Strawberry Angel Food Cake

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: Heavenly Strawberry Angel Food Cake is a delicately airy dessert bursting with real strawberry flavor! Purée made from fresh strawberries enhances this nostalgic classic, which is famed for its cloud-like texture and magnificent height. Bonus—this gorgeous treat is ready in less than 90 minutes!

• Seasonal: The sweet flavor of in-season summer strawberries can’t be beat.
• Angel food with a twist: If you’ve only ever had plain angel food cake, this is a revelation!
• Dreamy texture: A true delight—tender and feather light.
• Picture-perfect! Gloriously pink and crowned with a ring of whipped cream and fruit, this is a stunner.
• Simple! If you’ve ever been intimidated by baking angel food cake, don’t be! I’ve got you covered with my step-by-step recipe.

Light and pretty desserts are the perfect match for the fair weather and new spring blooms. They’d fit right in at a baby or bridal shower or spring birthday, but recipes like Strawberry Angel Food Cake, or my Pistachio Pound Cake, Fresh Strawberry Cake, Classic Victoria Sponge Cake, or Vertical Lemon Cake are too good to leave for only special occasions—they’re great anytime.

To me, angel food cake is the perfect spring or summer dessert—light and airy, served with seasonal fruit and cream. It feels indulgent without being heavy. My take on the traditional angel food cake includes a beautiful, delicious twist—vibrant strawberry flavor. I tested this strawberry dessert recipe four times get it just right—early versions were too heavy and lacked that signature angel food texture. When I retested the recipe, I reduced the strawberry puree to just ¾ cup (6 oz/170 g), which did the trick. It was the perfect amount to flavor the cake beautifully without weighing it down. Follow my easy recipe, and you’ll enjoy the same excellent results! Just be sure to invert the cake onto a wire rack as soon as it comes out of the oven, and let it cool completely for an hour before removing it from the pan. That step is key to keeping the texture light and preventing a gummy cake.

Table of Contents

• What is Strawberry Angel Food Cake?
• Tools You Need
• Key Ingredients and Why
• How to Make Strawberry Angel Food Cake
• Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
• Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
• FAQs
• More Strawberry Dessert Recipes

What is Strawberry Angel Food Cake?

• Strawberry Angel Food Cake is an airy, sponge-style cake flavored with fresh strawberry purée.
  • Angel food cake, made from whipped egg whites, flour, and sugar, is known for its puffy, delicate texture and its height.
  • Whipped egg whites are the only leavener in this cake, which sets it apart from other types of sponge cakes.
  • Strawberries are cooked with sugar, then blended and strained to provide concentrated berry flavor.
  • Because angel food cake doesn’t contain fat, the luscious strawberry flavor is wonderfully prominent.
  • An (optional) drop of pink food coloring intensifies the rosy color, and garnishing the top with whipped cream and sliced berries completes the pretty look.
• Angel food cake is baked in an ungreased tube pan. This allows the batter to climb up the sides of the pan, yielding an airy, tall cake.
• Angel food cake can be traced back to American Pennsylvania Dutch bakers in the mid-19th century. Its remarkable texture and height made the innovative cake an instant sensation. The fact that it’s easy to make and low in fat has increased its popularity. Angel food cake is used in trifles, paired with fruit for dessert skewers, and is creatively flavored with fruit, chocolate, and spices.

Tools You Need

• Mixing bowls
• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cups
• Glass measuring jug
• Kitchen scale (optional)
• Small saucepan
• Wooden spoon
• Blender
• Sieve
• Angel food cake pan
• Stand mixer (optional) or electric hand mixer
• Large metal spoon
• Wire cooling rack

Key Ingredients and Substitutes.

For the Strawberry Purée

• Strawberries
  • Sweet, vibrant, fresh strawberries deliver juicy flavor and bright color.
  • Cooking and reducing the berries intensifies their flavor in this strawberry angel food cake dessert.
  • Substitute: You can also use frozen berries instead of fresh berries here.
• Granulated sugar
  • Sugar adds sweetness to the purée.
  • You use just 1 tablespoon here, but it’s important to include the sugar because strawberries vary in sweetness.

