Cooking and Serving: 55 minutes | 8 slices angel food cake
Ingredients
Nicole’s Recipe Notes | How to make gluten free angel food cake | Ingredient substitutions
Description
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 55 minutes | Servings: 8 slices angel food cake
Ingredients
Nicole’s Recipe Notes
How to make gluten free angel food cake
Expert tips
Ingredient substitutions
Notes
* How to make gluten free angel food cake
* Ingredient substitutions
* Gluten Free Angel Food Cake Recipe
* Storage Instructions
“Angel food cake is my all time favorite cake/dessert. And the one thing I’ve
missed most since my celiac diagnosis. I’m not a good cook and was a little
nervous to try this recipe. Let me tell you, it turned out PERFECT! The cake was
gorgeous and even better tasting than gluten cakes!”
* Texture: Light as air with a delightfully cloud-like inside that melts in
your mouth. Impossibly light and spongy but never dry, angel food cake is
made for warm weather weekends.
* Flavor: Lightly sweet, slightly tangy with a vanilla or almond flavor.
* Simple: Made of egg whites, gf flour, confectioners’ sugar and salt. Unlike a
classic gluten free vanilla cake
doesn’t have whole eggs, buttermilk, butter, or even baking powder or baking
* Versatile: Cube it, and serve it as a parfait. Slice it thick, and serve with
fresh berries and cream, as it doesn’t get weighed down and soggy very
ingredients for gluten free angel food cake in small bowls with black block
letters spelling name of each ingredient
for gluten free angel food cake in small bowls with black block letters spelling
name of each ingredient
* Gluten free flour blend: Any well-balanced gluten free flour blend with
finely ground rice flours should work to make a proper cake. Be sure you add
xanthan gum if your blend doesn’t already contain it.
* Cornstarch: Add to the flour to soften the crumb of the cake.
* Confectioners’ sugar: Sweetens the cake, makes the crumb tender, and helps
support the whipped egg whites.
* Salt: Balances sweetness and brightens the other flavors.
* Egg whites: Whipped pure egg whites form into a stable foam that provides
much of the cake’s structure. Make sure there’s no yolk in the whites, or
* Warm water: Loosens the egg whites during whipping.
* Cream of tartar: Helps stabilize the whipped egg whites so they don’t
collapse during baking.
* Vanilla or almond extract: Adds depth of flavor.
Overhead image of 7 slices of light brown crusted gluten free angel food cake on
image of 7 slices of light brown crusted gluten free angel food cake on a white
HOW TO MAKE GLUTEN FREE ANGEL FOOD CAKE
Angel food cake batter has 2 parts, the flour blend part, and the egg white
part. Half of the confectioners’ sugar gets paired with the flour blend part,
and the other half with the egg whites. Full instructions are in the recipe card
below, along with a how-to video.
Sift the gluten free flour blend and cornstarch twice, add half the
confectioners’ sugar and sift everything 2 times more for a total of 4 siftings.
Sift onto parchment paper, then use the paper to transfer the mixture back and
forth to the sifter, before finally sifting into a bowl. Whisk in the salt.
hand holding round metal mesh sieve with white flour over brown sheet of
holding round metal mesh sieve with white flour over brown sheet of parchment
flour being transferred from brown paper folded in half into round metal mesh
sieve on top of another sheet of brown paper
being transferred from brown paper folded in half into round metal mesh sieve on
top of another sheet of brown paper
hand holding round metal mesh sieve with white flour over round metal mixing
holding round metal mesh sieve with white flour over round metal mixing bowl
hand holding small blue bowl with salt over metal mixing bowl with flour
holding small blue bowl with salt over metal mixing bowl with flour
Whip the egg whites with some water, cream of tartar and vanilla or almond
extract until the whites begin to bubble. Add the other half of the
confectioners’ sugar and whip until the whites hold stiff peaks, about 3
white stand mixer with round metal mixing bowl with egg whites and cream of
stand mixer with round metal mixing bowl with egg whites and cream of tartar
same mixing bowl with egg whites beaten into a froth
mixing bowl with egg whites beaten into a froth
hand holding metal mixing spoon with white flour mixture next to white stand
mixer beating egg whites
holding metal mixing spoon with white flour mixture next to white stand mixer
white raw meringue in mixing bowl with stiff peaks of meringue on wire whisk
raw meringue in mixing bowl with stiff peaks of meringue on wire whisk
Carefully fold the sifted dry ingredients about 1 cup at a time into the whipped
egg whites pan will be nearly full. Run a butter knife carefully through the batter to
break any too-large air bubbles.
