Angel Food Cake

Angel food cake is a type of white cake made without leavening or fats. Instead, it gets its signature soft, airy texture and rise from cake flour and whipped egg whites, like my chiffon cake. And it just so happens that homemade angel food cake is the perfect resting place for my latest obsession: Delicious wine-macerated berries and whipped cream.

I chose a bottle of Barefoot Riesling for this recipe. This slightly sweet, crisp white wine pairs amazingly with the fresh berries and moist cake. Of course, if you prefer an alcohol-free version, you could easily macerate the berries with only sugar. Or, just load them on top of the finished cake as is.

My grandmother’s trick for cooling an angel food cake is to place the whole tube pan upside down on a tall glass bottle, which prevents the cake from collapsing. The empty Riesling bottle worked perfectly for this!

Ingredients Needed

This spin on traditional angel food cake with berries is super simple, with just a few pantry ingredients. See the recipe card below for the full list with measurements.

• Berries – I like to use a mix of fresh strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. If you’re using frozen berries, thaw them and pat them dry with paper towels before you soak them. Other fruits, like blackberries, cherries, peaches, or pears, would also work in this recipe.
• Sugar – Granulated sugar works best for breaking down (i.e., macerating) the fruit.
• White Wine – I like Barefoot Riesling, a refreshingly sweet California white, perfect with the fresh summer berries. Muscato, Pinot Grigio, or Chardonnay are also great white wine options. You could also use red wine or rosé.
• Cake Flour – Cake flour yields a lighter cake with a tighter crumb than a cake made with all-purpose flour.
• Egg Whites – Egg whites add structure and lift to an angel food cake, in place of the baking soda and fats found in traditional cake recipes.
• Flavoring Extract – I use a combination of vanilla extract and almond extract. If you don’t have almond extract, you can add more vanilla or leave it out.
• Cream of Tartar – One last key ingredient to the signature tight, airy crumb in an angel food cake.

Cake Flour vs. All-Purpose Flour in Angel Food Cake

The main difference between all-purpose and cake flour comes down to protein content. Cake flour is low-protein (7-9%), which means less gluten and a lighter, more tender angel food cake. All-purpose flour (10-12%) results in a heavier, more structured crumb, like a classic vanilla cake.

If you use all-purpose flour in this angel food cake recipe, you can make a homemade cake flour substitute by removing 2 tablespoons per cup and adding cornstarch.

Macerating the Berries in Wine

Soaking the fruit in wine with sugar helps it break down and release its juices, while absorbing all the flavors. You can macerate the berries up to 24 hours ahead:

• Add your berries to a bowl. Sprinkle over a few pinches of sugar and pour in the wine. 
• Chill. Give that a stir, and refrigerate the berries in their pool of Riesling for at least 3 hours. This gives them enough time to release their juices and soak up the flavor.

Prefer the Berries Without Alcohol?

To macerate the berries without the wine, simply toss them with the sugar, cover, and refrigerate as directed. I suggest increasing the sugar to ¼ cup in this case (see the topping on my strawberry icebox cake for details). Drain off the excess juices before adding the berries to the cake.

How to Make Angel Food Cake

While the berries macerate in the fridge, follow the steps to bake this easy homemade angel food cake recipe.

1. Mix the dry ingredients. First, whisk the flour with ¾ cup of sugar. Set this bowl aside.
2. Beat the egg whites. Meanwhile, combine the egg whites, salt, and flavoring extracts with cream of tartar in a clean metal or glass bowl. Beat on medium-high speed until the whites are stiff and glossy.
3. Combine. Slowly add another ¾ cup of sugar, then fold in the bowl of dry ingredients.
4. Bake the cake. Spoon the batter into a tube pan or angel food cake pan. Bake at 325ºF for 40-45 minutes until the cake is brown on top and a little crackly.
5. Cool. Now, take the cake out of the oven. If you’ve baked in a tube pan, invert the pan over a tall heat-proof bottle (like your wine bottle!) and leave it to cool for at least an hour. You could also place the cake upside down on a wire rack. 
6. Remove the cake and serve. Once cooled, run a knife around the edges and remove the cake from the pan. When you’re ready to serve, drain the berries and add them on top of the cake. Finish with a swirl of whipped cream, and enjoy!

Don’t Grease the Pan

Since angel food cake relies solely on whipped egg whites for structure, it needs dry, ungreased sides to rise properly. If you grease the pan, the batter won’t have anything to grip to, resulting in a dense, deflated cake.

This may sound counterintuitive, due to all the greasing that goes on when preparing, say, a pound cake. But resist. I recommend baking this angel food cake in a 10-cup tube pan or an angel food loaf pan with a removable bottom for best results. Make sure it’s clean and grease-free.

Expert Tips for Perfect Angel Food Cake

• Separating the eggs: To make separating the eggs easier, start with cold eggs. Crack them one at a time over one bowl, and then add the separated whites to another bowl. This way, if a bit of yolk gets into the whites, you won’t ruin the whole batch.
• Use the right bowl. Whip the egg whites in a metal or glass mixing bowl. Plastic bowls hold onto grease, which can affect the texture. I also recommend wiping out your bowl with white vinegar and then drying it to ensure it’s free from any residual grease. 
• Cool upside down. This keeps the light cake from collapsing. Leave it to cool upside down for at least an hour before removing the cake from the pan.
• Releasing the cake: Run a butter knife gently around the outside edge as well as the center tube to release the cake.

Storage

• Store without the berries. Whenever possible, store the angel food cake separately from the berry topping. This is also the best way to prepare this recipe ahead. Keep the cake covered at room temperature, and the berries airtight in the fridge until it’s time to serve. If you’ve already added the berries, store the covered cake in the fridge, but keep in mind that the topping will make the cake soggy over time.
• Freeze the cake. You can freeze the cooled angel food cake before adding the topping. Wrap it tightly in two layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw the cake at room temperature before straining and adding the berries.

More Easy Cake Recipes

• Red Wine Cake
• Copycat Butter Cake
• Easy Sponge Cake
• Lemon Pound Cake
• Yellow Sour Cream Cake
• Italian Cream Cake