Gluten-Free Angel Food Cake! The best-tasting angel food cake you’ll ever eat. Light, fluffy and perfect for your favorite desserts. Nobody will ever guess it’s gluten-free!

Hundreds of reviewers agree this is the most delicious gluten-free angel food cake recipe around! This tried-and-true recipe was originally published in 2013 and is one my #1 recipes today.

slice of gluten-free angel food cake on white plate with strawberries


 

UPDATED June 2022: This is still my go-to recipe for angel food cake! People are always amazed this is gluten-free. I like using it in desserts like trifle or serving it on it’s own with fresh berries and whipped cream. Enjoy!

To me, angel food cake is more than just a vehicle for strawberries and cream.

Angel food cake is what my Mom and I would make for birthdays every year. She would mix sprinkles into the batter and top it with my Grandma’s 7-minute frosting.

If you’ve never had 7-minute frosting, imagine a cross between a fresh marshmallow and whipped cream. It is pure heaven on fluffy angel food cake!

Angel food cake is also what gets broken up to make my very favorite Gluten-Free Strawberry Trifle. That trifle is probably my favorite summer dessert of all time.

Every year my husband’s Grandma would make cherry and whipped cream fruit filled angel food cake for my mother-in-law’s birthday. I dearly love that cake too!

And though it be humble, I do love the classic angel food cake with fresh fruit and whipped cream.

angel food cake in pan after baking

Since angel food cake is the key to so many favorite desserts, I need to have perfect gluten-free angel food cake in my life! This recipe is the one.

Since angel food cake gets it’s structure from egg whites, it is really easy to make gluten-free.

It is moist and light with great height and flavor. I actually love this cake because it tastes a little more special than the regular box cake everyone is used to eating.

You also might like this gluten-free pound cake. Check out this full collection of gluten-free cake recipes!

For more tried-and-true recipes try this gluten-free pizza crust and gluten-free banana bread.

slice of angel food cake on white plate

You can tell this cake is made from scratch, making it extra delicious. But nobody will ever guess it’s gluten-free.

Since there are a few steps I’ve made a visual tutorial for you with step by step photos. I hope it is helpful!

How to Make Gluten-Free Angel Food Cake

gluten-free angel food cake cut into slices

1. In the bowl of a food processor, process the gluten-free flour and powdered sugar together until smooth, about 30 seconds.

2. Sift the flour/powdered sugar mixture into a bowl and set aside.

3. Process the granulated sugar slightly, about 5-7 pulses. You don’t want to turn it into powdered sugar, just a little finer than it is normally. Set aside.

4. Place egg whites (that should have sat at room temperature for at least 30 minutes) in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the salt and cream of tartar. Using the whisk attachment, beat on medium speed until starting to foam and soft peaks form. You can also use a hand mixer.

Tip: You can separate the egg whites from the egg yolks or simply buy carton egg whites for this recipe.

step by step pictures of how to mix cake batter together

5. Add the pure vanilla extract and almond extract and continue whipping on high speed.

6. Add the granulated sugar slowly, about 2 tablespoon at a time to the egg whites while they are whipping.

7. Continue whipping until stiff peaks form.

8. Slowly fold in the dry ingredients 1/4 a cup at a time with a rubber spatula. Do this carefully and slowly so you don’t deflate the egg whites. This is the key to good traditional angel food cake!

cake in tube pan before baking

9. Spread the angel food cake batter in a ungreased, 10-inch round angel food cake pan.

Tip: An ungreased 10-inch tube pan is key for this recipe. You need a special round angel food pan for best results so the cake can have enough room to expand. Unfortunately a bundt pan won’t work the same.

cake baked in pan

10. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes until lightly golden. Immediately invert pan onto a cooling rack when you remove it from the oven. Cool completely then run a serrated knife along the edges of the pan and carefully transfer the cake to a serving plate. Enjoy!

slice of angel food cake on blue plate with strawberries and whipped cream

Original photo from 2013! I thought the blue plate was so cool – ha!

You could also top this angel food cake with gluten-free raspberry coulis.

More Gluten-Free Recipes

I hope you like this gluten-free angel food cake recipe as much as we do! If you try it be sure to leave me a comment/rating below. I’d love to hear from you!

slice of gluten-free angel food cake on white plate with strawberries
4.99 from 183 votes

Perfect Gluten-Free Angel Food Cake

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 8 servings
You won’t believe this delicious Angel Food Cake is GF!

Video

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups egg whites from 10-11 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup gluten-free all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Instructions 

  • Separate the egg whites and allow them to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 350. In the bowl of a food processor, process the flour, cornstarch and powdered sugar together until smooth, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
  • Process the granulated sugar slightly, about 5-7 pulses. You don’t want to turn it into powdered sugar, just a little finer than it is normally. Set aside.
  • Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on high until starting to foam then add the salt and cream of tartar.
  • Add the vanilla and almond extract and continue whipping on high speed.
  • Add the granulated sugar slowly, about 1 tablespoon at a time to the egg whites while they are whipping.Continue whipping until stiff peaks form.
  • Slowly fold in the dry ingredients 1/3 at a time with a spatula. Do this carefully and slowly so you don’t deflate the egg whites. (This is the key to good angel food cake.) Scoop into a ungreased 10-inch round pan.
  • Bake at 350 for about 35-40 minutes until lightly golden. Immediately invert pan onto a cooling rack when you remove it from the oven. Cool completely then run a knife along the edges of the pan and carefully plate the cake. Enjoy!

