Desserts / Cakes & cheesecakes
Angel Food Cake
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Sift three times, whip to soft peaks, and cool it upside down. It's a patient kind of love, and the cake that comes out is tall, tender and light as a held breath.
The short version
Sift the flour and sugar three times, whip the egg whites with cream of tartar to soft, glossy peaks while adding the rest of the sugar, fold in the flour in four parts, and bake in an ungreased tube pan at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool upside down.
What makes ours better
why ours wins the argument at dinner
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Sift the flour and sugar three times. Sifting that many times breaks up lumps and mixes in air, so the flour folds in lightly and doesn't deflate the foam. It's the step that makes the crumb tender.
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Stop at soft, glossy peaks. Whites beaten stiff and dry crack and collapse in the oven, and they can't stretch. Peaks that bend at the tip give the batter room to rise.
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Use cream of tartar and a splash of almond extract. The cream of tartar steadies the foam so it doesn't weep, and a quarter teaspoon of almond turns plain vanilla into a bakery-shop flavor.
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Cool it upside down. The cake sets while hanging, which stops it from shrinking back on itself. It's the difference between tall and flat.
What you need
the stars of the show
- Cake flour1 cup
- Granulated sugar¾ cup
- Egg whites11 large
- Vanilla extract1 teaspoon
Dry
Whites
read it twice. buy it once.
Steps
apron on. phone down. mostly.
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Set up the pan and oven
Set a rack in the lower third and heat the oven to 350°F. Have a clean, dry, ungreased 10-inch tube pan ready. Wipe the mixing bowl and whisk with a paper towel and a little vinegar to remove any grease.
Do not grease the pan. The batter has to cling to the sides to climb.
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Sift the dry mixture
Sift the flour, ¾ cup sugar and salt together three times onto a sheet of parchment or into a bowl. Set aside.
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Start the whites
In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the whites, water, cream of tartar and extracts on low for 1 minute, then on medium-high for 3 to 5 minutes. The whites should grow to 4 or 5 times their volume and look like soft, moist foam.
About 4 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Add the sugar
With the mixer on medium-high, add the remaining ¾ cup sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, taking 2 to 3 minutes. Stop when the foam is creamy white and holds soft, glossy peaks that bend at the tip.
Don't beat until stiff. Stiff whites are harder to fold and the cake will crack and tear.
About 3 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Fold in the flour
Move the foam to a wide bowl if yours is nearly full. Sift one-quarter of the flour mixture over the whites and fold gently with a large spatula, cutting down through the center and turning the bowl, until almost no flour shows. Repeat three more times, folding until no streaks remain.
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Fill and bake
Scrape the batter into the pan and run a knife gently through it to pop big air bubbles. Level the top. Bake until golden, the top springs back when touched, and a skewer comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
About 38 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Cool upside down
Right away, flip the pan onto its feet or slide the tube over a bottle neck so the cake hangs. Cool completely, at least 1½ hours.
About 90 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Release and slice
Run a thin knife around the edge and the center tube. Lift out the cake and slide a knife under the bottom. Invert it onto a platter. Slice with a serrated knife using a gentle sawing motion.
Good to know
the stuff I’d tell you over the phone
- Separate eggs while cold, since they're easier to separate, then let the whites sit for 30 minutes to reach cool room temperature before whipping. Any speck of yolk will stop the whites from rising.
- No cake flour? For 1 cup, use 1 cup of all-purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons, plus 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, and sift together.
- Use a two-piece tube pan with a removable bottom. Nonstick pans don't give the batter anything to grip.
- Serve with berries and homemade whipped cream, or a spoonful of lemon curd.
- Storage. Cover and keep at room temperature for 2 days. Freeze wrapped slices for up to 2 months and thaw at room temperature.
Questions, answered
asked and answered at the kitchen counter
Why did my angel food cake fall?
The usual causes are underbaking, overbeating the whites until stiff, or not cooling the cake upside down. Check that the top springs back and a skewer comes out clean before you pull it.
Do I need cream of tartar?
It helps the foam stay stable, so use it if you can. If you're out, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or white vinegar does the same job.
Why can't I grease the pan?
Grease makes the batter slide down the sides, so it can't rise. An ungreased pan gives the cake something to climb.
What do I do with the leftover egg yolks?
Make a custard, curd or ice cream. They freeze well for up to 3 months in a covered container with a pinch of sugar.
Can I bake angel food cake in a different pan?
A loaf pan or Bundt pan can work with changed times, but a tube pan gives the best rise. Go by the cake's spring and the skewer.
From the table
Made it? Tell me how it went, and who went back for seconds when they thought nobody was looking.
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Published October 29, 2026.