10 Mistakes Everybody Makes When Baking Angel Food Cake (2024)

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10 Mistakes Everybody Makes When Baking Angel Food Cake (1)

ByAmanda Tarlton and Lisa Kaminski

Updated: May 22, 2024

    Avoid these steps if you want a heavenly angel food cake.

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    10 Mistakes Everybody Makes When Baking Angel Food Cake (12)

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    Substituting Ingredients

    Angel food cake doesn’t require many ingredients. To get the perfect fluffy texture and flavor, you need to follow the exact recipe. That means no swapping cake flour for whole wheat flour or cutting down on eggs.

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    10 Mistakes Everybody Makes When Baking Angel Food Cake (13)

    Taste of Home

    Using Cold Eggs

    The perfect egg temperature for angel food cake is about 60 degrees. Eggs that are too cold won’t whip as well, so take a dozen eggs out of the refrigerator about an hour before you bake.

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    10 Mistakes Everybody Makes When Baking Angel Food Cake (14)

    Not Whipping the Egg Whites Correctly

    Without yeast to act as a leavening agent, an angel food cake relies completely on the egg whites to rise. You want to whip the whites just until they form soft peaks; whipping too much will make the cake chewy and dense. (No good!) By the way, check out these dreamy desserts you can make with angel food cake, too.

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    10 Mistakes Everybody Makes When Baking Angel Food Cake (15)

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    Stirring the Batter

    When you go to dump the dry ingredients into your egg whites, it’s tempting to start stirring, the same way you would with any other cake batter. But instead, fold the flour into the whites, gently turning the mixture over with a rubber spatula.

    New to this technique? Learn how to fold ingredients (it’s easy!).

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    10 Mistakes Everybody Makes When Baking Angel Food Cake (16)

    Greasing the Pan

    Sounds crazy, but it’s true! In order for the angel food cake to rise properly, it needs to be able to cling to the sides of the pan. If your pan is greased, the batter won’t be able to do that.

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    10 Mistakes Everybody Makes When Baking Angel Food Cake (17)via crateandbarrel.com

    Not Using a Special Angel Food Cake Pan

    If you’re serious about angel food cake, you need to invest in the proper mold like this angel food cake pan. Making this cake in a regular cake tin or even a Bundt pan will not yield the same airy results.

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    10 Mistakes Everybody Makes When Baking Angel Food Cake (18)

    Shutterstock/Edith Czech

    Opening the Oven

    We’re all guilty of this one. You want to check on the cake so you open the oven door every couple of minutes… but those changes in temperature can cause your cake to cook unevenly or even collapse. If you’re really tempted to peek while making this chocolate angel cake, use the oven light.

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    10 Mistakes Everybody Makes When Baking Angel Food Cake (19)

    Taste of Home

    Cooling the Cake Right-Side Up

    This step is an absolute must. Every angel food cake has to be cooled upside down in the pan. Why? Until the cake is completely cooled, its spongy structure hasn’t set. Flipping it upside down makes sure it doesn’t collapse during that process.

    Some angel food cake pans have feet so you can just flip the pan over and let it cool. If you have a pan without this feature, fit the hole of the pan over the neck of a bottle.

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    10 Mistakes Everybody Makes When Baking Angel Food Cake (20)

    Using Any Ol’ Knife to Slice the Cake

    While you typically want to use a sharp knife to slice most desserts, you want to try a different tack with angel food cake. To get nice slices of angel cake, grab your bread knife (or a good serrated knife). Use a gentle sawing motion to cut slices of this airy cake. This will help preserve the appearance and texture.

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    10 Mistakes Everybody Makes When Baking Angel Food Cake (21)

    Taste of Home

    Making Plain Cakes

    When it comes to angel food cakes, many of us think of a classic white cake topped with berries or a bit of whipped cream, but really angel food cakes can be so much more! You can fill these cakes with sherbet, chocolate cream or lemon curd. And don’t forget that you can top angel food cakes with frosting and glazes. It’s all up to you!

    Originally Published: April 12, 2021

    Author

    Amanda Tarlton

    As both a freelance food and lifestyle writer and executive editor of commerce for a national fishing, hunting and outdoors magazine, Amanda spends most of her time creating a range of content. In those (rare) moments when she's not at her desk typing furiously, she's likely teaching a hot yoga class, reading the latest chick-lit or baking a batch ...

