Heavenly Lemon Angel Food Cake with Berries

Here’s my go-to angel food cake recipe, topped with fresh berries and served with a simple whipped cream. The cake turns out light and airy every time, with a sweet vanilla flavor that pairs perfectly with the natural sweetness of the fruit.

This angel food cake has become our summer dessert tradition, especially when berries are in season. I often make it for weekend family dinners, and there’s rarely a crumb left on anyone’s plate. And honestly, who doesn’t love a dessert that feels this light and refreshing?

What Kind of Berries Should I Use?

The beauty of this angel food cake recipe is that you can mix and match different berries to create your perfect combination. Fresh berries are great when they’re in season – strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries all work wonderfully here. If you’re making this cake outside of berry season, don’t worry about using frozen berries – they’re picked at peak ripeness and work just as well in this recipe. When shopping for fresh berries, look for ones that are plump, deeply colored, and free from any mold or mushy spots. If you’re using strawberries, try to pick ones that are similar in size so they’ll cook evenly when making the topping.

Options for Substitutions

When it comes to angel food cake, some ingredients are must-haves, while others offer room for creativity:

• Cake flour: This is one ingredient you shouldn’t substitute – cake flour’s low protein content is crucial for the cake’s tender, light texture. If you’re really in a pinch, you can make your own by replacing 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch for each cup of flour.
• Superfine sugar: If you can’t find superfine sugar, pulse regular granulated sugar in a food processor for about 30 seconds until it’s more finely ground. Don’t use powdered sugar as it contains cornstarch.
• Egg whites: Fresh egg whites are essential – don’t use liquid egg whites from a carton as they won’t whip up properly. This is another non-negotiable ingredient!
• Lemon juice: You can swap this with cream of tartar (use 1 teaspoon) or white vinegar (same amount as lemon juice). These acids help stabilize the egg whites.
• Mixed berries: Feel free to use any combination of fresh or frozen berries you like, or try other soft fruits like peaches or mangoes. If using frozen fruit, thaw and drain well before using.
• Vanilla extract: You can use almond extract (use half the amount) or orange extract for a different flavor profile.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The success of your angel food cake heavily depends on how you handle the egg whites – make sure they’re at room temperature before whipping, and ensure your bowl and beaters are completely free from any traces of fat or egg yolk, as even a tiny amount will prevent proper whipping. Getting the folding technique right is crucial – using a gentle over-and-under motion when incorporating the flour mixture helps maintain those precious air bubbles, while aggressive stirring will deflate your batter and result in a dense cake. Another common mistake is greasing the pan – angel food cake needs to climb up the sides of an ungreased tube pan to reach its full height, so skip the butter or cooking spray entirely. After baking, resist the urge to remove the cake from the pan immediately; instead, invert the pan and let the cake cool completely upside down for about 2 hours, which prevents it from collapsing under its own weight.

What to Serve With Angel Food Cake?

While this light and airy cake is already paired with fresh berries, there are several delicious ways to make it even more special. A dollop of homemade whipped cream is always a crowd-pleaser, but you might also try a scoop of vanilla ice cream or lemon sorbet for a refreshing twist. For a breakfast or brunch setting, serve it alongside a hot cup of coffee or tea – the cake’s subtle sweetness pairs perfectly with these warm beverages. If you’re feeling fancy, drizzle some warm chocolate sauce or caramel over the top, or add a spoonful of lemon curd for a bright, citrusy kick.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Your angel food cake will stay light and airy for up to 2 days when stored at room temperature. Just cover it loosely with plastic wrap or pop it in a cake container. If you’ve added the berry topping, keep it in the fridge instead, where it’ll stay good for up to 3 days.

Freeze: Want to make this cake ahead? The unfrosted angel food cake freezes really well for up to 3 months. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Just remember to add the fresh berries and whipped cream after thawing, not before freezing!

Prep Ahead: If you’re planning to serve this later, it’s best to keep the components separate. Store the baked cake at room temperature, prep the berry mixture separately, and whip the cream just before serving. This way, everything stays fresh and you can assemble it when you’re ready to eat.