same mixing bowl with white flour mixture being folded into white meringue with
white silicone spatula with black handle
mixing bowl with white flour mixture being folded into white meringue with white
silicone spatula with black handle
white soft angel food cake batter in black metal tube pan with hand holding
soft angel food cake batter in black metal tube pan with hand holding knife in
Place the pan in the center of a 350°F oven, and bake for about 35 minutes or
until the top is firm and a tester comes out with no more than a few crumbs.
Invert the cake pan onto the feet of your tube pan (on or off a wire rack for
more air circulation). Allow the cake to cool completely.
Reinvert the cake pan, and run a straight edge along the perimeter of the pan
and around the neck of the center column. Remove the sides of the pan and turn
the cake back over onto a wire rack or cake stand. Run a straight edge between
the bottom of the pan and the cake, and remove the rest of the pan.
light brown baked angel food cake in tube pan on gold colored wire rack
brown baked angel food cake in tube pan on gold colored wire rack
dark gray tube pan overturned on gold colored wire rack
gray tube pan overturned on gold colored wire rack
fingers lifting bottom of tube pan out of browned angel food cake on wire rack
lifting bottom of tube pan out of browned angel food cake on wire rack
whole golden brown angel food cake on gold colored wire rack
golden brown angel food cake on gold colored wire rack
tube pan shaped gluten free angel food cake with light brown crust with slice
out of it on white serving plate on brown wood surface
pan shaped gluten free angel food cake with light brown crust with slice out of
it on white serving plate on brown wood surface
SEPARATE EGGS INDIVIDUALLY
If you separate each egg into a bowl of collected egg whites and any yolk gets
added, all of the whites are contaminated and will not whip. Instead, separate
each egg into a small bowl individually, then pour the white into a bowl with
the other pure egg whites. If you break a yolk during separating, use that egg
for another purpose, and use another clean small bowl to separate the next one.
I know it seems like a lot to sift the dry ingredients 4 separate times, but
without sifting these dry ingredients, they won’t be airy enough and will almost
certainly have unpleasant clumps that may cause the cake to collapse.
The cake batter needs to be able to “grip” the nonstick pan a bit as it cooks,
or it will fall during and after baking. That’s why every angel food cake is
made in an ungreased nonstick pan, but has a slightly uneven crust where it was
forced to separate from the pan.
COOL ELEVATED AND UPSIDE DOWN
Angel food cake must be cooled in the pan, upside down in a way that allows air
to circulate both above and below. If your tube pan has 3 or 4 little feet that
extend just beyond the lip of the pan, they will keep the pan elevated off the
surface. If your pan doesn’t have feet, invert the pan over the neck of a long
neck bottle fitted into the hole in the tube pan.
RELEASE THE COOLED CAKE
Once the cake has cooled, run a plastic knife or spatula between the pan and the
cake, then separate it from the sides and the neck of the pan. If you skip this
step, your cake may stick to the edges of the pan and tear.
USE A 2-PART TUBE PAN
The best tube pan comes in two nonstick parts that fit together loosely: one
part is the sides, with a hole in the bottom. The other part is the center
column and bottom of the pan. The tall, nonstick but ungreased sides support the
cake batter as it bakes. Since the coating on nonstick pans doesn’t last and you
can’t grease this pan, I buy an inexpensive 2-piece nonstick tube pan
IF YOU DON’T HAVE A TUBE PAN
You can make this cake even without the “perfect” pan. A bundt pan won’t work,
but you can divide the batter between two high-sided nonstick loaf pans. Start
checking for doneness after 20 minutes.
