Description

A light, airy angel food cake made without butter or oil, topped with fresh berries. This simple dessert is ready in under an hour and perfect for a quick 5 PM treat.

Ingredients

Scale

1 cup cake flour (or substitute: 1 cup all-purpose flour minus 2 tbsp, plus 2 tbsp cornstarch)
1.5 cups granulated sugar
10–12 large egg whites (room temperature)
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
Fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries) for serving

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Do not grease the angel food cake pan; ensure it is clean and dry.
In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, sugar, and salt to remove lumps and aerate.
In a mixer bowl, beat room-temperature egg whites on medium speed until foamy (about 1 minute).
Add cream of tartar to the egg whites. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form.
Gradually fold in the entire flour/sugar mixture in two batches using a spatula. Fold gently to keep air in the batter.
Gently fold in the vanilla extract until just incorporated.
Pour batter into the ungreased pan and smooth the top.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until the top springs back when touched lightly and turns golden brown.
Immediately invert the pan upside down (resting on legs, wine bottle neck, or wooden spoons) to cool completely for about 1 hour.
Once cool, remove cake from pan and serve with fresh berries.

Notes

Do not grease the pan as the batter needs to climb the sides to rise. Cool the cake completely upside down to prevent collapsing. The cake dries out quickly, so store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Do not refrigerate unless topped with berries.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 140
Sugar: 28
Carbohydrates: 28
Fiber: 1
Protein: 4

Keywords: angel food cake, light dessert, 5pm dessert, fresh berries, gluten-free option, easy baking, no butter cake