Angel Food Cupcakes.
I spent 21 minutes contemplating the idea that if I licked this whisk and it’s three accompanying spatulas completely clean, I mean like COMPLETELY CLEAN… just exactly how sick could I get? Would the sickness be worth it? If I took my last breath slurping fluffy meringue and choked on raw egg whites, vanilla and sugar, would it be my IDEAL – like, total ideal – way to go?
Because there is a fine line between consuming batter and feeling like garbage (or uhhh… dying?), and I often cross it.
Actually… I always cross it. Repeatedly. Forever. Evermore.
Anyhoo.
I did that batter justice.
Really, in all my 20-something years on this Earth, if I have survived using six-years expired shaker Parmesan cheese from Mother Lovett’s fridge, if my mom has baked a cake in 2012 with Duncan Hines mix that was good through March of ’08 and I ate seven bajillion slices, if I lived after taking a swig of Dawn dish soap thinking it was my water bottle, if I consumed… well, let’s be honest here – inhaled – a piece of coconut cream pie that I found in the back of the fridge behind some congealed substance that had basically grown legs and was waiting to walk away, well then…
… I don’t think the base of an angel food cake is gonna kill me.
Oh! And especially not… because it’s called ANGEL food cake, so there has to be like, angels involved somewhere. Watching over me. As in my guardian angel, which obviously has to have some involvement with cake somewhere.
If not, it’s like they don’t even… know me. And well, that’s just not safe.
Besides one of my life goals being for George Clooney to prank me, another one is to make a mean-ass angel food cake. Mother Lovett used to make one and then top it with some glaze, and it was gooooood. Not my favorite, but every once in a while it was cool to bite down into a spongy layer of vanilla. Oh, but this was before I knew that angel food cake was basically a HEALTH FOOD. After learning that, I just wanted to eat brownies.
Everyfreakingday.
I made my first angel food cake a few years ago and assumed it would be soooosoo easy. Like, embarrassingly easy. I mean, it normally just looks like a plain, fluffy, fat life-size donut. It doesn’t taste like tiramisu layered cheesecake with chocolate mouse filling and graham cracker crust and mascarpone frosting and fresh truffles on top of a bed of creme brulee and… and… yeah. Angel food cake is simple and light and people eat it so they can feel better about themselves ingesting cake. I didn’t expect it to be all “beat the egg whites! watch for stiff peaks! sift the sugar! sift the sugar again! don’t stir the egg whites! fold the stuff in! no, FOLD the stuff in! don’t mix it in circles!” and stuff. I’m much more of a mix-all-this-junk-in-a-bowl-and-who-cares-when-you-add-the-dry-ingredients-and-oh-cracked-two-entire-eggs-plus-their-shells-in-the-batter?-just-scoop-it-out-with-your-fingers-and-move-on kind of person.
Needless to say, I was much more prepared for this angel food experience.
Still, I complicated things a little more and made some cupcakes instead, which ummm… might just be the best thing ever because you can pop them in your mouth like candy. They are everything that angel food cake is, but cuter.
Angel Food Cupcakes
[lightly adapted from mother lovett’s recipe and gourmet]
makes 36 cupcakes
12 large egg whites (1 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tarter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups sifted powdered sugar (sift before measuring)
1 1/8 cups sifted cake flour (sift before measuring)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Let egg whites sit at room temperature for about one hour before beginning. While eggs are resting, measure out powdered sugar and flour, then sift powdered sugar, flour and salt together. Set aside. Line a cupcake tin (or two) with cupcake liners.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place rack in the bottom third of oven.
Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until frothy. Once frothy, add in cream of tarter, then beat at medium speed until soft peaks form. This took me about 5-6 minutes. Gradually add granulated sugar with the mixer still on medium speed, continuing to beat until egg whites thicken a bit more with opaque, soft, droopy peaks. Once there, beat in vanilla extract.
Remove the bowl from the mixer and sprinkle 1/4 of the dry ingredients over the egg whites. Fold gently with a spatula until combined completely. Continue with the rest of the dry ingredients – I did this in three increments.
Once batter is smooth, use a 1/4 cup measure to pour heaping scoops of batter into each liner. Bake for 18-19 minutes, or until tops are golden brown. Let cool completely, then frost as desired. I frosted mine with a simple fresh vanilla whipped cream, using 1 pint of whipping cream, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and beating until thickened.
