Angel Food Cupcakes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to 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.

Angel food cake, or angel cake, is a type of sponge cake made with egg whites, flour, and sugar. A whipping agent, such as cream of tartar, is commonly added. It differs from other cakes because it uses no butter. Its aerated texture comes from whipped egg white.

While you can use a regular cake recipe in an angel food cake pan, it's important to note that the pan is specifically designed for light and airy batters.

But whatever you do, don't try baking angel food cake in a bundt pan. A bundt pan's design is usually too intricate for angel food cakes, which must be cut away from the simple tube pans they're baked in once the cake has cooled.

Angel food cake gets its lift from beaten egg whites. No egg yolks and no butter mean the cake contains no fat. And without the fat, the cake is also lower in calories than say pound cakes, cupcakes or ice cream. A homemade angel food cake isn't difficult to make and tastes far superior to most store-bought varieties.

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.

Angel Cake: Given its fat-free nature, angel cake tends to have fewer calories than many other traditional cakes. The primary source of its calories is sugar and the egg whites. It's a popular choice among those who are mindful of their fat intake or are seeking a slightly "lighter" dessert option.

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.

Angel cake is a light and fluffy dessert that is perfect for any occasion. Baking it in a 9×13 glass pan makes the process even easier, and the result is a beautiful and delicious cake that everyone will love.

You can replicate the pan's interior shape by using a taller, empty drink can, such as one that flavored alcoholic beverages come in. Tightly wrap a piece of parchment paper around the can, cutting the paper to shape (you can use double-sided tape to keep it together).

What can I use if I don't have a tube pan? ›

This simple hack using a cake pan and a ramekin works just as well! Ruhlman says he simply places a glass cup or ramekin in the middle of a cake pan before pouring the batter inside.

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.

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.

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.

Angel food cake is one-of-a-kind, and no other cake recipe matches its super fluffy, airy texture. Though it's a type of sponge cake, it differs from other popular recipes because it's traditionally made using no butter or oil in the batter. Instead, beaten egg whites are the secret to its ultra-light texture.