Preparation Time	20-30 minutes
Cooking Time	35-45 minutes
Total Time	55-75 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1400-1600
• Protein: 20-30 g
• Fat: 5-10 g
• Carbohydrates: 300-350 g

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup superfine sugar
• 1 1/4 cups egg whites (about 10 large eggs, room temperature)
• 1 cup superfine sugar (for meringue)
• 3 tsp fresh lemon juice (freshly squeezed for best flavor)
• 1 cup plus 4 tsp cake flour (sifted to remove lumps)
• 1/4 tsp fine salt

For the raspberry sauce:

• 7 oz frozen raspberries (I use Cascadian Farm)
• 5 tsp granulated sugar

For serving:

• Sweetened whipped cream (optional but recommended for richness)
• 1 1/2 lb assorted berries (strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries)

Step 1: Prepare Equipment and Dry Ingredients

• 1 cup plus 4 tsp cake flour
• 1/2 cup superfine sugar
• 1/4 tsp fine salt

Start by ensuring your mixing bowl and cake pan are completely clean and dry—any grease or residue will prevent the egg whites from reaching full volume, which is critical for angel food cake.

Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F).

Sift together the cake flour, 1/2 cup superfine sugar, and fine salt into a medium bowl, sifting twice to ensure there are no lumps and to aerate the flour.

Set this dry mixture aside until ready to fold into the meringue.

Step 2: Whip Egg Whites into Meringue

• 1 1/4 cups egg whites
• 1 cup superfine sugar
• 3 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract

Add the room-temperature egg whites and a pinch of salt to your large, impeccably clean mixing bowl.

Begin beating on medium speed until the whites are foamy and opaque, about 1-2 minutes.

Add the fresh lemon juice and then gradually add the 1 cup superfine sugar in a slow stream while continuing to beat on medium-high speed.

I find that adding sugar slowly—rather than all at once—creates a more stable, glossy meringue with better structure.

Continue beating until soft peaks form (the peaks should curl slightly when you lift the beaters), then beat in the vanilla extract.

Don’t overbeat, as you want the meringue to be full but still have some body when you fold in the flour.

Step 3: Fold Dry Mixture into Meringue and Bake

• dry ingredient mixture from Step 1
• meringue from Step 2

Working gently to preserve the aerated meringue, fold the dry ingredient mixture from Step 1 into the meringue in three additions, using a rubber spatula and a gentle folding motion (cut down the center, sweep along the bottom, and fold up and over).

Combine only until no streaks of flour remain after each addition—overmixing will deflate the meringue and result in a dense cake.

Pour the batter into an ungreased 10-inch angel food cake pan and smooth the top gently.

Give the pan a light shake on the counter to release any large air bubbles, then wipe the sides clean.

Bake at 175°C (350°F) for approximately 35 minutes until a cake tester inserted near the center comes out clean and the top is light golden brown.

Step 4: Cool the Cake Inverted

As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, immediately invert the pan onto a bottle neck or inverted funnel if your pan has feet, or simply place the pan upside down on a cooling rack.

This inverted cooling technique prevents the cake from collapsing as it cools and helps it retain its height and structure.

Allow the cake to cool completely at room temperature, which typically takes 2-3 hours.

Once fully cooled, carefully run a thin knife around the edges and center tube of the pan to loosen the cake, then turn it right-side up and remove it from the pan onto a serving plate.

Step 5: Prepare Berry Sauce and Fresh Berries

• 7 oz frozen raspberries
• 5 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 lb assorted berries

While the cake cools, prepare the berry topping.

Thaw the frozen raspberries at room temperature, then combine them with the 5 tsp granulated sugar in a small saucepan.

Heat gently over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the berries release their juice and the sugar dissolves, creating a light sauce.

Let this cool to room temperature.

Gently toss the assorted fresh berries (strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries) in a separate bowl to keep them intact and fresh.

Step 6: Finish and Serve

• cooled cake from Step 4
• berry sauce from Step 5
• fresh berries from Step 5
• Sweetened whipped cream

Just before serving, drizzle the cooled berry sauce from Step 5 generously over the top and down the sides of the cake from Step 4.

Crown the cake with the fresh berries from Step 5, arranging them artfully.

For serving, I like to dollop a generous spoonful of sweetened whipped cream on each slice to add richness and balance the cake’s airy texture—it really transforms the dessert.

Slice and serve immediately.