Angel Food Cupcakes: Light, Fluffy, and Simply Irresistible

These Angel Food Cupcakes are the epitome of delicate dessert perfection. True to their name, they are incredibly soft, fluffy, and light as air. Taking inspiration from the classic angel food cake, this cupcake version is quicker to bake and just as satisfying. Whether you top them with homemade whipped cream and fresh strawberries or enjoy their pure, unadorned flavor, these cupcakes are a delightful treat. And yes, there’s a how-to video recipe included!

Discover the Magic of Angel Food Cupcakes

If you’re already a fan of my classic angel food cake, prepare to fall in love with these mini versions. For those new to angel food cake, it’s known for its ethereal texture – light, airy, and subtly sweet. Traditionally baked in a tube pan, we’re transforming it into cupcakes and crowning them with a cloud of whipped cream. (Though, now I’m thinking, a chocolate whipped cream would have been amazing too!)

This recipe builds on my original angel food cake recipe, but with key adjustments to ensure cupcake success. If you’ve ever made angel food cake, you know the crucial step of inverting the cake immediately after baking to cool upside down. However, try flipping a cupcake tin – not exactly practical!

To overcome this, I’ve tweaked the recipe slightly to create cupcakes that hold their shape without the inversion step. These angel food cupcakes have a slightly more robust crumb, yet retain their signature lightness. Plus, they bake in a fraction of the time, making them perfect when you need a quick yet impressive dessert.

Before we dive into the recipe, remember that achieving the perfect meringue is key to these cupcakes. If you’ve made my meringue cookies or macarons, you’re familiar with the golden rules: 1) use fresh egg whites, 2) ensure absolutely no yolk contamination, and 3) use impeccably clean, dry, and grease-free equipment. Meringue is delicate, so these steps are essential for your success!

Why These Angel Food Cupcakes Will Be Your New Favorite:

Quicker than cake: Enjoy the angel food flavor in half the baking time of a traditional cake.
Heavenly texture: Experience the iconic light and airy texture of angel food cake in cupcake form ✨.
Simple pantry staples: Made with mostly everyday ingredients.
Subtly flavored: Enhanced with a hint of almond extract for a cozy warmth.

Key Ingredients for Perfect Angel Food Cupcakes

You only need a handful of ingredients to create these delightful angel food cupcakes and their accompanying whipped cream. Let’s highlight a few key components:

Egg Whites: Crucially, use fresh egg whites, not carton egg whites. Carton egg whites often lack the ability to whip to stiff peaks, which is absolutely necessary for this recipe. Separate your own eggs carefully, ensuring not even a speck of yolk contaminates the whites. Don’t worry about the yolks, I’ve included ideas below for using up those leftover yolks!
Cake Flour: Cake flour is preferred for its lower protein content, contributing to the cupcakes’ tender texture. If you only have all-purpose flour, you can use it as a substitute; see recipe notes for the simple adjustment.
Cornstarch: While not in my original angel food cake recipe, cornstarch is key here. It adds structure to the cupcakes, making the delicate crumb slightly sturdier without sacrificing that signature light texture.
Sugar: This recipe uses both powdered sugar and granulated sugar (or superfine/caster sugar). Powdered sugar is combined with the dry ingredients, while granulated sugar is gradually whipped into the meringue, similar to my macaron method, to stabilize it and create that glossy finish.
Almond Extract: A touch of almond extract enhances the flavor with a warm, comforting note. Feel free to omit it if you prefer or don’t have any on hand, but it truly complements the delicate sweetness of these cupcakes.

SAM’S PRO-TIP: An electric mixer or stand mixer is highly recommended for this recipe. Whipping egg whites to stiff peaks requires significant mixing power, and doing it by hand is not advised!

This ingredient overview is just a starting point. Find the complete recipe with measurements and detailed instructions at the bottom of this post!

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Angel Food Cupcakes

Crafting the Perfect Angel Food Cupcake Batter

Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, cornstarch, and powdered sugar until well combined. Set aside this mixture. In a separate, impeccably clean, dry, and grease-free bowl (remember, this is critical!), combine the egg whites, cream of tartar, vanilla extract, almond extract (if using), and salt. Use an electric mixer to beat on low speed until just combined.
Whip the Meringue: Gradually increase the mixer speed to high. Begin adding the granulated sugar one tablespoon at a time, waiting approximately 20 seconds between each addition.
Achieve Stiff Peaks: Continue beating the meringue until stiff peaks form. The meringue should be glossy, voluminous, and hold a firm peak when you lift the beaters.
Gently Fold in Dry Ingredients: Gradually and gently fold the flour mixture into the meringue using a spatula. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix, which can deflate the meringue and lead to dense cupcakes.

SAM’S PRO-TIP: Stiff peaks are non-negotiable! Under-whipped egg whites are the primary culprit for sunken or dense angel food cupcakes. If you are unsure what stiff peaks look like, check out the recipe video for a visual guide in the recipe card below.