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    10 Mistakes Everybody Makes When Baking Angel Food Cake (22)

    10 Mistakes Everybody Makes When Baking Angel Food Cake (2024)

    FAQs

    10 Mistakes Everybody Makes When Baking Angel Food Cake? ›

    Egg Whites: The star of the show! They provide all of the leavening for angel food cake. Using only whites (no yolks) gives this cake a super light texture. Be sure to use only fresh eggs; liquid egg whites in a carton have been pasteurized, which can prevent them from whipping into stiff peaks.

    What is the secret to a good angel food cake? ›

    Egg Whites: The star of the show! They provide all of the leavening for angel food cake. Using only whites (no yolks) gives this cake a super light texture. Be sure to use only fresh eggs; liquid egg whites in a carton have been pasteurized, which can prevent them from whipping into stiff peaks.

    What happens when you over mix angel food cake? ›

    In delicate sponge-type cakes (like chiffon or angel food cake) there are two moments for concern. First, when you're whipping the egg foam, and second, when you're incorporating the flour. An overmixed egg foam will be slack, wet, loose, and unable to hold peaks.

    Should you grease a cake pan for angel food cake? ›

    Do not grease the angel food cake tube pan (one in which the center tube is higher than the walls of pan and the bottom is removable.) You want the batter to cling to the side while it is rising. A greased pan will not allow the batter to rise.

    What is the best thing to put on angel food cake? ›

    What to Serve with Angel Food Cake/Topping Ideas. Fresh berries: strawberries, cherries, blueberries, raspberries, etc. Homemade whipped cream (recipe below!) Lemon curd (great use for those leftover egg yolks!)

    How to make angel food cake rise higher? ›

    The egg whites are actually the sole leavening ingredient providing all the cake's rise. Use freshly separated eggs because they aerate the best. Carton egg whites or egg whites that have been frozen won't expand as much during the whipping process, which will negatively affect the rise of your cake.

    Can you use a 9x13 pan for angel food cake? ›

    Angel cake is a light and fluffy dessert that is perfect for any occasion. Whether you are hosting a party or simply craving a sweet treat, baking an angel cake in a 9×13 pan is a great way to enjoy this classic dessert.

    Can you put parchment paper on the bottom of an angel food cake pan? ›

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line bottom of an angel food pan with parchment paper but do not grease the pan.

    Do you have to use a bundt pan for angel food cake? ›

    Recipes that specifically call for a tube pan and use whipped egg whites for a light and fluffy batter should not be baked in a Bundt pan. The cake may not rise properly, and an airy angel food or chiffon cake will stick in the intricate crevices of the pan, resulting in a messy-looking cake when you remove it.

    How to tell if angel food cake is done? ›

    An angel food cake is finished baking when the cake is golden brown and it springs back when touched. If the cake stays pressed when you touch it, it isn't finished baking and needs a few more minutes.

    Why do you cook angel food cake upside down? ›

    Every angel food cake has to be cooled upside down in the pan. Why? Until the cake is completely cooled, its spongy structure hasn't set. Flipping it upside down makes sure it doesn't collapse during that process.

    How to improve angel food cake mix? ›

    Give your boxed angel food cake mix a summery twist by adding a can of crushed pineapple to it. Gently fold it into the whisked batter, careful not to deflate the mixture. If you over-whisk it, the cake will turn out chewy and dense.

    Why did my angel food cake come out dense? ›

    Not Whipping the Egg Whites Correctly

    Without yeast to act as a leavening agent, an angel food cake relies completely on the egg whites to rise. You want to whip the whites just until they form soft peaks; whipping too much will make the cake chewy and dense.

    What makes angel food cake taste different? ›

    The softer wheat and the lack of fat cause angel food cake to have a very light texture and taste. Angel food cake should be cut with a serrated blade, as a straight-edged blade tends to compress the cake rather than slice it.

    Why doesn t my angel food cake rise? ›

    A small bit of moisture or egg yolk mixed in with the egg whites, a particularly humid day, or repeatedly opening your oven can also cause the cake to not rise. Over-mixing the batter once you've added the flour is another likely culprit, mix until just combined.

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