For the Cake

• Powdered sugar
  • Powdered sugar mixes seamlessly into the batter of this strawberry angel food dessert.
  • Using powdered sugar gives the cake a fine crumb.
  • If you don’t have any on hand, here’s how to make your own powdered sugar.
• All-purpose flour
  • All-purpose flour gives the angel food cake enough structure to rise tall, while still staying tender and light.
  • Substitutes: Gluten-free all-purpose blend flour or my Easy Almond Baking Mix will also work.
• Cornstarch
  • Cornstarch absorbs extra moisture, making the cake batter more stable.
  • Using cornstarch with all-purpose flour mimics cake flour and contributes to a soft texture.
• Egg whites
  • In angel food cake, egg whites are whipped to add air bubbles to the batter, giving the cake a light, delicate consistency.
  • Use room temperature eggs here. Use my tips to warm up your eggs quickly.
  • Since the egg whites are super important to the texture and look of this cake, there is no substitute for eggs in this recipe.
• Cream of tartar
  • Cream of tartar stabilizes egg whites
  • Cream of tartar helps the egg whites trap air as they are whipped, increasing their volume and making them loftier.
• Salt 
  • Salt enhances the flavors of the cake.
  • Adding salt helps support the egg whites’ protein structure, stabilizing the cake.
• Granulated sugar
  • Granulated sugar mixed with the egg whites sweetens the cake.
  • Whipping granulated sugar with egg whites strengthens the foam. 
  • Importantly, granulated sugar dissolves slowly as the egg whites are whipped, which helps keep the foam from collapsing.
• Vanilla extract
  • Vanilla extract gives the cake a warm, subtle sweetness.
  • Vanilla extract enhances the fruity strawberry flavor.
  • Substitute: You can use an equal amount of Vanilla Bean Paste.
• Pink gel food coloring (optional)
  • A few drops enhance the color of this angel food strawberry dessert.
• Whipped cream
  • Fluffy whipped cream is the ideal rich but billowy match for this light cake.
  • Substitute: You can use Coconut Whipped Cream in place of whipped dairy cream.
• Strawberries
  • For this angel food cake topping, strawberries are the perfect choice.
  • Substitute: You can make this a mixed berry cake and use blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries on top instead.

How to Make Strawberry Angel Food Cake

Make the Strawberry Purée

1. Begin to heat strawberries: In a small saucepan, combine the strawberries and sugar and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the strawberries soften and begin to break down.
2. Reduce: Cook until the mixture is reduced to about ¾ cup (6 oz/170 g), about 5 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
3. Blend and sieve: Place the strawberries in a blender and puree, then pass through a sieve to remove seeds.
4. Measure: Measure out ¾ cup (6 oz/170 g). Set aside excess for another use.

Make the Angel Food Cake

5. Prepare to bake: Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C) and set aside an ungreased, unlined angel food cake pan.
6. Combine dry ingredients: Sift the powdered sugar, flour and cornstarch together into a medium bowl and set aside.
7. Whip egg whites: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or with a large bowl and a handheld electric mixer), whip the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes, or until you reach soft peaks.
8. Continue to whip: With the mixer running, add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time, and continue whipping until you reach stiff, glossy peaks.
9. Add flavorings: Add in the vanilla extract, strawberry puree and food coloring (if using) and mix briefly to incorporate.
10. Finish cake batter: Remove the bowl from the machine and sprinkle in half of the flour mixture. Fold in gently with a large metal spoon, then incorporate in the remaining flour mixture.

11. Bake: Spread the batter evenly into the angel food cake pan and bake for 40-50 minutes, until puffed and the top springs back when gently pressed.
12. Cool cake: Remove from the oven and immediately turn upside down onto a wire rack. Let cool completely for about 1 hour before releasing the cake from the pan.
13. Decorate and serve: Serve with freshly whipped cream and strawberries.

