This lemon angel food cake is light and fluffy and almost melts in your mouth. It has the perfect amount of lemon flavor and is the perfect spring or summer dessert. I love it with strawberry compote and fresh whipped cream.
You need this lemon angel food cake in your life. The soft texture, lemony flavor, and endless serving options make this a go-to summer dessert.
A few simple tips for beating the egg whites, prepping the pan, and cooling upside down, will give you the angel food cake of your dreams. It’s the same tricks I use for gluten-free angel food cake and they work like a charm.
Why You’ll Love this Lemon Angel Food Cake
- Just the right amount of lemon flavor.
- Perfectly light and fluffy—like a cloud.
- Simple to make.
- Great for entertaining.
- Customize it to serve with your favorite sauces and fruit.
- Delicious summer treat.
Love lemon desserts? Try gluten-free lemon drizzle cake, lemon blueberry turnovers, and gluten-free lemon bars next.
Ingredients You Need
Here are the simple ingredients for this curried chicken salad. Jump to recipe for exact measurements.
- Granulated sugar: adds sweetness and whips with the egg whites for the cake structure.
- Cake flour: it’s light and fluffy texture adds to the cloud-like cake. If you don’t have any at home you can make your own cake flour.
- Salt: to balance the sweet.
- Egg whites: whipped egg whites give the cake structure and help it rise.
- Cream of tartar: to stabilize the egg whites.
- Vanilla extract: for flavor!
- Lemon extract: instead of lemon juice.
- Lemon zest: to add a ton of real lemon flavor.
You’ll notice: there aren’t any leavening ingredients in this recipe. Angel food cake relies solely on whipped egg whites for lifting this cake sky-high. Divide the egg yolk from the egg white separately because even a tiny bit of fat from the yolk and affect the end result.
How to Make Lemon Angel Food Cake
Here are the step-by-step instructions with photos. Jump to recipe card for the printable instructions.
- Pulse the sugar: add it to a food processor and pulse to make it really fine. Remove 1 cup to use for the egg whites.
- Mix dry ingredients: add the dry ingredients to the remaining sugar.
- Whip the egg whites: separate the egg whites an electric mixer with or stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the cream of start and egg whites until frothy. Add part of the sugar and to beat them until soft peaks form, 5-6 minutes. Mix in the lemon zest, lemon extract, and vanilla extract on medium-low speed.
- Sift fry ingredients: mix together the remaining sugar, cake flour, and salt, then sift it into the egg white mixture.
- Fold to combine: gently fold the cake batter with a spatula to combine, doing your best to keep the airy texture.
- Bake: Carefully pour the cake into an ungreased angel food cake pan (tube pan). Bake at 325°F for 40-45 minutes.
- Cool upside down: Carefully flip the cake over onto a wire rack and cool it completely for at least 3 hours.
- Serve: Run a knife around the edge of the pan to help it release. Slice and serve with strawberry compote, fresh fruit, or whipped cream.
Tips for Angel Food Cake
- DO NOT spray the cake pan. The batter clings to the side of the pan to help it rise. Greasy pans prevent this from happening.
- Beat the sugar to soft peaks (see image bove).
- It’s much easier to separate the egg yolk and white when they’re cold.
- Always cool angel food cake upside down. The cake is so light that it can be crushed by it’s own weight and you could be left with a sunken angel food cake.
Storing Leftovers
Store angel food cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days or up to a week in the fridge.
To freeze, wrap the whole cake or individual slices in plastic wrap then aluminum foil. Place in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 4 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and serve.
Feels like Breakfast on the Beach!
- Thick and delicious with tons of coconut flavor
- Takes 5 minutes to make
- Easy to customize with your favorite toppings
- Full of healthy fats
- Add protein powder for a complete breakfast
- Sweet tropical flavors
Love refreshing smoothies? Try this pitaya smoothie bowl, blueberry raspberry smoothie, or tropical kale smoothie next!
Why You’ll Love This Smoothie Bowl
- Thick enough to scoop with a spoon. Not a drink.
- 5 minutes from freezer to bowl.
- One blender, no extra dishes.
- Add 25g of protein with a scoop of vanilla protein powder. Full breakfast, full morning.
- Naturally Gluten-Free, Paleo, Dairy-Free, and Vegan. No swaps needed.
- Pre-portion the fruit ahead so weekday mornings are zero decisions.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Frozen banana. One whole. Banana is the texture anchor; don’t skip.
- Frozen pineapple. ¾ cup. Pre-cut from the freezer aisle works.
- Frozen mango. ½ cup. Same rule.
- Full-fat coconut milk. ⅓ cup, from the can. Shake the can well before measuring or you’ll pour off only the watery part.
- Coconut extract. Optional, ¼ teaspoon. Boosts the coconut flavor without making it taste like sunscreen. A little goes a long way.
- Vanilla protein powder. Optional, one 25g scoop. I use Be Well by Kelly because the ingredient list is short. If you add protein powder, add an extra splash of coconut milk to keep it blendable.
- Toppings. Whatever’s in the kitchen: shredded coconut, chia seeds, fresh fruit, granola, nut butter.
How to Make a Coconut Smoothie Bowl
- Add the Frozen Fruit First. Dump all the frozen into a high-speed blender. Don’t add the liquid yet. Start dry.
- Add the Liquid Slowly. Add the coconut milk, coconut extract, and protein powder if using. Blend on low first, then high. Stop and stir or tamp down as needed. If the blender stalls, add coconut milk one tablespoon at a time until it moves. Don’t drown it.
- Pour and Top. Pile the toppings on, hit it with a drizzle of nut butter or honey if you want, and serve immediately. Smoothie bowls melt fast.