You’ll need to cool your angel food cake upside down on top of a wire rack,
which won’t elevate the cake as much as it should. You may have a harder time
getting the cake out of the pan, but it shouldn’t be impossible.
INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS
You may be able to use aquafaba in place of egg whites here. Aquafaba is the
brine in a can of unsalted garbanzo beans or chickpeas, and it can be whipped to
soft peaks much like egg whites can. I recommend adding some cream of tartar
and/or fresh lemon juice to the mixture to help stabilize the mixture.
In place of cornstarch, you can use arrowroot or potato starch. If you can’t
have corn, be sure to use a confectioners’ sugar that is corn-free.
If you don’t have cream of tartar, it’s a really useful ingredient and it’s
available in most grocery stores. You can replace it with freshly squeezed lemon
juice or white vinegar, both of which will add some flavor. Reduce the water you
use in the egg whites
Overhead image of 2 white plates with gluten free angel food cake slice berries
and cream one with a fork and extra berries
image of 2 white plates with gluten free angel food cake slice berries and cream
one with a fork and extra berries
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GLUTEN FREE ANGEL FOOD CAKE RECIPE
Prep Time: 20 minutes mins
Cook Time: 35 minutes mins
Resting time: 1 hour hr
Yield: 8 slices angel food cake
slice of gluten free angel food cake with berries and cream on small white plate
of gluten free angel food cake with berries and cream on small white plate
This light, fluffy gluten free angel food cake is made with plenty of egg whites
for the perfect texture. Includes expert tips and ideas for using up the yolks.
* 10-inch cast aluminum nonstick tube pan
* Fine mesh sieve for sifting
* Stand mixer with whisk attachment or handheld mixer
* ¾ cup (105 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend
* ¼ cup (36) cornstarch
* ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum, omit if your flour blend already contains it;
otherwise, use a heaping 1/4 teaspoon
* 1½ cups (173 g) confectioner’s sugar, (divided into two equal parts)
* ½ teaspoon kosher salt
* 1 ¾ cups (430 g) egg whites, (whites of about 12 eggs), at room temperature
* ⅓ cup (2 ⅔ fluid ounces) warm water
* 1½ teaspoons cream of tartar
* ¼ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
* Berries and whipped cream, for serving (optional)
PREHEAT AND PREPARE THE PANF
* Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Set a 10-inch nonstick tube pan aside —
preferably a two-piece pan with a removable bottom and center column. Do not
grease or line the pan.
SIFT THE DRY INGREDIENTS
* Sifting is essential to ensure a light, airy cake. You will sift the flour
blend, xanthan gum, and cornstarch twice, then add half the confectioners’
sugar and sift twice more — a total of four siftings.
* Place the flour, xanthan gum, and cornstarch in a fine mesh sieve. Sift onto
a piece of parchment paper.
* Shake the sifted mixture off the parchment back into the sieve, then sift
onto a second piece of parchment.
* Add half the confectioners’ sugar (¾ cup) to the sieve and sift the mixture
onto parchment again.
* Transfer the mixture from the parchment back into the sieve and sift one last
* Whisk in the salt to combine. Sift the flour blend, xanthan gum, and
MAKE THE EGG WHITE MERINGUE
* In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or a large bowl
if using a handheld mixer), beat the egg whites, warm water, cream of tartar,
and vanilla or almond extract until foamy (about 30 seconds).
* With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the remaining half of the
confectioners’ sugar (¾ cup) in 3–4 batches. Once all the sugar is added,
increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture becomes fluffy
and foamy (about 3 minutes).
* Increase the mixer speed to high and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form,
about 3 more minutes. Avoid overbeating, which can dry out the meringue. If
that happens, add a drop more egg white to restore smoothness.
