Amish Angel food cake is a low-fat cake recipe made mostly from egg whites, cake flour, and sugar. It's delightfully fluffy and white on the inside, with a light brown crumb around the exterior.
This tender and timeless cake has a cloud-like crumb and ultra-light flavor. It truly is a heavenly cake!
Jump to:
- Ingredients
- How to Make Angel Food Cake (Tips)
- Seven Simple Things to Remember
- Angel Food Cake Toppings
- Angel Food Cake with Jello
- Chocolate Angel Food Cake
- Angel Food Cake in 9x13" Pan
- How to Store Angel Food Cake
- What To Do With all my Egg Yolks?
- More Amish Cake Recipes
- 📖 Recipe Card
- Amish Angel Food Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- Egg Whites are the main ingredient that gives angel food cake its cloud-like texture. When beaten, they create a foam that traps air bubbles, resulting in a light and airy texture. They provide the structure and leavening.
- Cream of Tartar stabilizes the whipped egg whites, helping them reach their full volume and preventing them from collapsing. It also contributes to the structure of the cake.
- White Sugar adds sweetness and helps to stabilize the whipped egg whites. It also contributes to the moistness and tenderness of the crumb.
- Vanilla adds flavor, enhancing its overall taste. It complements the sweetness of the sugar and adds a subtle aroma.
- Confectioner's Sugar, also known as powdered sugar, is used in the cake batter to provide sweetness and contribute to the texture. It helps to create a fine crumb and a smooth consistency.
- Cake Flour has a lower protein content compared to all-purpose flour, which helps to produce a tender and delicate crumb with a light texture. (If you don't have cake flour, make your own with all-purpose flour and cornstarch.)
- Salt enhances the flavor.
These ingredients work together to create a light, airy, and subtly sweet angel food cake with a tender crumb and delicate flavor.
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How to Make Angel Food Cake (Tips)
Angel food cake isn't quite like any other cake. Fluffy egg whites create a light and spongy texture, and there are a few tricks to creating a perfect angel food cake. So make sure to follow the directions and pay attention to the tips before starting with your cake.
When separating the eggs, don't let a drop of egg yolks into the mixing bowl. Any lingering fat could prevent the egg whites from forming peaks.
Crack the eggs over an egg separator into a small bowl, then add the whites one by one into the mixing bowl. This way if the yolk breaks, it doesn't break directly in the mixing bowl and into all your egg whites. (Cold eggs are easier to separate.)
Sift the dry ingredients over the beaten egg whites in a few additions, gently folding them together after each addition. The goal is to retain as much of the whipped volume as possible. Pouring the dry ingredients on top all at once can quickly deflate the egg whites.
To make an angel food cake, you need an ungreased tube pan to bake it in. Yes, you read that right - ungreased. The cake needs to stick to the sides of the pan as it rises, so greasing it will hurt the rise of your cake.
You may be thinking that this sounds complicated, and wondering if this cake is really worth it. But trust me, it's totally worth it. Angel food cake from scratch boasts a texture like no other. And once you go through the process, you'll understand that the preparation isn't that difficult - it's just a little picky. 😉 But you can do this!
Seven Simple Things to Remember
- Use freshly separated egg whites with no trace of yolk.
- Use a clean, dry bowl and whisk attachment to beat egg whites.
- Whip egg whites into soft to firm peaks, not stiff peaks.
- Sift and gently fold in the dry ingredients.
- Do not grease the tube pan.
- Cool the cake upside-down.
- Use a serrated knife to slice the cake.
Angel Food Cake Toppings
Homemade Angel food cake doesn't need frosting, it's great on its own. The light and fluffy crumb practically melts in your mouth. But if you want to add something, this basic angel food cake is blissful with fresh berries and whipped cream.
I love angel food cake trifles. In case you don't know what a dessert trifle is, it's usually a three-layered dessert that includes cake, fruit, and custard or whipped cream. Cut the angel food cake into cubes and layer it in a trifle bowl, with my homemade Strawberry Danish Dessert Recipe, and whipped cream. It's an amazing Angel Food Cake Dessert that will get many compliments.
