This Angel Food Cake with Lemon Curd is light, fluffy, and made with just 6 ingredients. Its’ an old-fashioned cake baked in a tube pan, which allows the batter to rise into a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth cake that feels almost weightless. Its subtle sweetness and golden crust make it the ideal base for topping with ripe berries, velvety lemon curd, or a dollop of whipped cream.
Southern Angel Food Cake Recipe with Homemade Lemon Curd
There’s nothing more Southern than an angel food cake. It’s a little finicky, but once you nail the technique, you’re good to go. My mother-in-law could make it blindfolded and I’ve included all of her tips!
Angel food cake is different from other cakes as it doesn’t contain any leavening agents or fat. The secret is whipping egg whites and folding them into the batter to form a light and airy texture, and then placing the batter into an un-greased pan, which is very different from traditional cake.
Another unique feature is that you cool an angel food cake upside down.
To make the cake, you’ll sift the flour and powdered sugar. Then, you’ll whip the egg whites and fold them into the flour mixture.
Next, you’ll pour the batter into a smooth tube pan with a removable bottom, not a bundt pan. I highly recommend an angel food cake pan as it has feet on the edge, which are used to invert the pan. If you don’t have one, you will need to invert it so it hangs upside down, which helps the cake to expand and become super fluffy. (You can use a 2 liter coke bottle or a wine bottle)
Serve it with a thick layer of homeamde lemon curd on top, fresh blueberries, or peaches for a simple, light dessert.
Here’s Why You Need to Try It
- It’s light and airy: The whipped egg whites give this angel food cake recipe a light and airy texture, perfect for those who prefer less decadent desserts.
- Simple: Angel food cake is a simple cake with basic pantry staples that you probably already have in your kitchen, you will need a dozen eggs.
- Versatile: Pair this cake with whatever toppings you like, or keep it plain. It’s up to you. Save any leftover cake for a trifle.
Nana’s Tips For a Perfect Angel Food Cake
- Room temperature: Make sure the egg whites are at room temperature so they whip easily. This adds more air to the whites, so they become fluffy.
- Grease: It is critical that you don’t grease the pan. The egg whites need to cling to the side of the pan to form an airy texture, and it can’t do so if it has been greased.
- Egg whites: Separate the egg whites from the yolks when they’re cold to make separation easier. Avoid using carton egg whites as they may not rise as well.
- Add extracts: Adding coconut, lemon, orange, or almond extract is a great way to ramp up the flavor of this cake.
- Pan: If your pan doesn’t have feet, you will need to use a wine bottle or other large bottle inserted into the hole of the pan to invert it. The cake needs to be cooled upside down, or it will deflate.
- Deflate: To prevent the cake from deflating, avoid opening the oven door while the cake bakes and cooling the cake right side up.
- Garnish: Garnish with whipped cream, powdered sugar, fresh berries, or lemon curd! However, don’t add the toppings until right before serving so the cake doesn’t get soggy.
What You Need to make this Lighter than Air Cake
Here are a few of the Ingredients you’ll need, get the full list in the Recipe Card below.
- Egg whites: These are whipped, giving the cake a light and fluffy texture, you’ll need an entire dozen. Save the egg yolks for lemon curd.
- Cream of tartar: This helps stabilize the egg whites to prevent them from deflating.
- Lemons: You’ll need a cup of lemon juice which will take about 5-6 lemons. To get the most juice out of the lemons, start with them at room temperature and roll them on the counter pushing the lemons with the palm of your hand to release the juice.
Instructions to Make Angel Food Cake
Step One: Prep the Ingredients
Sift together the flour and powdered sugar, then set them aside. This helps avoid clumps when folding them into the egg whites later.
Step Two: Whip the Egg Whites
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until they start to foam. Gradually add sugar and continue beating until soft peaks form.
Step Three: Fold in the Dry Ingredients
Gently fold the flour mixture into the whipped egg whites with a spatula, doing it in small batches, so it combines without deflating the batter.
Step Four: Bake
Transfer the batter into an ungreased tube pan, smoothing it out and removing any large air bubbles. Bake in the oven until the cake is golden and springs back when touched.
Step Five: Cool the Cake
Once the cake is done, invert the pan immediately and let it cool upside down, don’t worry, it won’t fall out! Once cooled, run a knife around the edges to release it from the pan and serve.
Step Six: Make the lemon curd
Whisk eggs and egg yolks with sugar and add lemon juice. Then place over low heat and whisk until it thickens. Add butter and let it refrigerate to thicken further.
Find more tips and process shots for making an easy lemon curd.
Storage
Place the cooled cake in an airtight container and keep it on the counter for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend refrigerating the cake as it can become dry and tough. Instead, you can cut it into slices, wrap them in plastic wrap and foil, and pop in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it thaw on the counter for about an hour before eating.
Don’t Forget!
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1 ½ cup powdered sugar
- 12 egg whites room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
Lemon Curd
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 cup lemon juice (5-6 lemons)
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º.
- Sift flour and powdered sugar together, set aside.
- In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until foamy, about 3 minutes. Then add granulated sugar about 2 tablespoons at a time beating on high speed until it is stiff and glossy, and soft peaks have formed, about 4-6 minutes.
- With a rubber spatula, fold in flour mixture ¼ cup at a time, folding just until you can no longer see any flour. Fold in vanilla.
- Place in an angel food cake pan or tube pan that is UNGREASED. Gently run a knife through it to remove any large air bubbles.
- Bake for 35 minutes, until the cracks feel dry and the top springs back when touched.
- Remove from the oven and immediately invert it onto the prongs on the edge of an angel food cake pan or if using a tube pan, onto a bottle. Let it remain inverted until completely cooled. Then run a knife around the outside and inside edges and remove it to a cake platter.
- Lemon Curd:Add eggs and egg yolks to a saucepan and add sugar whisking until combined. Slowly whisk in the lemon juice.Place over low heat and whisk constantly for 10-15 minutes until it thickens. Don’t let it get too hot or the eggs will curdle. Once it has thickened, remove from the heat and whisk in butter. Let come to room temperature then refrigerate until needed. It will thicken further as it cools.
Notes
- Do not grease the pan.
- Do not use a bundt pan.
- Gradually add in the flour mixture.
- Use a serrated knife to slice the cake.
- It’s easier to separate eggs when they are cold, but then let them warm up a bit before whipping.
- Cool it upside down.
the recipe name is angel food cake with lemon curd. I didn’t see the recipe for the lemon curd.
I had linked to it, but I agree it should be in the post. I have added it in.
could you bake this in a 9 x13 pan?
No, it has to be made in an angel food cake pan or it won’t cling to the side of the pan and create the angel food texture.