* The beaters should leave clear trails in the meringue, which now holds its
ASSEMBLE THE CAKE BATTER
* Add the sifted flour mixture to the meringue in 4 batches, gently folding
with a silicone spatula after each addition. Be careful not to deflate the
meringue — the batter should remain light and fluffy but stable.
* Transfer the batter carefully to the ungreased tube pan. Run a butter knife
or offset spatula through the batter in a figure-8 motion to release any
trapped air pockets. Lightly smooth the surface with a spatula. The pan will
* Place the pan in the center of the preheated oven. Bake until a cake tester
inserted near the center comes out clean, the top is lightly browned, and the
cake springs back when gently pressed, about 35 minutes. Avoid overbaking.
* Invert the pan over a long-neck bottle or the pan’s legs (if it has them) and
let it cool for at least 1 hour or until completely cool to the touch. This
prevents the cake from collapsing.
* Once cooled, run a plastic butter knife or offset spatula around the edges to
loosen the cake. If your pan has removable sides, gently lift the cake out by
pressing up on the bottom piece. Use a non-metal straight edge to separate
the cake from the bottom if needed.
* Place a wire rack on top of the cake and invert both rack and cake together.
Remove the pan bottom, and allow the cake to cool to room temperature.
* Slice the cake with a large serrated knife using a single-direction motion
(don’t saw back and forth). Serve with berries and whipped cream if desired.
My favorite gluten free flour blends for this recipe are Better Batter’s
Original Blend and Nicole’s Best Multipurpose Blend. Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1
Gluten Free Baking Flour also works well but requires adding an extra ¼ teaspoon
xanthan gum to prevent crumbliness.
Cup4Cup recently changed its formula and doesn’t perform as well for this cake,
so I don’t recommend it. For homemade blends, see my all-purpose gluten free
Nutrition information.
Approximate nutrition information is for the cake only, per slice, without
toppings, assuming the whole cake is sliced into 8 equal pieces.
| Potassium: 180mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.4g | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an
A close up of a slice of white airy cake with whip cream and strawberries on
close up of a slice of white airy cake with whip cream and strawberries on white
You can wrap the cooled cake or leftover slices tightly in plastic wrap and
store them at room temperature in a cool, dry place for up to 2 days.
Avoid storing the cake with toppings like whipped cream or fruit, as these will
affect texture over time.
For longer storage, wrap the whole cake or individual slices tightly in
freezer-safe wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature
Do I really have to sift the dry ingredients 4 times?
Yes! Although sifting can be tedious, it’s crucial here. Sifting aerates the
flour mixture and removes clumps, helping it incorporate seamlessly into the
whipped egg whites, which is key for a light, fluffy cake.
Can I use egg whites in a carton?
Carton egg whites are pasteurized, which changes their protein structure and
reduces their ability to whip into stable peaks. You can try substituting up to
one-third of the egg whites with carton whites, but fresh egg whites yield the
best rise and texture.
Why did my cake sink as it cooled?
This usually happens when the cake is underbaked and doesn’t have enough
internal structure to support itself as steam escapes. It can also be caused by
an oven that’s too hot, which cooks the outside too quickly before the inside
sets. Use an oven thermometer and test doneness with a cake tester as described.
How can I use up leftover egg yolks?
Since this recipe requires about 12 egg whites, you’ll have plenty of yolks left
over! Here are some delicious ways to use them:
– Gluten free egg noodles
– Gluten free Swedish meatballs
– Custard in a gluten free trifle
egg yolks; you can use leftover angel food cake instead of gluten free pound
– Creamy gluten free key lime pie
side view of slices of angel food cake with whipped cream and berries on top
view of slices of angel food cake with whipped cream and berries on top
Words gluten free angel food cake on image of slice of white cake on small white
plate with berries and cream
gluten free angel food cake on image of slice of white cake on small white plate
with berries and cream
Gluten Free Angel Food Cake Step [‘
Free Angel Food Cake Step