This Black and White Angel Food Cake Recipe is a decadent and airy recipe, which calls for fluffy egg whites and grated semisweet chocolate. It’s a show-stopping dessert, ready in about 2 hours.
Jump to RecipeBlack and White Angel Food Cake Recipe Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups sifted superfine sugar (about 1 pound), divided
- 1 1/3 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
- 1 1/2 cups egg whites at room temperature (10 to 12 eggs)
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup coarsely grated semisweet chocolate
For the glaze:
- 1/2 pound semisweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream

How To Make Black and White Angel Food Cake Recipe
- Prep the oven and flour mixture: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup of the sugar with the sifted cake flour. Sift this mixture together four more times to make it exceptionally light and aerated. Set aside.
- Whip the egg whites: In the large, clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the room temperature egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute, until the eggs form medium-firm peaks.
- Create the meringue: With the mixer on medium speed, gradually sprinkle in the remaining 1 1/2 cups of sugar. Turn the speed to high and beat for a few minutes until the meringue is thick, shiny, and holds stiff peaks. Beat in the vanilla extract.
- Fold in flour and chocolate: Scrape the meringue into a very large bowl. Sift about one-quarter of the flour mixture over the top and gently fold it in with a rubber spatula. Continue adding the flour in three more additions, sifting and folding until it’s all just incorporated. Gently fold in the grated chocolate.
- Bake the cake: Gently pour the batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan and smooth the top. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the cake springs back when lightly touched.
- Cool the cake upside down: Immediately upon removing it from the oven, invert the cake pan onto a wire rack (or over the neck of a bottle) and let it hang upside down to cool completely, for about 1 hour.
- Make the chocolate glaze: Place the chocolate chips and the heavy cream in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is completely melted and the glaze is smooth.
- Glaze and serve: Once the cake is cool, run a thin knife around the edges to loosen it and unmold it onto a serving plate. Pour the warm chocolate glaze over the top, allowing it to drizzle down the sides.

Recipe Tips
- Grating the chocolate: Using coarsely grated chocolate rather than chips inside the batter ensures the chocolate suspends in the light batter instead of sinking to the bottom. Use a box grater or a food processor.
- Sifting is crucial: Sifting the flour and sugar mixture four times might seem like a lot, but it is essential for breaking up clumps and aerating the dry ingredients so they don’t deflate the egg whites when folded in.
- Clean equipment: Ensure your mixing bowl and whisk are perfectly clean and free of any grease or egg yolk. Any fat will prevent the egg whites from whipping to their full volume.
- Don’t grease the pan: Angel food cake needs to cling to the sides of the ungreased pan to rise properly. If you grease the pan, the cake will slip down and collapse.
What To Serve With Black and White Angel Food Cake
This rich yet light cake pairs beautifully with fresh fruit and beverages.
- Fresh strawberries or raspberries
- A dollop of whipped cream
- A cup of espresso or cappuccino
- Vanilla bean ice cream

How To Store Black and White Angel Food Cake Recipe
- Room Temperature: Store the cake in a cake keeper or loosely covered with plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerate: If the kitchen is warm, store the glazed cake in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
- Freeze: You can freeze the unglazed cake for up to 3 months. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Thaw at room temperature and make the glaze fresh before serving.
Black and White Angel Food Cake Recipe Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 320
- Total Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
- Sodium: 180mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 50g
- Dietary Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 40g
- Protein: 5g
Nutrition information is estimated per slice and may vary based on ingredients and serving size.
FAQs
It is not recommended to simply swap them. Cocoa powder contains fat and acidity that can alter the structure of the angel food cake foam. Stick to grated semisweet chocolate for those distinct speckles.
Angel food cake has a very delicate structure when hot. If cooled right side up, gravity will cause it to collapse on itself. Inverting it allows gravity to stretch the cake while it sets, keeping it fluffy.
A tube pan (with the center hole) is necessary for even heat distribution for this type of foam cake. Without the center tube, the middle of the cake would likely collapse before it cooks through.
Black and White Angel Food Cake Recipe
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy12
servings30
minutes45
minutes320
kcalThis Black and White Angel Food Cake is a speckled beauty featuring a light-as-air vanilla sponge studded with grated chocolate and covered in a rich ganache glaze.
Ingredients
2 cups sifted superfine sugar, divided
1 1/3 cups sifted cake flour
1 1/2 cups egg whites (room temp)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup coarsely grated semisweet chocolate
1/2 pound semisweet chocolate chips (for glaze)
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream (for glaze)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Sift flour and 1/2 cup sugar together four times.
- Whip egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar to medium-firm peaks.
- Gradually add remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar; beat to stiff peaks. Add vanilla.
- Gently fold in flour mixture in batches, followed by grated chocolate.
- Pour into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes until it springs back.
- Invert pan and cool upside down for 1 hour.
- Melt chocolate chips and cream in a double boiler for the glaze.
- Unmold cake and pour warm glaze over the top.
Notes
- Superfine Sugar: If you don’t have superfine sugar, you can pulse regular granulated sugar in a food processor for 30 seconds.
- Folding: Fold gently to keep the air bubbles intact; this is the only leavening agent in the cake.
- Leftover Yolks: Save the egg yolks for making custard, ice cream, or Hollandaise sauce.