FULL (PRINTABLE) RECIPE BELOW! 

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips

• Cook gently: When cooking down the strawberries in this angel food cake recipe, be sure to use medium-low heat and stir frequently so they don’t burn.
• Berry options: You can use fresh or frozen strawberries when making the puree.
• When to use frozen: If you are making this when strawberries are out of season, I recommend frozen strawberries because they will have better flavor.
• Do not grease the pan! Using an ungreased, straight-sided tube pan (angel food cake pan) is a must. An ungreased pan gives the cake batter traction, so it can climb along the sides of the pan as it bakes.
• Careful separation: Separate the eggs correctly. Even a drop of egg yolk can prevent the egg whites from whipping up and forming stiff, glossy peaks.
• Meringue tip: When folding the flour into the meringue, use a large metal spoon, as a rubber spatula might deflate the meringue too much.
• Upside down is key: It is very important to let angel food cakes cool completely while upside down, or they can collapse.
• Serve fresh: Freezing can negatively alter the texture of this cake, so I recommend serving this cake within a couple of days of baking it.
• Use the right knife: A serrated knife makes cutting this soft cake easier.

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

• Make-ahead instructions: You can bake this Strawberry Angel Food Cake up to two days in advance.
  • Cool completely, and wrap the unfrosted cake in cling film or place in an airtight container.
  • Store at room temperature for up to two days.
  • Unwrap, top with whipped cream and sliced strawberries, and serve.
• How to store leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

FAQs

What can I do with my leftover egg yolks from this recipe?

• You’ll have leftover egg yolks when you make this strawberry angel food cake dessert, but don’t let them go to waste!
• Use them in my recipes like Lemon Bars, Crème Brûlée, Foolproof Crème Anglaise, and Lemon Curd.

Why don’t I grease the pan when making angel food cake?

• Using an ungreased tube pan is critical to attaining the angel food cake’s signature fluffy texture.
• An ungreased pan allows the batter to climb up the pan’s sides as it bakes, making a lofty cake.

How do I make sure my egg whites whip up well?

• Separate your eggs carefully, and make sure your whisk and bowl are clean and dry. Any yolk or grease will prevent egg whites from whipping up carefully.
• Be sure your eggs are at room temperature, as they’ll whip up much better than cold eggs. Here’s how to easily get your eggs to room temperature.

Why are both powdered sugar and granulated sugar used when making the cake?

• Although both powdered sugar and granulated sugar sweeten this cake, we use them each for different purposes.
  • Powdered sugar blends with the dry ingredients evenly and helps create a delicate, tender crumb.
  • Granulated sugar sweetens and thickens the strawberry puree.
    • Additionally, granulated sugar is whipped with egg whites both to sweeten and strengthen the meringue.

Can I make this angel food strawberry cake in a different kind of pan?

• No, you can not make this angel food strawberry cake in a different kind of pan.
  • A tube pan, or angel food cake pan, has straight sides that help the cake rise as it bakes, enabling it to develop its iconic light texture.
  • The hole in the middle of the pan helps air circulate, making the cake cook evenly.

How do I make sure my angel food cake doesn’t collapse?

• Do not over-mix the batter. Fold the flour mixture gently into the other ingredients.
• Do not underbake your cake. It’s ready when it’s puffed and the cake springs back when gently pressed.
• It’s essential to cool the cake completely while it’s upside down.

Can I make the strawberry angel food cake gluten-free?

• Yes, you can make this strawberry angel food cake gluten-free.
• Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking mix, like my Easy Almond Flour Baking Mix, or another gluten-free flour, in place of the all-purpose flour.
• Check your other ingredients to make sure they are certified gluten-free.

Can I make this angel food cake without eggs?

• Since the egg whites are crucial to the texture of this cake, I don’t recommend using a substitute.

More Strawberry Dessert Recipes

• Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
• Fresh Strawberry Cake
• Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
• Chocolate Pavlova with Strawberries and Cream
• Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

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