Angel Food Cake Recipe

Last Updated on April 7, 2026 by Lisa Keys

This Angel food cake recipe with a touch of orange is a light and luscious cake. It's quite a wonder as unlike other cakes it contains no fat or leavening. It rises tall as a result of whipped egg whites and can be flavored with any extract or even cocoa powder. The angel food cake pan is a necessary tool. It is a high sided tube pan with feet. Do not grease it.

This cake is simply covered with sweetened whipped cream and filled with a peach compote, but any fruit will do. In fact, strawberry angel food cake is quite popular. Or you can skip the whipped cream and fruit and add a chocolate drip or a simple lemon ganache glaze.

In honor of all those who lost their lives one year ago in the Sandy Hook massacre let's have a moment of silence before we dig into this angel food cake recipe.

Angel Food Cake Recipe

Lisa Keys

This light and luscious angel food cake is adapted from the chef Alton Brown.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 10

Calories 200 kcal

Ingredients

  

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• 1 ¾ cups sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cake flour sifted
• 12 egg whites the closer to room temperature the better
• ⅓ cup warm water
• 1 teaspoon orange extract or extract of your choice
• 1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar
• sweetened whipped cream
• fruit compote

Instructions

 

• Heat oven to 350F. 
• In a food processor spin sugar about 2 minutes until it is superfine. Sift half of the sugar with the salt and cake flour, setting the remaining sugar aside.
• In a large bowl, use a balloon whisk to thoroughly combine egg whites, water, orange extract and cream of tartar. After 2 minutes, switch to a hand mixer.
• Slowly add the reserved sugar, beating continuously at medium speed. Once you have achieved medium peaks, sift enough of the flour mixture in to dust the top of the foam. Using a spatula fold in gently. Continue until all of the flour mixture is incorporated.
• Carefully spoon mixture into an ungreased tube pan. Bake for 35 minutes before checking for doneness with a wooden skewer. (When inserted halfway between the inner and outer wall, the skewer should come out dry).
• Cool upside down on cooling rack for at least an hour before removing from pan.
• Frost with whipped cream and fill center with compote

Notes

I like to serve it smothered in whipped cream with seasonal fruit, but this is optional.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 sliceCalories: 200kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 5gFat: 0.4gSaturated Fat: 0.03gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.02gSodium: 119mgPotassium: 146mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 35gVitamin A: 0.3IUCalcium: 5mgIron: 0.2mg

Keyword angel food, cake, egg whites

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

One last tip: once your cake is cooled place it, top-side-down, on a pretty plate. Whip a cup of heavy cream with a couple of tablespoons of powdered sugar and spread over the cake. Fill the center with your favorite fruit.