Angel Food Cake with Chocolate Ganache and Whipped Cream
Sneak Preview: This angel food cake bakes up light and airy with a surprise chocolate swirl inside. Topped with whipped cream and ganache, it’s perfect for birthdays and other special celebrations.
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Looking for a cake that feels like a celebration? This one always impresses. A friend once called it “the best cake she’d ever eaten.” The homemade sponge is delicate and tall, the chocolate tunnel adds drama, and the whipped cream and ganache bring it all together. It’s a nostalgic nod to boxed angel food—but with flavor and texture that mix can’t touch.
What Makes This One Worth Sharing
- Ganache drizzle creates a bakery-style finish with no piping skills needed
- Chocolate tunnel surprise makes this more than a typical angel food cake
- Whipped cream frosting instead of glaze keeps it light and balanced
Shared & Loved
“I would love to make this cake (it was especially delicious when we had it at your house).” BETH P.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- CAKE FLOUR: Lower protein than all-purpose; sub 1 cup AP minus 2 tbsp.
- CONFECTIONERS’ SUGAR: Dissolves easily in egg whites; better than granulated.
- EGG WHITES: Use room temperature whites; remove all traces of yolk.
- GRANULATED SUGAR: Superfine is okay; avoid sugar substitutes.
- CREAM OF TARTAR: Stabilizes the meringue—don’t skip it. Cream of tartar(paid link)
- SALT: Just a pinch to balance sweetness.
- VANILLA + ALMOND EXTRACTS: Classic angel food flavor combo.
- COCOA POWDER: Dutch-processed for deeper flavor; regular cocoa works too.
- SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE: Use bars (not chips) for smooth ganache.
- HEAVY CREAM: Cold full-fat cream is essential for both ganache and whipped topping.
- CONFECTIONERS’ SUGAR (for frosting): Sweetens and helps stabilize whipped cream. (AKA powdered sugar or XXXX sugar)
Make It More Doable
• Watch a video first (like this one-Sam’s from Sugar Spun Run ) : Seeing how stiff peaks really look can help, especially if it’s your first angel food cake.
• Use a mix if needed: No shame in skipping the chocolate tunnel and starting with a box.
• Do a trial run: Practicing once takes the pressure off when baking for a crowd or special day. If, at first, your cake doesn’t turn out perfect, check out this recipe for salvaging a low-rise angel food cake.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Making This Cake
➊ Whisk dry ingredients: Sift and whisk together cake flour and confectioners’ sugar.
➋ Start the meringue: Beat egg whites with cream of tartar, salt, vanilla, and almond extract on low for 1 minute.
➌ Add sugar slowly: Increase to high speed and add granulated sugar 1 tbsp at a time, waiting 15 seconds between additions. Beat to stiff peaks.
➍ Fold in flour mixture: Gently fold dry ingredients into meringue in batches using a light hand.
➎ Layer the batters: Spoon ⅔ of the batter into an ungreased tube pan. Fold cocoa into the rest and fill the center trough. Smooth the top.
➏ Bake and cool upside down: Bake at 325°F (165°C) for 50–55 minutes. Invert to cool completely for 2–3 hours.
➐ Loosen and release: Use a thin knife to loosen cake from pan and invert onto a serving plate.
➑ Make ganache: Heat cream, add chopped chocolate, let sit, then stir gently until smooth and glossy.
➒ Whip the cream: Beat cold cream to soft peaks, then add sugar and vanilla. Whip to stiff peaks.
➓ Frost and drizzle: Frost cake with whipped cream. Drizzle cooled ganache around the edges and across the top.
💡 Tips That Make a Difference
• 📌 Master the ganache drip: The ideal texture drips slowly—too thick and it won’t run, too thin and it races to the bottom. Let ganache cool until just pourable, and test on an upside-down bowl first. (See picture below)
• 📌 Chill before slicing: Refrigerate the frosted cake for a few hours and wipe your knife clean between slices for a polished presentation.
Angel Food Cake with Chocolate Ganache and Whipped Cream
Video
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1½ cup (170 g) confectioners sugar
- 1 cup (120 g) cake flour
- 1½ cup (365 g) egg whites
- 1½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons powdered cocoa (dutch-process) (sifted)
Chocolate Ganache:
- ⅔ cup (151 g) heavy whipping cream
- 4 oz. (113 g) semi-sweet chocolate bar
Whipped Cream Icing:
- 1-1/2 cup (340 g) heavy whipping cream (chilled)
- ⅓ cup (76 g) confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 °F (165˚C).
- Whisk flour and powdered sugar: Measure 1½ cup (170 g) confectioners sugar and 1 cup (120 g) cake flour into a medium bowl. Whisk well and set aside.
- Whip the egg whites: Add 1½ cup (365 g) egg whites, 1½ teaspoon cream of tartar, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon almond extract, and 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract to a large bowl of a stand mixer. Use the wire whip attachment and mix these ingredients on LOW for one minute.
- Add sugar slowly: Turn the mixer up to HIGH speed and add 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar in 1 tablespoon increments from the side. Allow 15 seconds between each tablespoon. (I count it off.) Mix until the egg whites are thick and billowy and the peaks stand up without falling over.
