Sourdough Angel Food Cake (Delicious from-scratch Recipe)
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This Sourdough Angel Food Cake is one of those desserts that feels light, simple, and a little extra special all at the same time. It bakes up perfectly fluffy and airy with the most delicate texture, and serving it with fresh berries makes it especially perfect for spring and summer gatherings.
Made with just 7 simple ingredients, this homemade version has so much more flavor than anything from a box mix, thanks to a little sourdough discard added to the batter. And if you love homemade cakes as much as I do, my Sourdough Vanilla Cake and Sourdough Strawberry Cake are two more recipes that always disappear quickly around here.
Quick Look: Sourdough Angel Food Cake
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Bake Time: 40–45 minutes
- Cooling Time: 3 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Servings: 12 slices
- Calories: ~174kcal per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- Cook Method: Baked
- Flavor Profile: Light, airy, and delicately sweet with a soft, spongy crumb and a subtle depth of flavor from sourdough discard. Perfect served with fresh berries and whipped cream.
- Difficulty: Intermediate — No complicated steps, but requires careful egg white whipping and gentle folding to keep the cake light and fluffy.
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Why You’ll Love This Homemade Sourdough Angel Food Cake Recipe
- Incredibly light and airy—This cake is incredibly soft, light, and spongy, with an airy crumb that makes it one of the lightest cakes you can bake from scratch. The secret is all in the egg whites! If you love light and airy cakes, you’ll want to check out this Sourdough Strawberry Cake too.
- Sourdough brings a new depth of flavor—You’d never guess there’s sourdough discard in here, but it adds a depth of flavor that a regular angel food cake doesn’t have. If you’re always sneaking sourdough into your desserts, this Sourdough Red Velvet Cake deserves a spot on that list too.
- Simple ingredients—All it takes are pantry staples you probably already have to make this simple homemade dessert. You don’t need to be a seasoned sourdough baker to pull this off. You might also love my Sourdough Lemon Cake for a fresh, citrusy dessert that feels just as easy and homey.
Ingredients & Substitutions
* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*
- Sugar—For the best angel food cake, you’ll need to pulse the sugar in a blender or food processor. This extra step is crucial! Since the cake batter is so light and delicate, coarse sugar is too heavy, while powdered sugar dissolves too quickly into the egg whites. Those super-fine granules are just the right size to dissolve easily into the egg whites.
- Cake flour—There’s no substitution here; cake flour is an absolute must for this angel cake. It has a lower protein percentage than all-purpose flour, which gives you that light-as-air texture. Unfortunately, all-purpose flour will give you a more bread-like texture.
- Eggs — This recipe doesn’t call for any leaveners. Instead, this cake gets its rise from egg whites alone! It’s important to be very careful when separating the egg whites from the egg yolks. Even just a drop of egg yolk can cause this cake to fall. Carton egg whites don’t aerate or whip up as well, so stick with fresh. Save the egg yolks to make a delicious custard or lemon curd to serve with the cake. Or make a pound cake or egg noodles.
- Cream of tartar—Cream of tartar is an acid that helps stabilize the meringue. Without it, the cake will collapse.
- Sourdough Discard—Fresh sourdough discard, no more than 1-2 days old, is best for this recipe. You’ll also want to use room-temperature discard, as it’s so much easier to gently mix into the angel cake batter without deflating it. Sourdough discard from the fridge or an active sourdough starter is too thick, and it’ll take longer to incorporate. Runny, room-temperature discard mixes in nicely.
- Salt – A pinch of salt helps balance the sweetness and brings out the flavor of the other ingredients.
- Vanilla Extract – Pure vanilla extract is strongly recommended here over imitation for the best flavor.
How to Make the Best Sourdough Angel Food Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- In a food processor or blender, pulse the sugar until you get superfine granules. Sift 200g into a separate bowl and toss any large granules. Set aside.
- Add the cake flour and salt to the food processor. Pulse 10 times to aerate the dry ingredients, then sift into a separate bowl, toss any large granules, and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the egg whites and cream of tartar. Mix on low speed until foamy, then increase the speed to medium-high
- Gradually add the reserved superfine sugar, beating until the egg whites reach soft peaks, about 5-6 minutes. Fold the flour mixture into the egg whites in 3 additions, gently folding with a rubber spatula.
- Then gently fold in the sourdough discard and vanilla until just incorporated.
- Pour and spread the angel food cake batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes.
- Cool the cake upside down for 3 hours.
- Let the cake cool and then run a knife along the edges of the pan to loosen and remove it.
- Slice with a serrated knife and serve with a dollop of fluffy whipped cream and your favorite fresh fruit. Strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, sliced peaches, or whatever’s in season works great.
McKenna’s Helpful Tips
- Don’t grease the angel cake pan. Angel food cake needs to cling to the sides of the pan as it rises, and a greased pan can cause the cake to collapse. For extra insurance, wipe the inside of the pan with a little vinegar before adding the batter to remove any leftover grease or residue.
- Whip the egg whites just until they reach soft peaks, not stiff peaks. Overwhipping the egg whites can make the cake rubbery or cause it to collapse.
- Fold the flour mixture in gently and don’t overmix. You want to keep as much air in the batter as possible so the cake stays light and fluffy instead of dense.
How to Store
Store leftover cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, wrap it tightly and keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days. To freeze, wrap individual slices in plastic wrap, place them in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Sourdough Angel Food Cake FAQs
I wouldn’t recommend it. Angel food cake is so light and delicate that it tends to stick to all the curves and grooves of a Bundt pan, making it really difficult to remove cleanly. A tube pan with straight sides works much better because it helps the cake rise properly and release more easily. If you’re looking for a stunning bundt cake, you can try my Sourdough Carrot Cake recipe!
