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How to make an angel food cake

An American classic, the light and airy cake is made by sifting flour into a meringue mixture. The cake is virtually fat-free, resulting in a bake that is truly heavenly. Find out how to make this divine cake with our easy step-by-step angel food cake recipe. You will need an angel food cake tin to make this sweet treat.

  1. Make the meringue

    Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C. Sift together 115g plain flour and ¼ tsp salt in a bowl and set aside. In the bowl of a mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk 12 large egg whites until frothy, then add 1 tsp cream of tartar. Once the egg whites have formed soft peaks, gradually add in 280g caster sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until you have stiff, glossy peaks. Now add 1 tsp vanilla extract and the juice of 1 lemon and whisk again for 30 seconds.

    Make the meringue
  2. Fold in the flour

    Transfer the meringue to a large bowl. Sift the flour and salt mix, a third at a time, into the meringue and fold in. Act quickly to avoid the mixture deflating too much.

    Fold in the flour
  3. Bake

    Once the flour is mixed through, spoon the mixture into an ungreased, unlined angel cake tin. Smooth the mixture around the tin, then gently drag a palette knife through the batter to release any large air pockets. Smooth the top. Place in the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until browned on top. The mixture should spring back when pressed.

    Bake
  4. Allow to rest

    Once the cake is cooked, transfer to a board and carefully turn the tin upside down so it rests on its feet. (This will stop the cake from sinking.) Leave to cool for 1 hour. Once set, run a knife around the edges of the tin to gently release the cake.

    Allow to rest
  5. Serve and enjoy

    This cake can be served in large slices, warm or at room temperature, with whipped cream and berries. Make sure you slice it with a sharp, serrated knife to avoid squashing the delicate texture.

  6. Ingredients

    We've made a handy shopping list so you can get everything you need to make this impressive angel food cake. Don't forget to screenshot before you go shopping!

    115g plain flour
    ¼ tsp salt
    12 large egg whites
    1 tsp cream of tartar
    280g caster sugar
    1 tsp vanilla extract
    1 lemon, juiced

    Serves 10

    Each serving contains

    • Energy

      730kj
      172kcal
      9%
    • Fat

      0g 0%
    • Saturates

      0g 0%
    • Sugars

      30g 33%
    • Salt

      0.3g 6%

    of the reference intake
    Carbohydrate 38.5g Protein 6.3g Fibre 0.5g