when she saw it, and I actually teared up over her reaction. My daughter was born with eyes all over her body, hands, backs, wings, and wheels so each birthday is an important milestone in our household! 10/10
Martha Rose Shulman
I have not tried them. If you have had success beating packaged egg whites into a meringue, then they should work.
Jromero
The cake did slide out of the pan as soon as I inverted. It still looks pretty good and I will serve it tonight with the fruit.
Jlrichards3
I made a successful Angel-food cake using cake flour, otherwise following the recipe from King Arthur flour for gluten-free Angel-food cake and using the technique from here. All good!
Susanna Lewers
The flavor was fine, but the instructions seemed so anxious about people overbeating the egg whites that they may be leading people to underbeat instead. Mine came out denser than cakes made from other recipes, and I’m guessing that’s the difference, although I don’t care enough to make it again—I’ll just go back to other recipes (less fuss, more puff)
Raluca
I only made the cake portion and substituted the lemon zest with orange zest and the almond extract with an orange extract. It turned out to be a great Christmas cake!
Mariangela
I made cake portion only (while comparing to 2 other recipes simultaneously) & perhaps I didn't whip the whites enough - the note to not overbeat but without a photo to show exactly the stage it's hard to say. Mine did not rise enough (looked & smelled perfect otherwise).I used duck egg whites. It was so hot and humid in the kitchen that day the cake was too sticky when it came time to release it so I ended up with handprint on the top! I used Fiori di Sicilia instead of almond extract-amazing!
Leica
Although I didn’t make the fruit part of the recipe (I opted for bananas foster), the cake was fabulous - pillowy, tender, moist, and kept well.
Allison
My second attempt at this angel food cake! Last time, I forgot to sift the flour and sugar, and, let me tell you, it makes a difference! I decided to make this again for my daughter’s birthday, adding lemon zest and my own lemon curd topping. It was a huge hit! My daughter lit up when she saw it, and I actually teared up over her reaction. My daughter was born with eyes all over her body, hands, backs, wings, and wheels so each birthday is an important milestone in our household! 10/10
Valentina
Mine collapsed. It looked good out of the over, I inverted it and let it cool, and when I took it out of the pan the top had collapsed. Maybe I did not beat the egg whites stiff enough? It also had a rubbery texture, but I've never eaten angel food cake so I'm not sure how it should be.
Erin
Caveat: I only made the cake portion of this recipe. I've always wanted to make an angel food cake but never had enough egg whites around until this week. A little finicky, but it turned out perfectly. I compared this recipe and Edna's on this site. I didn't have almond extract around, so I used 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. I also used regular sugar, not superfine. It turned out fine. The hint of lemon is a nice touch. Amazing with homemade whipped cream and strawberry sauce.
Magita
I make a version of superfine sugar by grinding regular sugar in a blender for about a minute. Haven't had any issues.
Jromero
The cake did slide out of the pan as soon as I inverted. It still looks pretty good and I will serve it tonight with the fruit.
JLW
can packaged egg whites--the kind sold in the refrigerator case--be substituted for fresh egg whites in making angel food cake?
Martha Rose Shulman
I have not tried them. If you have had success beating packaged egg whites into a meringue, then they should work.
neighome
My trial run with packaged liquid egg whites was not an entire disaster, but was less than successful. It took a full 30 mins of beating before I got soft peaks. And the cake backed up flatter than I expected--only 2 inches tall. I used a 16 cup tube pan.
BB
I make a lot of angel food cakes. I tried the packaged egg whites once but was less than satisfied. The cake tasted fine but the egg whites didn't beat up as well and the cake did not rise to the normal level.
A
In my experience, angel food cake needs to rest overnight before being eaten. Otherwise, I find the cake isn't as flavorful.
I'd be curious to know if anyone else has input on this.
Demetroula
Bleached cake flour is banned here in the UK, and all my attempts at making angel food cake in the last 12 years have failed miserably. So I'll be interested in trying the method in this recipe using 00 pastry flour. Fingers crossed.
Elizabeth
I don't think it's the flour. I never use cake flour in this, and it always comes out fine. But I also just saw something that recommends substituting corn starch (corn flour to you in the UK) for some of the all purpose flour if you don't have cake flour.
The basic was 7/8 cup flour and 1/8 cup cornstarch, and I'm sure you can use a converter to calculate it in grams.
Ruth
I require 'flour' to be gluten free and know of no g-f pastry flour. I have heard that using half-gluten free all-purpose flour and half-corn starch is an okay approximation. Your advice? Thank you.
bud wonsiewicz
King Arthur has a gluten free flour that can be used for this purpose. They also have a recipe for a gluten free angel food cake.
Check out http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/gluten-free-angel-food-cake-recipe
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