Unfortunately, no. Angel food cake relies on whipped egg whites for its structure, and a long fermentation will cause that delicate foam to deflate. The added acidity from the sourdough starter can also weaken the cake batter, leaving you with a dense cake (collapsed too) instead of a light and airy texture. But it is a super delicious sourdough discard cake option!
I wouldn’t recommend it. Cake flour is the not-so-secret ingredient that gives the crumb of this cake that soft, light, airy texture. All-purpose flour has more protein, which can make the cake feel heavier and a little more bread-like. However, you can use all-purpose flour for my Sourdough Chocolate Cake and Sourdough Lemon Cake recipes!
Carton egg whites usually don’t whip up the same way fresh egg whites do, so the cake may not turn out as light and fluffy. I’d recommend recommend separating your own egg whites for the best result!
If you tried this Sourdough Angel Food Cake recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Sourdough Angel Food Cake Recipe
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Ingredients
- 350 grams granulated sugar 1 3/4 cups
- 130 grams cake flour 1 cup
- 1 gram salt 1/4 teaspoon
- 350 grams egg whites, room temperature 10-12 eggs
- 6 grams cream of tartar 1 1/2 teaspoons
- 60 grams sourdough discard, room temperature 1/4 cup
- 6 grams vanilla extract 1 1/2 teaspoons
Instructions
- Position an oven rack in the bottom third of your oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Have a 9 or 10-inch ungreased tube pan (16-cup capacity) ready.
- In a food processor or blender, pulse the sugar until it becomes superfine. Remove 200g of the sugar and sift it into a bowl through a fine mesh strainer, discarding any large granules. Set aside.350 grams granulated sugar
- Add the cake flour and salt to the food processor with the remaining sugar and pulse about 10 times to aerate the dry ingredients. Sift this mixture into a separate bowl with a fine mesh strainer and discard any large pieces. Set aside.130 grams cake flour, 1 gram salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the room temperature egg whites and cream of tartar. Mix on low speed until foamy, about 1 minute, then increase to medium-high. Gradually add the reserved superfine sugar, beating until the egg whites reach soft peaks about 5-6 minutes. Refer to photos above.This can also be done with a hand mixer.350 grams egg whites, room temperature, 6 grams cream of tartar
- To the egg whites, add the flour mixture in 3 additions, gently folding it into the egg whites with a rubber spatula. Take care not to deflate the batter. It’s important not to add all of the flour mixture at once or this can deflate the batter.
- Carefully pour the runny, room temperature sourdough discard and vanilla extract on top of the batter and gently fold it until just incorporated.60 grams sourdough discard, room temperature, 6 grams vanilla extract
- Pour the batter into the ungreased tube pan and gently smooth the top with the rubber spatula. I like to gently shimmy the pan on the counter to smooth out the batter.
- Bake for 40–45 minutes or until the top is lightly golden and and a toothpick comes out clean. I like to turn the cake half way through the bake.
- Remove from the oven and immediately turn the pan upside down. Allow the cake to cool upside down for at least 3 hours. It’s important to cool the cake upside down, otherwise the weight of the cake will cause it to collapse.
- Once fully cooled, run a knife around the edges to release the cake. If desired, dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar. Slice with a serrated knife. Other knives can easily squish the cake.
- Serve with whipped cream and fresh berries. Enjoy!
Notes
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Sugar—For the best angel food cake, you’ll need to pulse the sugar in a blender or food processor. This extra step is crucial! Since the cake batter is so light and delicate, coarse sugar is too heavy, while powdered sugar dissolves too quickly into the egg whites. Those super-fine granules are just the right size to dissolve easily into the egg whites.
- Cake flour—There’s no substitution here; cake flour is an absolute must for this angel cake. It has a lower protein percentage than all-purpose flour, which gives you that light-as-air texture. Unfortunately, all-purpose flour will give you a more bread-like texture.
- Eggs — This recipe doesn’t call for any leaveners. Instead, this cake gets its rise from egg whites alone! It’s important to be very careful when separating the egg whites from the egg yolks. Even just a drop of egg yolk can cause this cake to fall. Carton egg whites don’t aerate or whip up as well, so stick with fresh. Save the egg yolks to make a delicious custard or lemon curd to serve with the cake. Or make a pound cake or egg noodles.
- Cream of tartar—Cream of tartar is an acid that helps stabilize the meringue. Without it, the cake will collapse.
- Sourdough Discard—Fresh sourdough discard, no more than 1-2 days old, is best for this recipe. You’ll also want to use room-temperature discard, as it’s so much easier to gently mix into the angel cake batter without deflating it. Sourdough discard from the fridge or an active sourdough starter is too thick, and it’ll take longer to incorporate. Runny, room-temperature discard mixes in nicely.
- Salt – A pinch of salt helps balance the sweetness and brings out the flavor of the other ingredients.
- Vanilla Extract – Pure vanilla extract is strongly recommended here over imitation for the best flavor.
My family couldn’t say enough good things about this recipe! Surprisingly simple to make and so airy! Can’t wait to make this all summer long.
Can you cook these as cupcakes?
I personally haven’t tested them as cupcakes, but I don’t see why not! You’ll want to reduce the bake time quite a bit and be careful not to overfill the muffin tins. If you try it, I’d love to know how they turn out!
Can you sub with powder sugar instead?
Great question! For the best results, I wouldn’t recommend using powdered sugar. Powdered sugar dissolves too quickly. Granulated sugar dissolves more gradually while whipping and baking, which creates the most light and airy cake!