Cake Recipes

Black and White Angel Food Cake Recipe

Black and White Angel Food Cake Recipe

This Black and White Angel Food Cake Recipe is a light and airy recipe, which is made with egg whites and grated semisweet chocolate. It’s a classic, foolproof recipe, ready in about 2 hours and 30 minutes.

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Black 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
Black and White Angel Food Cake Recipe
Black and White Angel Food Cake Recipe

How To Make Black and White Angel Food Cake Recipe

  1. Prep 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
Black and White Angel Food Cake Recipe
Black and White Angel Food Cake Recipe

Recipe Tips

  • How to get a tall, fluffy cake? For the most volume, ensure your egg whites are at room temperature and that your mixing bowl is completely clean and free of any fat or grease. The cream of tartar also helps to stabilize the egg whites, so don’t skip it.
  • Why do I have to cool the cake upside down? This is the most crucial step for angel food cake. Its structure is very delicate when warm. Cooling it upside down allows gravity to keep the cake stretched out and prevents its light, airy crumb from collapsing on itself.
  • Why is the pan left ungreased? The light batter needs to cling to the sides of the pan in order to “climb” up and achieve its signature height and airy texture. Greasing the pan would cause the batter to slip.
  • How do I fold in the flour without deflating the batter? Be very gentle. Use a large spatula to cut down through the center of the meringue, sweep across the bottom of the bowl, and lift and fold the batter over on itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat this motion only until the streaks of flour disappear.

What To Serve With Black and White Angel Food Cake

This rich yet light cake is a wonderful dessert on its own.

  • With a dollop of fresh, unsweetened whipped cream
  • With a side of fresh raspberries or strawberries
  • With a glass of cold milk or a hot cup of coffee
Black and White Angel Food Cake Recipe
Black and White Angel Food Cake Recipe

How To Store Black and White Angel Food Cake

Room Temperature: Store the cake in an airtight cake carrier or loosely covered with plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days. Freeze: For best results, freeze the un-glazed cake. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Let it thaw at room temperature before glazing.

Black and White Angel Food Cake Nutrition Facts

  • Serving: 1 slice (of 12)
  • Calories: 360kcal
  • Protein: 6g
  • Fat: 12g
  • Carbohydrates: 58g
  • Sugar: 45g
  • Sodium: 160mg

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.

FAQs

What’s the difference between this and a regular angel food cake?

The “black and white” in this recipe comes from the addition of grated semisweet chocolate folded into the white, airy batter, creating a lovely speckled appearance and adding a rich chocolate flavor that complements the light cake.

My angel food cake collapsed. What did I do wrong?

This can be caused by a few things: the egg whites were not beaten to stiff enough peaks, the flour was over-mixed and deflated the batter, or the cake was not cooled completely while hanging upside down. This last step is often the most critical.

Can I use chocolate chips instead of grated chocolate?

It is not recommended. Chocolate chips are too heavy and will sink to the bottom of the delicate, airy batter. Coarsely grating a bar of chocolate ensures that small, light flecks are suspended throughout the cake.

Try More Recipes:

Black and White Angel Food Cake Recipe

Recipe by LuluCourse: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

12

servings
Prep time

30

minutes
Cooking time

45

minutes
Calories

360

kcal

A stunning twist on the classic, this light and airy homemade angel food cake is flecked with grated semisweet chocolate and draped in a rich, decadent chocolate glaze.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups egg whites (10-12), room temperature

  • 2 cups superfine sugar, divided

  • 1 1/3 cups sifted cake flour

  • 1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar & 3/4 tsp salt

  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

  • 1/2 cup grated semisweet chocolate

  • Glaze: 1/2 lb semisweet chocolate chips, 3/4 cup heavy cream

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Sift flour with 1/2 cup of sugar four times.
  • Beat egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar to medium-firm peaks. Gradually beat in the remaining 1 1/2 cups of sugar until stiff and glossy.
  • Gently fold in the vanilla, then fold in the flour mixture in four additions. Finally, fold in the grated chocolate.
  • Pour batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan and bake for 35-45 minutes.
  • Immediately invert the pan and let the cake cool completely upside down for at least 1 hour.
  • Make the glaze by melting the chocolate chips and heavy cream together over a double boiler until smooth.
  • Unmold the cooled cake and pour the warm glaze over the top, letting it drip down the sides.

Notes

  • Do not grease the cake pan; the batter needs to cling to the sides of the pan to rise properly.
  • Cooling the cake completely while it is upside down is a mandatory step to prevent the delicate, airy structure from collapsing.
  • For the highest, fluffiest cake, ensure your egg whites are at room temperature and your mixing bowl is completely clean and free of any fat.
  • Use grated chocolate, not chocolate chips, to ensure it stays suspended in the light batter and doesn’t sink.

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