Coconut Smoothie Bowl Toppings
The toppings are where you make it yours. A few that work:
- Chia seeds: crunch and fiber. Half a tablespoon goes a long way.
- Granola: crunch. Use one with chunky clusters.
- Shredded coconut or coconut flakes: doubles down on the coconut.
- Nut butter: coconut almond butter, macadamia butter, or cashew butter for a tropical feel. Warm it slightly so it drizzles.
- Extra fruit: kiwi, banana slices, mango, fresh pineapple. Sparingly, because there’s already a lot of fruit in the bowl.
- Bee pollen, hemp hearts, or cacao nibs if you want to lean health-y.
Prefer a more decadent smoothie? Try our cake batter protein shake, chocolate peanut butter protein smoothie, or chocolate and cherry smoothie.
FAQS
Too much liquid. Add more frozen fruit a handful at a time and blend until it thickens. Or remember the rule for next time: 2 parts frozen fruit to 1 part liquid, max.
Not enough liquid, fruit not chopped small enough, or the blender isn’t powerful enough. Stop, scrape the sides, tamp the fruit toward the blades, and pulse instead of running on high.
Yes. The recipe works as-is without protein powder. If you do add protein, add an extra splash of coconut milk so it blends.
Yes. With coconut milk and a plant-based protein powder, it’s naturally Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Paleo, and Vegan.
Yes. Pre-portion the frozen fruit into individual zip-top bags. In the morning, dump one bag in the blender, add coconut milk and protein powder, and blend.
Store the smoothie base (without toppings) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. After that, it separates and loses creaminess. Give it a stir or a quick re-blend before serving.
Coconut Smoothie Bowl
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Ingredients
- 1 frozen banana
- 3/4 cup frozen pineapple
- 1/2 cup frozen mango
- 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk shaken
- 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract optional
- 1 scoop (25g) vanilla protein powder optional
- Toppings: mango, banana, granola, chia seeds, cherries, nut butter, or coconut
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a highs-speed blender. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes until a smooth and thick consistency. If you don't have a high powered blender it may take a little longer or you may need to add another splash of coconut milk.1 frozen banana, 3/4 cup frozen pineapple, 1/2 cup frozen mango, 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk, 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract, 1 scoop (25g) vanilla protein powder
- Pour into a bowl and top with your favorite toppingsToppings: mango, banana, granola, chia seeds, cherries, nut butter, or coconut
Notes
- Use frozen fruit as the base.
- Start with less liquid and add more as needed to get the desired texture.
- Use a high-speed blender for best results.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tips for Thick Smoothie Bowls
- Use frozen fruit as the base.
- Start with less liquid and add more as needed.
- Use a high-speed blender for best results.
Prep and Storage Tips
Prep ahead: Pre-portion the frozen fruit into individual zip-top bags so weekday mornings are just dump-and-blend.
Storage: Store the smoothie base in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. It separates after that.
Freezing: Store in a freezer-safe container for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight, give it a stir, and pour into the bowl.
More Smoothie Recipes
Lemon Angel Food Cake Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup cake flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 12 large egg whites
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Strawberry compote and whipped cream to serve
Instructions
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Add the granulated sugar to the bowl of a food processor or blender. Pulse for 10 to 20 seconds to create a super fine texture. Remove 3/4 cup of sugar to a separate bowl.
- In a medium bowl, add the remaining 1 cup of granulated sugar, cake flour and salt.1 3/4 cups granulated sugar, 1 cup cake flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Using a handled mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar together on medium speed until until foamy, about 1 minute. Add the 3/4 cup of reserved sugar and turn the speed to high and whip for 5-6 minutes until soft peaks form.12 large egg whites, 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- Add the vanilla extract, lemon extract and lemon zest and beat until just combined.1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract, Zest of 1 lemon
- Sift the flour mixture into the egg white mixture in three separate additions. Gently fold the flour into the egg whites with a rubber spatula after each one.
- Scrape the batter into a 10-inch angel food cake pan (tube pan). Do NOT grease the pan.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Rotate the pan in the oven half way through to ensure even baking.
- Cool the cake upside down set on a wire rack for approximately 3 hours. Once cooled, run a knife around the outside of the pan and gently tap the sides until the cake releases.
- Serve a spoonful of strawberry compote on top of a piece of angel food cake. Store both separately in an air tight container. Thin compote by heating in the microwave for a few seconds.
Equipment
- Angel food cake pan (Tube Pan)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe by: Molly Thompson of What Molly Made | Photography by: Sierra Inn
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Have you tried this one gluten free?
Hi Tracy! I have not tested this recipe with gluten-free flour. You could try to swap the cake flour with a 1-1 gf all-purpose flour combined with corn starch. I also have this gluten-free angel food cake recipe as well! https://whatmollymade.com/gluten-free-angel-food-cake/
can you use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour?
Hi! Yes you should be able to. You’ll want to add corn starch as well.
Hi Can you use egg whites from a carton instead of separating eggs??
Thank you
Hi! Yes — you can use carton egg whites in lemon angel food cake, as long as the carton says “100% egg whites.”
I did not have a mixer, I tried to mix/beat by hand lol….waiting to see how it turns out …. I am not sure this is going to rise lol! next time I will try it at my own home with the correct tools … but fingers crossed lol.
Hope it worked for you! As long as you reached soft peaks for the egg whites it should be good. Thanks!
Made this as my mom’s birthday cake and it was so fluffy and delicious! Making it again for Mother’s Day at everyone’s request!
Love that!
I’m obsessed with the melt-in-your mouth texture that angel food cake has, literally like eating a cloud! Love this strawberry-lemon combo! Spring fever in cake form!
Hey Bethany!! I feel the exact same way about angel food cake. The texture is just so good:) And lemon/strawberry is soooo yummy.
❤️Molly