Much cuter.
184 Comments on “Angel Food Cupcakes.”
Adorable! I love angel food cake!!!! I could see myself 1/2ing the recipe to make less – not that angel food cake is particularly bad for me, but having that many in the house…. I’d have them all gone in a day and would probably slather them with Dawn dishsoap just to prevent me from eating them all. Ha Ha
awesome!!!
I completely agree with you – a slice of angel food cake is definitely not as appealing as a CUPCAKE!
I will definitely be trying these babies VERYYYYYY soon. Thanks, once again, for making me drool at 7am.
These look awesome! Thanks for posting. I can’t wait to try them.
Heavenly! I love your description of making angel food cake. I have only tackled it once. And you are brilliant to make it into cupcakes, AND have it work.
Ahem….did you say prank or spank? Either one works for me….
P.S….the cupcakes are dreamy too :)
Ha! I think I should reevaluate my life goals.
I used to love angel food cake. My mom used to buy one for herself for snacks and somehow it would be gone before she could even take a slice. Whoops.
I want to achieve a white frosting too but it always turns out yellowish :(
I mean, with butter of course.
I find that really beating the frosting in the mixer for 5-6 minutes helps it turn white. This frosting is a buttercream and it always turns out white for me: http://www.howsweeteats.com/2011/06/homemade-funfetti-cupcakes/
Thanks! Can I do the same with the cupcakes before adding anything to it?
I’m sorry I don’t understand what you mean – what do you want to do with the cupcakes?
Sorry like when you cream butter and sugar together? should I beat the butter 5-6mins before adding the sugar? or is it safe to beat those two 5-6mins until really fluffy?
I am no expert by any means but I always beat the butter and sugar together for a long time. At least 3 minutes, until it’s really fluffy.
WoW they look amazing!!
If taking your life in your hands looks like this, them let me give it a go!!
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as soon as i saw the title i slapped my forehead – how on EARTH have i never thought to make angel food cupcakes?! seriously, they look insane. and now i’m craving them.
Ohhh!!! I never thought of angel food cupcakes. And then with the left over yolks make my lemon sponge cake. And I have eggs at home,plus the hubs is gone tonight :) so cupcakes here I come.
YES! I heart angel food cake…. mostly because it’s light and fluffy and you think it’s healthier for you…
I totally agree that angel food cake is almost an health food. Seriously, how can something so light and airy be bad for you? Oh and angels make it (yes, I’m talking about you!)! It’s my all time favorite cake! Since I came up with my gluten free version, even people who can eat gluten ask me to make it. Absolutely heavenly!
You’re right— it has angel in it; it is PERFECT! It’s safe and delicious, go and make yourself sick…. speaking of which, I think I need to make angel food cake cupcakes TONIGHT!
Mmm! Angel food is one of my alltime favorites! I made cupcakes once but my frosting was too heavy and the cake sagged. Boo. :(
I definitely want cake for breakfast now. Thanks for that…
Yum! Angel food cupcakes… they look so light and fluffy and innocent. How could I not eat one, or two… or three ;) I am not super good at egg white beating, but one day… These look lovely :)
Love angel food cake!!! Great recipe!
I want a cupcake now!
These are like little bundles of cake flavoured air! I love them!
LOL! Your philosophy about just throwing everything into the bowl as opposed to gently folding, whipping, sifting, etc etc is exactly the way I think too! I had to laugh about the expired parmesan. When my sister and I would go over to my grandpa’s house, my mum would always tell us not to eat anything before checking the expiry dates. When he passed away in 2008 and we were cleaning out his kitchen, I think we found a few condiments that had expiry dates of 1993. Ewwwww….
I want to face plant into several of these cupcakes
Woah, that is a lot of egg whites.
So pretty though.
Wow. Angel food cake is notoriously difficult to get right. I’ve always been scared to try it (which is odd because I’m a pretty gutsy cook). This may have inspired me to attempt to face my fear. Thanks!
These look heavenly. I love your fluffy frosting with these – esp. with the cute sparkly sprinkles!
WANT!! These look amazing!
I love the idea of angel food cupcakes because they are so light you could eat a lot of them really without guilt:-)
I’ve consumed so much raw cookie dough etc. that I think my stomach has built-in raw egg protection.