Notes

Previous recipe used 1/2 cup brown rice flour, 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon tapioca starch, 3 tablespoons potato starch for the dry ingredients. This will still work great!
You can use any gluten-free all-purpose flour blend you like in this recipe. I like using this one from King Arthur Flour or this one from Bob’s Red Mill. Use this angel food cake to make all your favorite desserts gluten-free!

Nutrition

Calories: 199kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 6g | Sodium: 149mg | Potassium: 167mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 30g | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 0.5mg

Recipe Source: Inspired by King Arthur Flour

 

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Hi, I’m Erin!

BS Food Science,

MS Nutrition

I believe you can make amazing, gluten-free food with everyday ingredients that everyone will enjoy. I’m here to share my tried-and-true recipes with you!

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Comments

  1. I’ve made this and it is sooooo yummy!! But I have a request to make it sugar free… Do you think it would turn out ok using monk fruit sweeteners?

    1. Sugar free and gluten free is an extra level of difficulty. I would use Spends if anything. I would do a trial run to see. Let us know if you give it a go!

  2. I have never left a review before for a recipe, but this really did turn out beautifully. My son is GF and typically my husband says he can tell the difference when I bake GF. He had NO idea this was GF!!!! I will definitely bake this again

  3. 5 stars
    I made a big mistake and altered this recipe and it still turned out. I accidentally add all the sugar to the flour mixture then added about 1/4 cup more when whipping the egg whites. I don’t have an angel cake pan so I used a greased and lightly floured bundt pan instead. Have not tasted it up cut it up to make a triffle tomorrow and it looks just like it should. thanks for the recipe.

  4. 5 stars
    I made this for my son’s girlfriend who cannot eat gluten. It was delicious. I should add that I do not bake often – especially cakes, and this cake turned out perfectly. This recipe is a keeper!

  5. I have a recipe to use a GF Angel Food cake mix with a can of crushed pineapple. I would like to use your recipe but wondered if I need to reduce the egg whites or it may be too runny. Help!

    1. Hi Susan! I wish I could be more helpful here – I’m not sure how that would turn out gluten-free. I think most box angel food cake mixes have powdered egg whites – it wouldn’t work with this recipe.

  6. 5 stars
    I made this for Mother’s Day this year and it was a hit! My aunt and I are the only gluten free people in the family but of all the desserts we had, this was the only one that had nothing leftover! I’m making it again today for Father’s Day and will likely be getting requests for it again at future family gatherings. Interested in trying out some flavor variations for other holidays where a traditional angel food cake might not be the “go-to” (like adding pumpkin pie spices for Fall, etc.). For the summer months, serving this up with fresh fruit and coconut whipped topping is amazing! I’ll definitely be making this over and over. Thank you!!

  7. have yet to make this, but was eating a piece of gluten free cake from the local cakery and thinking how angel food cake would be so nice and that what I was eating was only so-so. I’m wondering if a small glass in the center of a pan would work (with maybe a foil cuff) instead of an angel food cake pan…and can the recipe be cut in half (and how long would one cook it if it were…(just a guess is fine). I am one person and seldom even think about a whole cake! Of course, if I don’t hear from you I’ll try anyway, but I’d rather not go in blind!

  8. Could I make this and add canned crushed pineapple to make a gluten-free pineapple angel food cake ?
    Thank you !!!

    1. I don’t know how well this cake would hold up with the addition of the juices. I would be sure to drain the pineapple really well and gently stir it in – I think that might work! Let me know how it goes if you try it 🙂

  9. What would be the baking modifications to make these as cupcakes? I don’t own a bundt or tube pan. I find that sometimes when I make cupcakes, it gets eaten better and not as much seems to be wasted, plus it’s better with portion control. Will it be necessary to use muffin liners? Thanks.

  10. 5 stars
    I made this angel food cake recipe yesterday and it was amazing! I have never made an angel food cake or whipped egg whites and it was just beautiful. Perfectly light, fluffy and springy texture. I used a Bundt ban because it was all I had. Still worked great. I used Bobs Red Mill GF 1:1 for the flour. Nobody would ever even know it was GF. Tasted just like a traditional wheat flour angel food cake. Thank you for a foolproof, delicious recipe!

    1. Hooray! I’m glad the cakes texture was to your liking. Thanks for the comment 🙂

  11. I can’t wait to try this. I love to bake but recently had to start eating gluten free. This brings such hope into my world. Thank you for sharing and the updated version makes it not so terrifying.

      1. I’m so glad it turned out for you! I usually wrap the leftovers tightly in plastic wrap and keep the cake at room temperature.

  12. 5 stars
    Absolutely delicious!!
    It turned out perfectly too! So happy with this recipe. I will definitely make again and again!

  13. I am gluten-free and corn free so I can’t use corn starch in recipes. I substituted 1/2 cup arrowroot for the 1/4 cup cornstarch and it turned out great. Thanks for posting this recipe.

  14. 4 stars
    Might consider updating your instructional video. The directions say to add cream of tartar when you add in the salt, but no where in the video does it say to add cream of tartar. I think the ingredient is vital to your angel food cake turning out right, correct? Took me 20 minutes of going back and forth to discover it and get the recipe right.

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