You can serve this Amish Angel Food Cake in many different ways. It's delicious with vanilla ice cream and caramel or strawberry topping. And while my favorites include fruit and whipped cream, the possibilities are endless. So have fun and get creative. I also have a roundup post where I collected 25 recipes on what to serve with angel food cake.
Angel Food Cake with Jello
I love plain vanilla angel food cake. But some people enjoy a variety of flavored angel food cakes.
My Amish mom sometimes added dry Jello to her angel food cake for a different flavor. So if you're feeling adventurous and want to try a new flavor, add some powdered Jello to the batter. Instead of using 1 ½ cups of powdered sugar, substitute gelatin for the ½ cup of powdered sugar. Use 1 cup powdered sugar and ½ cup gelatin powder (any flavor).
Chocolate Angel Food Cake
For another flavor profile, try chocolate angel food cake. Substitute 4 tablespoons of cocoa powder for 4 tablespoons of flour.
Angel Food Cake in 9x13" Pan
If you don't have an angel food tube cake pan, and you're wondering if there's any other way to bake this cake, I found a site that shows you how to hack an angel food cake pan.
But the good news is you can also bake this angel food cake in a 9x13" cake pan. (I recommend a metal pan. But do not use non-stick.) Whenever we wanted to cut the cake into cubes for trifles, we baked it in a 9x13. It was easier to cut it into square cubes.
Do not grease the pan, but you can cut a piece of parchment paper to place into the bottom for easier removal. Bake for about 35 - 40 minutes, until the top appears dry and slightly cracked. Cool the cake upside down by resting the four corners on something of equal heights. Once cool, cut around the edges to loosen the cake and gently tap on the bottom to release it.
How to Store Angel Food Cake
Amish angel food cake is best when stored at room temperature in an air-tight container for 3-4 days.
This cake can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before serving.
What To Do With all my Egg Yolks?
Angel food cake uses only egg whites. So after separating the eggs, you are left with a lot of yolks. And you may be wondering what you could make with just the egg yolks. Well, I have a couple of suggestions for you...
My Amish Peanut Butter Cream Pie Recipe uses only the egg yolks and no whites.
Perhaps you would enjoy lemon curd with your angel food cake. This Lemon Curd Recipe uses only yolks.
If you enjoy homemade egg nog, this recipe uses yolks. And even though we often associate egg nog with the Christmas holidays, I enjoy drinking it on any day of the year.
And, of course, there are lots of other recipes using egg yolks. All you have to do is google "what to do with egg yolks" and you'll find lots of ideas. So there's no need to let them go to waste.
If you try this Amish recipe for Angel Food Cake from Scratch, I'd love it if you left a comment and star rating below. Thank you!
📖 Recipe Card
Amish Angel Food Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 - 2 ¼ c. egg whites (about 12 egg whites), room temperature
- 1 ½ tsp. cream of tartar
- 1 c. white sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 ½ c. confectioner's sugar
- 1 c. cake flour (* see notes for substitution)
- 1 tsp. salt
Instructions
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 350°.
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip egg whites and cream of tartar together on medium speed until foamy, about 1 minute.2 - 2 ¼ c. egg whites (about 12 egg whites), room temperature, 1 ½ tsp. cream of tartar
- Switch to medium-high and slowly add the granulated sugar. Whip until soft peaks form. Add the vanilla extract, then beat just until incorporated.1 c. white sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla
- Using a fine-mesh strainer, sift together the powdered sugar, cake flour, and salt.1 ½ c. confectioner's sugar, 1 c. cake flour (* see notes for substitution), 1 tsp. salt
- Bake the cake for about 40 - 45 minutes, until the top looks dry and springs back when lightly touched.
- Remove from the oven and invert the cake pan onto its stilts or a wire rack to cool. (Upside-down so the bottom of the tube pan is right-side up.)
- Once cooled, run a thin knife around the outside and inside edges to loosen the cake. Remove the outside of the pan (if you have a 2-piece pan). Run the knife along the bottom and transfer it onto a large plate.
- If desired, dust with confectioners' sugar. Slice the cake in sawing motion with a sharp serrated knife. Regular knives can easily squish the cake.
Bryan D Thomas
Annas recipes are authentic and flavorful!
Anna
Thank you for your support and kindness!
Anna
I love angel food cake!!