I make these all the time for my hubby. It’s a childhood favorite for him, which he can have while I’m eating a cupcake. :-)
They look like fluffy clouds!
All those hyphens! Girl, I think you broke a record for using them! That was awesome!
I just wanted to tell you that your photography knocks my socks off. I’ve been going through some of your older recipes (stalk much) to add to pinterest (stalk even more) and it’s crazy how far you’ve come. Super jealous and my main goal now is to by a house with good light, JUST IN CASE I ever decide I want to take bad ass pictures. Just wanted to point that out to you. Congrats!
Thanks so much Sara!!
i love angel food cake but have never attempted to make it. maybe i should give it a whirl this weekend. these are adorable.
I’ve always wanted to make homemade angel food cake because I think the stuff from the store tastes like Styrofoam and a cake named after angels has to taste better than that. You may have given me the confidence to give it a try!
These are so adorable…and your pictures always look so amazing. Is that all natural light? Thanks for the recipe!!
Thanks! Yep, I only use natural light.
I’ve always been intimidated to make angel food cake, I’m not good at “folding” things either. but these look soo good.
I’m loving the big blob of whipped cream on each of these. Cute idea making the cake into cupcakes :)
When eating raw dough or batter I just remember the time my dad put TIRE SHINE in a snapple bottle and left it on the kitchen counter for his naive daughter to take a swig of thinking it was a “new flavor”. If that didn’t kill me, how good a measly little raw egg? ;)
Oh my gosh… lol.
*could, not good
Oh these look delicious, love the sprinkles!
That batter looks as soft as clouds. Great angel food!
My mom is going to FREAK when I make these for her. Angel Food cake is her favorite!
Love these! And love your photos today.
This look delish and a must try soon. So glad you added a “pin” button!!!
I just love angel food cake! Funny I just never make it and it’s probably on my top 3 favorite cakes! Your photos are gorgeous, wish I could reach right into my computer and grab that piece with the bite mark, I don’t care about germs when it comes to frosting and cake! :)
i love you, that’s all i have to say. well and you’re awesome.
You’re so funny!! This post had me rolling on the floor laughing :)
Angel food cake is so delicious, I can just imagine how many of the cupcakes I could gobble up.
so light and fluffy and perfect!!
Angel food cake is one of those things that I never really crave or think about making or eating until it is staring me in the face. And then I’m still thinking how dry it seams without any frosting on top.. and then I always decide to bite the bullet because it is obviously superior to having no dessert. Let’s be honest. And it surprises me. every. time. I also always reminisce about this glaze that my neighbor used to put on top. My mom tried to convince me of a butter and sugar glaze, but the flavor just wasn’t the same. I think it’s one of those things that will never taste the same as childhood even though it may be the exact same recipe. It just doesn’t have that same flavor of nostalgia I guess…
Love love angel food cake. I love adding a touch of lemon extract….yum! So, there is no need to invert them for cooling?
Nope! As long as they are baked fully and the tops are puffy and golden (they almost look TOO golden), you are good to go. The only thing I noticed is that in all the batches I tried, the cupcakes shrinked more that regular cupcakes, and as you can see in the pictures, almost looked straight up and down as compared to the usual cupcake shape.
This looks amazing Jessica. You have a true gift, not just for coming up with recipes, but for the way you write, and your ability to connect with people. I LOVE IT! Considering I have a healthy (somewhat) food blog, I have been wanting to make angel food cake for so long, but there are always 2 problems…
1. i never have enough egg whites on hand.
2. i don’t have cream of tartar. I can’t find it at the grocery store. Do they carry it at Michael’s? Where do you buy it?
Wow you can’t find it at the grocery store?? I find mine with all the spices at the grocery store – I’m shocked yours doesn’t have it! Honestly, I don’t use it for anything else so I am really unfamiliar with it. Not sure if you can get it at Michael’s as I don’t go there often, but maybe try another grocery store?? Also someone on the Facebook page said you could use the egg whites in the carton!! :)
Love angel food cake anything! Wish I was your neighbor, Jess!!
Angel food cake is one of the world’s most perfect foods. Sigh.
I’ll just come live in your kitchen and split the licking/eating in half with you so that both of us will only get half sick. I’d gladly get half sick for that. Deal?