Description
A light, cloud-like angel food cake layered with juicy macerated strawberries and billowy homemade whipped cream. This classic American dessert is simple, elegant, and perfect for any spring or summer occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
- For the Angel Food Cake:
- 1 cup cake flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (divided)
- 12 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- For the Macerated Strawberries:
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)
- For the Whipped Cream:
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Make sure your 10-inch tube pan is ungreased.
- Sift together cake flour and 3/4 cup of sugar three times. Set aside.
- In a large clean mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt. Beat until soft peaks form.
- Gradually add remaining 3/4 cup sugar while beating. Continue until stiff, glossy peaks form.
- Fold in vanilla extract.
- Sift in flour mixture in 3 additions, folding gently with a spatula after each addition.
- Transfer batter into the tube pan. Smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 35–40 minutes or until the top is golden and springs back when touched.
- Immediately invert pan onto a bottle or cooling rack and let cool completely upside down.
- Run a knife around the edges to release cake from the pan.
- While cake cools, macerate strawberries by combining sliced berries, sugar, and lemon juice in a bowl. Stir and let sit at least 30 minutes until syrupy.
- To make whipped cream, chill your bowl and beaters. Beat cream on low, gradually increasing speed. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat to medium-stiff peaks.
- Slice cooled cake. Top with macerated strawberries and whipped cream to serve.
Notes
Don’t grease the pan—it helps the cake rise.
Use room-temperature egg whites for best volume.
Let strawberries macerate while the cake cools to draw out juices.
Whipped cream can be stabilized with 1 tbsp instant vanilla pudding for longer hold.
Cake can be made 1 day ahead; store tightly wrapped at room temp.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice with topping
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 33g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 0mg