- Fold in flour mixture: Remove the mixer bowl containing the whipped egg whites from the mixer and do this next step by hand. Use a large rubber spatula or spoon to delicately and carefully fold the flour and sugar mixture into the whipped egg whites. Add about ½ cup of the flour mixture at a time. Use the spatula to slice perpendicular to the whites down to the bottom of the bowl and turn the spatula slightly to pull up the batter from the bottom and lay it over the top.Turn the bowl 1/4 turn and repeat the slice-and-fold process until the flour and egg whites are just mixed. Do this with patience and a light hand. If you overdo the mixing, your cake won’t be as high as your hopes.
- Create the Chocolate Tunnel: Pour slightly more than half of the cake batter into a 10-inch ungreased tube pan with a removable bottom. Use a thin knife to gently “slice” through the batter to remove any large air bubbles. Use a spoon to draw a trough around the middle. (See the picture above.)Carefully fold 2 tablespoons powdered cocoa (dutch-process) into the remaining batter until completely mixed. (Do not skip the sifting, or you will have little chunks of cocoa in your batter.) Fill the trough with the chocolate batter and then smooth over the top.
- Bake and Cool Upside Down: Bake for 50-55 minutes at 325 °F (165˚C). Remove from the oven and immediately turn the cake upside down to cool for two to three hours. (Don’t use the legs on your pan when you turn it over. Better to use a pop bottle or funnel.) Use a firm hand and a skinny knife to loosen the cake from the edges of the pan. Turn the cake upside down onto the cake plate or cooling rack.
- Make the Chocolate Ganache: Heat 2/3 cup (151 g) heavy whipping cream in a small glass bowl for 1 minute in a microwave oven. Add 4 oz. (113 g) semi-sweet chocolate bar broken into smaller pieces to the hot cream. Allow the chocolate to sit in the cream and melt for a few minutes.When the chocolate is completely melted, use a small wire whisk or spatula to stir. Start by making small circles at first, then larger, and finally, mix the melted chocolate and cream until smooth.Set the ganache aside to cool.
- Whip the Cream: Whip 1-1/2 cup (340 g) heavy whipping cream (chilled) in a medium-sized chilled bowl with a wire attachment or a portable mixer. When the cream thickens and has soft peaks, add 1/3 cup (76 g) confectioners sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Go too far, and the whipped cream will be dry-looking or turn into butter.
- Frost and drizzle: Spread whipped cream on cake. Pour the warm chocolate ganache into a small zippered bag. Snip one corner about 1/4 inch. If this is your first time, turn over a cereal bowl and practice running chocolate along the edge till you get the effect you want. If it’s too thick to make nice “runs”, add a few drops of warm cream. If too thin, let the chocolate cool a while longer.Slowly squeeze ganache from the small hole in the corner of your zippered bag making “runs and drips” around the perimeter of the cake. Do the center of the cake the same way. Quickly squeeze the remainder of the ganache over the top of the cake. Then, use a spoon, spatula, or offset flexible knife to spread the ganache evenly. You have a small window to smooth the ganache because the cold whip cream icing will harden the ganache on contact.
Notes
Serve this cake with fresh berries to brighten the plate. For the cleanest slices, chill the finished cake for a few hours and wipe your serrated knife between cuts.
This showstopper is best within 24 hours but still delightful for two or three days—if it lasts that long.
Equipment
Nutrition
All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com
FAQs
- Can I make this cake ahead of time?
- Yes. Bake the cake the night before, cool it upside down, then frost and drizzle the next day. Store covered in the fridge.
- What if I don’t have a tube pan?
- A 10-inch tube pan with a removable bottom works best. Avoid bundt or nonstick pans—they make rising and release tricky.
- Can I skip the chocolate tunnel?
- Absolutely. Just bake the full batter as-is for a classic angel food cake. You can still frost and drizzle as directed.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with fresh strawberries, raspberries, or chocolate-covered berries for added color and contrast. For birthdays, add candles or festive sprinkles before drizzling the ganache. I love to serve each slice with a chocolate-covered strawberry–feels very luxurious.
Final Thoughts:
This is the most requested birthday cake in my family—and now, from friends too. The ganache drizzle adds drama, but don’t stress over perfection. It’s supposed to look homemade and generous. If you’re not in the mood to separate a dozen eggs, try my Chocolate Almond Torte instead. Here are a couple more favorites: Simple Coffee Angel Food Cake and Kid-Friendly Coffee Cake with Bisquick. If you need something more sophisticated, my mom’s favorite was this Carrot Cake without Pineapple.
Need help troubleshooting? Email me: Paula at saladinajar.com—photos welcome!
“Adapted from a classic Betty Crocker recipe, with inspiration from Confections of a Foodie Bride”
Paula Rhodes, owner
As a retired home economist, I created Saladinajar.com to share my belief that you don’t have to be a chef to find joy in creating homemade food worth sharing. Bread machines (used in an unconventional way), homemade yogurt, and quick microwave recipes are my specialty.