Strawberry season is a delightful time of year, especially for baking enthusiasts and anyone with a sweet tooth! There’s nothing quite like the vibrant color and juicy sweetness of fresh strawberries, and they are incredibly versatile for creating delicious desserts. If you’re looking for a dessert that perfectly balances lightness and flavor, look no further than this Strawberry Angel Food Cake.
A delightful Strawberry Angel Food Cake, showcasing the season’s best strawberries in a light and airy dessert.
Strawberries are not only a treat for the taste buds but also a powerhouse of Vitamin C, making them a snack you can feel good about serving your family. Kids especially adore their bright red color and sweet taste, making it easy to encourage healthy snacking.
In this recipe, we’ve paired the goodness of strawberries with the ethereal lightness of angel food cake. Understanding that many are spending more time at home and in the kitchen, this strawberry angel food cake recipe is designed to be easy and approachable for home bakers of all skill levels.
Instead of a traditional tube pan, we’re baking this angel food cake in a loaf pan, making it even more convenient. Generously layered with fresh strawberries and whipped cream, this dessert becomes an absolute dream. The combination is simply divine!
The magic of angel food cake truly comes alive when combined with strawberries. When strawberries are at their peak season, their availability and flavor are unmatched, making them the perfect partner for this light and airy cake. Even when local strawberries are not in season, readily available supermarket strawberries work beautifully in this recipe.
Baking with kids is a wonderful activity, and this strawberry angel food cake is an excellent choice for a family baking project. It’s fun, relatively simple, and incredibly rewarding when you taste the final product.
After several test batches, including variations like cupcakes, this loaf pan layered angel food cake emerged as the clear winner among taste testers. Its ease of preparation and delightful texture make it a standout dessert.
Personally, my favorite part of this strawberry angel food cake is a slice that includes a big, juicy strawberry and an end piece of the cake. The end pieces have a slightly more golden and wonderfully chewy exterior crust that is just irresistible.
Everyone has their favorite part of a cake, right? In my house, the kids always request slices loaded with extra strawberries and a generous dollop of whipped cream – it truly is the dream team of desserts!
Expert Tips for Baking the Perfect Angel Food Cake
Achieving the perfect angel food cake might seem daunting, but with a few key techniques, you can consistently bake a light, airy, and delicious cake. Here are some essential tips to guide you:
-
Whipping Egg Whites to Perfection: The foundation of angel food cake is perfectly whipped egg whites. The goal is to whip them to a soft, glossy peak stage. This means when you lift the whisk, the peak should gently fold over – not be stiff and dry. Over-whipping can lead to a dry cake, while under-whipping won’t provide enough structure.
-
Creating Superfine Flour and Sugar Mixture: Angel food cake relies on a delicate balance of ingredients. To ensure the flour and sugar incorporate seamlessly into the delicate egg whites without deflating them, it’s crucial to have a superfine mixture. You can achieve this by processing the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until finely ground. Alternatively, sift the mixture multiple times. This step prevents lumps and ensures a light and airy texture.
-
The Gentle Fold Technique: When combining the flour mixture with the egg whites, folding is paramount. Avoid stirring or mixing vigorously, as this will deflate the air from the egg whites, resulting in a dense cake. Use a rubber spatula and gently cut down through the center of the egg whites, bring the spatula to the bottom of the bowl, and fold the mixture up and over. Rotate the bowl and repeat until just combined and no streaks of flour remain. A few lumps are acceptable, but overmixing is not.
-
Baking in a Metal Loaf Pan (Un-greased!): A metal loaf pan is essential for angel food cake because it allows the batter to “climb” up the sides of the pan during baking. This upward climb is crucial for achieving its signature height and airy texture. Crucially, do not grease the pan! The batter needs to grip the sides to rise properly. If you only have a non-metal loaf pan, lining it with aluminum foil (also ungreased) can mimic the metal surface, allowing the cake to adhere and rise.
More Delightful Strawberry Dessert Recipes to Explore
If you love strawberries as much as we do, you’ll want to check out these other fantastic strawberry dessert recipes: (Note: We will link to other relevant strawberry recipes on foods.edu.vn here once available)
- Classic Strawberry Shortcake
- Strawberry Crumble Bars
- Easy Strawberry Trifle
- Strawberry Cheesecake Parfaits
Now, let’s get to the recipe for this heavenly strawberry angel food cake!
