Classic Strawberry Angel Food Cake

Looking for the perfect dessert that won’t leave you stuck in the kitchen all day? We’ve all been there – trying to find something special enough for Sunday dinner or a summer potluck, but without the stress of complicated techniques or endless steps. If you’re like me, you want something that looks like you spent hours making it, even when you didn’t.

That’s where this strawberry angel food cake comes in – it’s light, refreshing, and surprisingly simple to put together. Plus, it uses easy-to-find ingredients that you might already have in your kitchen, making it my go-to choice when I need a reliable dessert that everyone loves.

What Kind of Strawberries Should I Use?

This recipe actually calls for both freeze-dried and fresh strawberries, and each plays its own important role in the cake. Freeze-dried strawberries are perfect for adding intense strawberry flavor without introducing extra moisture that could weigh down your angel food cake – you’ll find them in most grocery stores near the dried fruits or sometimes in the snack aisle. For the fresh strawberries used as topping, look for bright red berries that are firm but give slightly when pressed. Small to medium-sized strawberries often pack more flavor than the jumbo ones, and they should be fragrant when you give them a sniff. If you can only find berries that aren’t quite ripe, let them sit at room temperature for a day or two to develop more sweetness.

Options for Substitutions

While angel food cake needs certain ingredients to work properly, here are some helpful substitutions you can try:

• Cake flour: If you don’t have cake flour, you can make your own by replacing 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour per cup with cornstarch. For this recipe, measure out 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour, remove 2½ tablespoons, and add 2½ tablespoons cornstarch. Sift together several times to combine well.
• Freeze-dried strawberries: While these give the best flavor and color, you can use strawberry extract (1-2 teaspoons) plus a few drops of pink food coloring. Keep in mind the texture won’t be quite the same.
• Vanilla bean paste: Regular vanilla extract works fine as a 1:1 replacement. If you want those pretty specks, you can use the seeds from one vanilla bean instead.
• Fresh strawberries: Any fresh berries will work great here – try raspberries, blackberries, or a mix. You can even use thawed frozen fruit in a pinch.
• Egg whites: Sorry, but there’s no substitute for fresh egg whites in angel food cake – they’re absolutely necessary for the structure. Carton egg whites can work, but fresh is best.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The success of an angel food cake largely depends on your egg whites – make sure they’re at room temperature and there’s absolutely no trace of egg yolk, as even a tiny bit of fat will prevent proper whipping and lead to a dense, flat cake.

Temperature control is crucial when baking – starting with a cold oven and gradually heating it helps the cake rise properly, while opening the oven door during baking can cause your cake to collapse.

When folding in the dry ingredients, use gentle, sweeping motions rather than aggressive stirring, as overmixing will deflate those precious air bubbles you’ve worked so hard to create in your egg whites.

For the perfect finish, resist the urge to grease your pan – a clean, ungreased tube pan allows the cake to climb up the sides as it bakes, and always cool the cake upside down to prevent it from sinking.

What to Serve With Angel Food Cake?

This light and airy strawberry angel food cake pairs perfectly with a few simple additions that make it even more special. A scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side creates a nice temperature contrast with the cake and adds extra creaminess. Fresh berries are always welcome – try a mix of strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries for color and different sweet-tart flavors. For a morning or afternoon treat, serve it alongside a hot cup of coffee or tea – the cake’s sweetness balances nicely with a warm beverage. If you’re feeling fancy, a drizzle of chocolate sauce or a spoonful of lemon curd adds another tasty dimension to each bite.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This angel food cake stays light and airy when kept at room temperature, covered with a cake dome or plastic wrap, for up to 2 days. If you’ve added the whipped cream topping, it needs to go in the fridge – just know the texture might change a bit, but it’ll still taste great for 3-4 days.

Prepare Ahead: You can make the cake part a day ahead and add the whipped cream and fresh strawberries just before serving. This way, everything stays fresh and perfect. The whipped cream can also be made a few hours ahead and kept in the fridge – just give it a quick whisk before using.

Freeze: If you want to freeze the plain angel food cake (without any toppings), wrap it well in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. It’ll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy it, let it thaw overnight in the fridge, then bring to room temperature before adding your toppings.

Preparation Time	20-30 minutes
Cooking Time	30-35 minutes
Total Time	50-65 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 4000-4500
• Protein: 40-50 g
• Fat: 300-350 g
• Carbohydrates: 350-400 g

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 1.2 oz freeze-dried strawberries
• 1 1/3 cups cake flour
• 1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups egg whites, room temperature (from about 10 eggs)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the whipped cream topping:

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste

For serving:

• Fresh strawberries

Step 1: Prepare Strawberry Sugar

• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 1.2 oz freeze-dried strawberries

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the granulated sugar and freeze-dried strawberries until they are thoroughly combined and you have a fine, pink strawberry sugar.

Set aside for use in the next steps.

Step 2: Sift Dry Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups cake flour
• 1/2 cup strawberry sugar (from Step 1)

In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour and 1/2 cup of the prepared strawberry sugar from Step 1.

This ensures your flour mixture is light and free of lumps, which helps keep the cake airy.

Step 3: Whip Egg Whites

• 1 1/2 cups egg whites, room temperature (from about 10 eggs)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Combine the egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.

Beat the mixture on medium-high speed until firm peaks form.

The mixture should look thick and shiny at the peak stage.

Step 4: Add Strawberry Sugar and Vanilla

• remaining strawberry sugar (from Step 1)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Reduce the mixer speed to medium and gradually sprinkle in the remaining strawberry sugar from Step 1.

Once all the sugar is incorporated, increase the speed to high and continue beating until the mixture is thick, glossy, and holds stiff peaks.

Add the vanilla extract and beat on high for one more minute to fully incorporate the flavor.

I like to add a little extra vanilla for a more pronounced floral note, but 1 teaspoon is just right for most tastes.

Step 5: Fold in Dry Ingredients

• flour mixture (from Step 2)
• egg white mixture (from Step 4)

Sift 1/4 of the flour mixture from Step 2 into the bowl with the egg white mixture from Step 4.

Gently fold together using a spatula, being extremely careful not to deflate the airy whites.

Once combined, repeat with the remaining flour mixture in three additional additions, always folding gently until just incorporated.

Make sure no dry spots of flour remain in the batter.

Step 6: Bake the Cake

• cake batter (from Step 5)

Pour the finished batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan, preferably an angel food cake pan with small feet.

Smooth the surface gently with a spatula.

Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the top of the cake springs back when lightly touched.

I always avoid greasing the pan—this helps the cake climb and achieve that classic height and fluffy texture.

Step 7: Cool and Remove the Cake

Invert the pan immediately after baking by setting it upside down on the counter or a cooling rack.

Let the cake cool completely in the pan.

Once cool, run a thin knife around the edges and the center tube to loosen the cake, then lift it out of the pan.

Your strawberry angel food cake is ready to serve!