Unbelievably Vegan Angel Food Cake Recipe (2024)

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posted by Britt Berlinon Jul 14, 202311 comments »

After 3 years of testing, I finally give you an entirely vegan Angel food cake that tastes and looks just like the classic! Light, fluffy, soft, airy, and sweet, this vegan angel food cake is easy to make and deliciously elegant with a dollop of homemade dairy free whipped cream and fresh berries! No one will believe this angel food cake is eggless (and easily gluten free)!

We did it- an unbelievably vegan angel food cake!

When I tell you I’m writing this with tears watering in my eyes…this vegan angel food cake has been 3 years in the making, and we’ve finally done it.

If you’re new here, I’ve been documenting my journey to creating the perfect angel food cake, but all vegan (so- no eggs) on Instagram, and it has been quite humbling. I’ve scoured the internet, done tons of research on food science and why the ingredients in traditional angel food cake work and how I can recreate that with vegan ingredients.

No one has yet to create an angel food cake that satisfies me, an angel food cake lover (who has dearly missed this one traditional recipe I hadn’t been able to create to satisfaction- until now). We’ve successfully recreated a vegan vanilla cake that’s undeniably better than the traditional, vegan chiffon cake, vegan chocolate cake, and tons of other classic now vegan desserts.

But never angel food cake. Until now.

So when I tell you that I literally cried (on IG stories) when we had finally done it (I mean all of you, because you have been a part of this journey!).

We have the softest, most tender and deliciously sweet angel food cake that’s made entirely without eggs. It rises tall and has that gorgeous slightly darker exterior with a bright interior that’s refreshing and light.

And the best part? It’s even easier than making the traditional version (with way less fails). I actually discovered this could work after making my vegan ladyfingers (which this recipe is based off of).

So dust off your angel food cake pans, and let’s get started.

How and why we’re straying from the traditional method of making angel food cake:

Okay so before the trolls come for me, in order to make an entirely vegan angel food cake, we had to stray from the traditional method. Both in ingredients (obviously) but also in actual technique.

It’s similar, but also quite different. So here’s where we’re varying:

• We’re greasing our cake pans: Traditionally, we use an aluminum angel food cake pan that’s not greased. However, because aquafaba is undeniably stickier with sugar than egg whites when baked, it’s such a mess (and nearly impossible) to remove from the pan without breakage. So since our vegan angel food cake does NOT need extra support to climb the walls of the cake pan, we’re greasing the pan to ensure we don’t have any sticking cakes.
• You’ll need a smaller cake pan: Most angel food cake recipes call for a 10″ cake pan. Our recipe calls for a 7″ angel food cake pan. It can still be aluminum, but in order to get that height, we need a smaller diameter.
• This angel food cake is NOT fat free: For some that are keen on fat-free desserts, this vegan angel food cake is not fat free. Traditional angel food cake relies on egg white protein for structure. Aquafaba contains no protein, so we’re relying heavily on baking powder and additional added fats from dairy free yogurt and a touch of neutral oil (way less than a traditional cake) to create that structure.
• We cool our cake upright: No need to flip the cake, as our angel food cake is much sturdier than traditional angel food cake right out of the oven.

Ingredients & equipment overview:

So let’s talk ingredients, because if you’ve ever made angel food cake, then you’re going to realize- these ingredients are slightly…different ha! Here we go:

• Aquafaba: Otherwise known as chickpea brine. As I mentioned above and in my vegan egg substitutes post, this is our substitute (and the closest one yet) to egg whites. Now, it doesn’t quite act the same as egg whites, seeing as it doesn’t have any protein. So we have to add a few additional ingredients.
• Cream of tartar: Despite its name, cream of tartar is indeed vegan! It’s a byproduct of the wine making process 🙂 This will help to stabilize our aquafaba meringue.
• Organic granulated sugar: Not all sugar is vegan in the U.S., which is why I emphasize using a brand, like Florida Crystals Sugar. This is also why our vegan angel food cake will never look intensely white, like the more traditional angel food cakes. Our vegan sugar isn’t whitened with bone char, which is why conventional sugar looks so white.
• Dairy free yogurt: You can use any kind here. I love Forage Project’s cashew milk yogurt.
• Neutral oil: I’ve tested this recipe with sunflower seed oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil. Any of those options works!
• Vanilla extract: For flavor.
• Flour: You can use all purpose flour or gluten free flour. More on the gluten free option below, but I did test it, and it turned out WONDERFULLY.
• Cornstarch: This creates a soft texture in our cake. You can also use arrowroot starch if you’re allergic to corn.
• Baking powder: To help our vegan angel food cake rise!
• Sea salt: To balance the sweetness!

Now for the equipment:

• Stand mixer and whisk attachment: I recommend using a stand mixer over a hand mixer, but more on that below.
• Silcone spatula: To help mix the dry ingredients in.
• Sifter: For the dry ingredients.
• 7″ angel food cake pan: You can purchase the aluminum one by Wilton. That’s what I’m using.

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