Strawberry Angel Food Cake Recipe
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Total Time: 40 mins
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 193 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keywords: angel food cake recipe, strawberry angel food cake, strawberry baking, strawberry dessert, strawberry recipe
Author: Samantha
Ingredients
Angel Food Cake:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (or 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp cake flour for a lighter texture)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch* (also known as cornflour)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 3/4 cup egg whites (approximately 5 large egg whites)
- 2 tsp warm water
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
Whipping Cream:
- 1 cup liquid 33% whipping cream
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Strawberries:
- 1 lbs strawberries, hulled and sliced
US Customary – Metric – Units are kept as in the original recipe
Instructions
Angel Food Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare a non-greased metal loaf pan. A 10″ x 4″ or standard 8.5″ x 4.5″ loaf pan will work.
- In a food processor, combine flour, cornstarch, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and salt. Process until a fine powder is formed. Alternatively, sift these ingredients together multiple times. Transfer to a bowl and stir in lemon zest. Set aside.
- In a large, clean bowl, add egg whites, warm water, lemon juice, cream of tartar, and vanilla extract. Using an electric mixer (handheld or stand mixer), whisk on low speed for 1 minute.
- Increase mixer speed to high and whisk until soft peaks form and the mixture has increased in volume by four to five times, about 2-4 minutes.
- Reduce mixer speed to medium and gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup of granulated sugar, about 1 tbsp at a time. Continue to whisk until soft, glossy peaks form. Be careful not to over-beat.
- Gently fold in the flour mixture in three additions. Using a rubber spatula, cut down through the middle of the egg whites, push the whites to the side of the bowl, and fold back up and over, incorporating the flour. Repeat until just combined and no dry spots remain. Some lumps are okay, but avoid overmixing.
- Pour batter into the ungreased loaf pan and gently tap the pan on the counter to release any large air bubbles.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Immediately invert the loaf pan and let the cake cool completely upside down. This prevents the cake from collapsing. This cooling process can take up to 2 hours. You can balance the pan on two tin cans or a wire rack.
- Once fully cooled, remove the cake from the pan. Run a sharp knife along the sides of the pan to loosen the cake and gently tap the pan to release it.
Whipping Cream:
- In a medium bowl, combine whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk by hand or with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Do not over-whip.
Strawberry Angel Food Cake Assembly:
- Using a serrated knife, carefully slice the cooled angel food cake lengthwise down the middle, creating a top and bottom layer.
- Spread half of the whipped cream over the bottom layer of the cake and top with half of the sliced strawberries.
- Gently place the top layer of the cake back on. Spread the remaining whipped cream over the top and arrange the remaining sliced strawberries.
- To slice and serve, use a serrated knife carefully.
Recipe Notes
- Cake Flour Substitute: If you have cake flour, you can substitute it for the all-purpose flour and cornstarch. Use 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp of cake flour instead.
- Loaf Pan: A metal loaf pan is recommended for best results. If only using a non-metal pan, line it with ungreased aluminum foil to help the cake rise. My loaf pan is 10″ x 4″, but a standard 8.5″ x 4.5″ pan also works.
- Don’t Over-beat: Over-beating the egg white mixture will result in a denser, less airy cake. Watch carefully when whipping and stop when soft, glossy peaks form.
Nutrition Facts
Strawberry Angel Food Cake
Amount Per Serving
Calories 193
Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g 14%
Saturated Fat 5g 31%
Cholesterol 33mg 11%
Sodium 98mg 4%
Potassium 148mg 4%
Carbohydrates 25g 8%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 18g 20%
Protein 3g 6%
Vitamin A 355IU 7%
Vitamin C 28mg 34%
Calcium 24mg 2%
Iron 1mg 6%
- Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Enjoy this delightful strawberry angel food cake! It’s a perfect dessert for any occasion, bringing together the light texture of angel food cake with the fresh sweetness of strawberries.
Share This Recipe!
Pin
Share
Post
Share
Share
Share
Email
No related posts found
Note: The share links are kept as in the original article. On a live website, these would be functional share buttons. For this markdown output, they are presented as text links. The nutrition facts are also kept as in the original. The recipe card format is maintained as closely as possible within markdown limitations. The “Jump to Recipe” link is a placeholder and would require anchor linking functionality on a website.