Baking and Cooling for Lightness

Fill Cupcake Liners: Divide the batter evenly into a lined cupcake tin. The liners will be quite full, and this is intentional! Overfilling helps the cupcakes bake properly and prevents excessive shrinking. A little batter might stick to the top of the tin, which is actually beneficial as it helps hold the tops in place during cooling and minimizes sticking. Don’t worry about perfect removal at this stage; we’ll use a butter knife to gently loosen any stuck spots later.
Smooth the Tops: Optional, but smoothing the tops of the cupcakes with the back of a spoon before baking gives them a neater appearance, as their shape won’t change dramatically during baking.
Bake and Partially Oven-Cool: Bake the cupcakes for 16 minutes at 375°F (190°C). After 16 minutes, turn off the oven, crack the door open a few inches, and let the cupcakes rest in the cooling oven for another 15-20 minutes. Why this step? Gradual cooling in the oven minimizes drastic temperature changes, which can cause significant shrinkage in angel food cupcakes. This gentle cooling process helps prevent that. The very tops might become ever-so-slightly crisp, like a meringue cookie, adding a delightful textural contrast.
Cool Completely: Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool completely in the cupcake tin on a wire rack. Despite all our efforts, some shrinkage is normal during this final cooling stage, but thanks to careful preparation, it should be minimal.

Whipped Cream Topping: The Perfect Finishing Touch

Whip the Cream: In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
Frost Just Before Serving: Pipe or dollop the freshly whipped cream onto the cupcakes just before serving. Frosting them too early can make the delicate cupcakes soggy. For the best presentation and texture, add the whipped cream right before you’re ready to enjoy them.

SAM’S PRO-TIP: These cupcakes are incredibly delicate, and the cupcake liner plays a crucial role in supporting their shape. Leave them in the liners until you are ready to eat them, as they may shrink if removed too early.

Frequently Asked Questions about Angel Food Cupcakes

Why did my angel food cupcakes sink?

Angel food cupcakes will naturally puff up in the oven and slightly deflate as they cool. However, if they are properly prepared, baked, and cooled, they should not dramatically sink or collapse.

The most common reasons for sunken cupcakes are:

Under-whipped egg whites: Not whipping the egg whites to stiff peaks.
Overmixing batter: Overmixing after folding in the flour mixture.
Underbaking: Not baking them for long enough.
Rapid cooling: Cooling too quickly outside of the oven.

If your cupcakes do sink a bit, don’t worry – they will still taste delicious! And a generous topping of whipped cream will easily conceal any minor imperfections.

What frosting should I use on angel food cupcakes?

While you could technically use any frosting, these cupcakes are delicate and best paired with lighter frostings. Heavy frostings, like traditional buttercream, can overwhelm their airy texture and sweetness. Angel food cake is already quite sweet, and rich frostings can make them overly sweet.

My recommendation is simple: freshly made whipped cream or stabilized whipped cream. Dollop or pipe it on top just before serving. For an extra touch, add fresh strawberries or serve them with a side of macerated strawberries.

What can I do with leftover egg yolks?

Leftover egg yolks are a baker’s treasure! They can be used in a variety of delicious recipes. Some of my favorites include lemon curd, pound cake, key lime pie, crème brûlée, chocolate pie, or rich pastry cream.

Light, delicate, and utterly delicious, I can’t wait for you to try these Angel Food Cupcakes! 😍

Enjoy baking!

Angel Food Cupcakes Recipe

Angel food cupcakes bring the classic cake flavor in a quicker, single-serving form. This recipe includes an easy homemade whipped cream topping, but they are equally delicious plain.

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Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 12 cupcakes
Calories: 210kcal
Author: Sam Merritt

Ingredients

For the Angel Food Cupcakes:

⅔ cup (80g) powdered sugar
½ cup (55g) cake flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
¾ cup (175ml) egg whites (approximately 5-6 large egg whites)
¾ teaspoon cream of tartar
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
⅛ teaspoon salt
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar

For the Whipped Cream Topping:

1 ½ cups heavy cream
½ cup (60g) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Equipment

Electric mixer or stand mixer
Cupcake pan
Cupcake liners
Medium and large mixing bowls
Whisk
Spatula

Instructions

Preheat Oven & Prepare Pan: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with paper liners.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, cake flour, and cornstarch. Set aside.
Combine Wet Ingredients (Initial): In a large, clean, dry, and grease-free mixing bowl, combine egg whites, cream of tartar, vanilla extract, almond extract (if using), and salt. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until just combined.
Whip Meringue: Gradually increase mixer speed to high. Once on high speed, slowly add granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing for about 20 seconds between additions.
Stiff Peaks: Beat until stiff peaks form. The meringue should be thick, glossy, and hold a firm peak when beaters are lifted.
Fold in Dry Ingredients: Gently fold the cake flour mixture into the meringue using a spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
Fill Cupcake Liners: Divide batter evenly into prepared cupcake liners, filling them almost to the top.
Bake: Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 16 minutes, or until tops spring back lightly when touched and surface cracks look dry.
Oven Cool: Turn off the oven, open the door slightly, and let cupcakes cool inside for 15-20 minutes.
Cool Completely: Remove from oven and let cupcakes cool completely in the cupcake tin on a wire rack.
Prepare Whipped Cream: While cupcakes cool, make whipped cream: In a large mixing bowl, combine heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
Frost & Serve: Dollop or pipe whipped cream over cooled cupcakes just before serving.

Recipe Notes

Cake Flour Substitution: If using all-purpose flour, use ½ cup and remove 1 tablespoon to approximate cake flour.
Whipped Cream Timing: Add whipped cream to cupcakes immediately before serving to prevent sogginess.
Storage: Store unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Frosted cupcakes are best stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, but whipped cream texture may change.
Cupcake Liners: Keep cupcakes in liners when serving, as liners provide structure to these delicate cupcakes.

Nutrition

Nutritional information is an estimate and varies based on ingredients and preparation methods.

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