Alton Brown Angel Food Cake Recipe

Alton Brown Angel Food Cake Recipe is made with sugar, cake flour, egg whites, orange extract, cream of tartar, and warm water. This recipe creates a light, airy, and delicately sweet angel food cake. It takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes to prepare and serves 10 to 12.

Alton Brown Angel Food Cake Recipe Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cake flour, sifted
• 12 egg whites (the closer to room temperature the better)
• 1/3 cup warm water
• 1 teaspoon orange extract, or extract of your choice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

How To Make Alton Brown Angel Food Cake Recipe

1. Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 350°F.
2. Process the Sugar: Spin the sugar in a food processor for about 2 minutes until it becomes superfine.
3. Sift Dry Ingredients: Sift half of the sugar with the salt and cake flour; set the remaining sugar aside.
4. Whisk the Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the egg whites, warm water, orange extract, and cream of tartar until frothy.
5. Beat to Medium Peaks: Switch to a hand mixer, slowly add the reserved sugar, and beat at medium speed until medium peaks form.
6. Fold in Flour: Sift in a portion of the flour mixture over the foam and fold in gently with a spatula. Continue until all flour is incorporated.
7. Transfer to Pan: Spoon the batter into an ungreased tube pan.
8. Bake the Cake: Bake for 35 minutes. Check doneness with a wooden skewer inserted halfway between the center and the wall; it should come out dry.
9. Cool Upside Down: Cool the cake upside down on a rack for at least 1 hour before removing from the pan.

Recipe Tips

• Use Room-Temperature Egg Whites: Warmer whites whip better and create more volume.
• Process Sugar for Fineness: Superfine sugar dissolves more easily and gives a better texture.
• Don’t Grease the Pan: The batter needs to cling to the pan walls to rise properly.
• Fold Gently: Preserve the air in the egg whites for a light, airy cake.
• Cool Upside Down: Prevents the cake from collapsing as it cools.

What To Serve With Angel Food Cake

This angel food cake pairs beautifully with fresh berries, whipped cream, citrus curd, chocolate ganache, or a light fruit compote. It’s also excellent with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of honey.

How To Store Angel Food Cake

Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Refrigerate: Wrap well and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Freeze: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

Angel Food Cake Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 120
• Total Fat: 0g
• Saturated Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 26g
• Sugar: 21g
• Protein: 4g
• Sodium: 60mg

FAQs

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour?
Cake flour is preferred for a softer texture, but you can make a substitute by replacing 2 tablespoons of every cup of all-purpose flour with cornstarch.

Why is the pan ungreased?
Ungreased pans allow the batter to cling and rise properly during baking.

Can I flavor the cake with something other than orange extract?
Yes, vanilla, almond, or lemon extracts are great alternatives.

What does cream of tartar do?
It stabilizes the egg whites and helps the cake maintain its structure.

How do I remove the cake from the pan?
Run a thin knife around the edges and the center tube after it’s completely cooled to release the cake.

Try More Recipes:

• Alton Brown American Buttercream Recipe
• Alton Brown Ambrosia Recipe
• Alton Brown 7 Minute Frosting Recipe