Angel food method

The angel food method is a cake-mixing method in which a mixture of flour and sugar is folded into a meringue.

Angel food method: A tall white angel food cake with a feathery tender crumb, torn rather than sliced to show the airy texture
  • Techniques and preparation methods

Angel food cake is made of meringue, which is egg whites and sugar, together with flour. In the angel food method, the baker whips the egg whites into a meringue and then folds in a mixture of flour and sugar.

Bakery texts group it with chiffon cake as an egg foam cake, but angel food has little to no added fat. Without a chemical leavener, the air whipped into the egg whites is the primary leavener.

Because the structure is delicate, angel food cakes are cooled completely in their pans. The pan is inverted, without touching the tabletop, with room for air circulation, which keeps the cake from falling in on itself. The cake clings to the sides of the pan until a knife is used to release it.

Related entries

Sources

Written by VanillaGoods in our own words from these sources. Last reviewed October 15, 2026.

  1. Introduction to Baking and Pastries: Glossary, LibreTexts / Chef John Folse Culinary Institute
  2. Introduction to Baking and Pastries: 1.7 Cake and Buttercreams, LibreTexts / Chef John Folse Culinary Institute