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Angel food cupcakes are light, delicious and versatile. They can be eaten straight up with a dollop of whip cream or used as a base for strawberry shortcake or to make a trifle.
It took several attempts at making these cupcakes before hitting on a successful recipe. The failed attempts were learning experiences that put some preconceived notions to rest.
Normally when making angel food cake, you want to use cake flour and superfine sugar. It is recommended to run both ingredients through a food processor to aerate them. Not having cake flour in the house, I went with all purpose flour but I did run it and my monk fruit sweetener through the food processor and I sifted both. After whipping the egg whites, I folded the dry ingredients into the egg whites in small batches as recommended. The flour appeared to be well incorporated into the egg whites. The finished cupcakes were awful and had pockets of flour scattered through. They weren’t edible and went straight to the trash.
In the second attempt, I slowly beat the dry ingredients into the whipped egg whites using the whisk attachment on the kitchen aid stand mixer. To my surprise the egg whites did not deflate and I proceeded to make and bake the cupcakes. I used the toothpick method to test for doneness. The toothpick kept coming out wet so I continued to bake them. The toothpick never came out dry and the tops of the cupcakes were very brown. The flavor was good but they were clearly overcooked and dry.
The third attempt was the charm. Once again, I beat the dry ingredients into the egg whites. This time I removed the cupcakes from the oven as soon as the top sprung back when lightly touched. The cupcakes were moist, flavorful and had good texture.
Bottom line, you do not need to fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites for successful angel food cupcakes. Also, using cupcake liners did not cause the egg whites to deflate as some claim.
Please see the recipe card below for exact amounts and directions.
Ingredient Round Up
- Egg whites
- Sweetener, portion for egg whites & portion for dry ingredients
- Cream of tartar
- Vanilla
- All purpose flour or cake flour
- Salt
- Cornstarch
- Foil cupcake liners
Making the Cupcakes
- Sift one portion of sweetener into a bowl and set aside.
- Into another bowl, sift together the flour, portion of sweetener, salt and cornstarch and then set aside.
- Place room temperature egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer along with the cream of tartar. Using a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until the cream of tartar is incorporated and the egg whites are foamy.
- Add the vanilla into the foamy egg whites and beat a few seconds more.
- Slowly add a small amount of the sifted sweetener to the foamy egg whites as you continue to beat them. When that aliquote of sweetener is incorporated, add another portion of sweetener as you continue to beat the egg whites.
- After all the sweetener is added, continue to beat the egg whites until you have soft peaks.
- Slowly start to add the dry ingredients to the whipped egg whites a small amount at a time. Scrape the bowl down after each addition.
- After all the dry ingredients are incorporated, beat on high for a few seconds more.
- Using a large cookie scooper fill the foil lined cupcake tins and place in the oven to bake. Turn the oven light on. When the cupcake tops are just beginning to lightly turn golden, test them for doneness. They are done when the top springs back when it is lightly touched.
- Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them sit briefly before removing them from the tins.
- Transferring them to a cooling rack. After they are completely cooled store in a plastic container or plastic bag.
Serving Ideas
- You can serve the angel food cupcakes as is with a dollop of Reddi-wip and a few berries as garnish.
- The cupcakes can be used as an ingredient to build other desserts such as strawberry shortcake or trifles.
- For special occasions, You can fill the cupcakes with vanilla pudding or cannoli filling and garnish with Reddi-wip.
WW 1 pt per cupcake
Equipment
- cupcake tins
- foil cupcake liners
- Kitchen Aid stand mixer
- large cookie scooper
Ingredients
- ⅓ c Whole Earth monk fruit with erythritol for egg whites
- ¼ c Whole Earth monk fruit with erythritol for dry ingredients
- 6 egg whites
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ c all purpose flour or cake flour
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1½ tsp corn starch
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325℉.
- Sift the 1/3 c sweetener into a small bowl using a mesh strainer and set it aside.
- Add the 1/4 sweetener, flour, salt and cornstarch to a mesh strainer and sift into a different small bowl and set aside.
- Separate the egg whites from the yokes. Place the room temperature egg whites into the large mixing bowl of a stand mixer.
- Add the cream of tartar to the egg whites. Using the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until they are foamy and the cream of tartar is completely mixed in.
- Add the vanilla extract to the foamy egg whites and and continue to beat until the vanilla is mixed in.
- As you continue to beat the egg whites with the whisk attachment, add a small portion of the sifted sweetener. When that portion of sweetener is mixed in, add another portion of the sifted sweetener and continue to beat the egg whites. Continue this process until all the sifted sweetener is mixed in. Scrape down the sides of the bowl between addition of sweetener if needed.
- After all the sweetener is incorporated continue to beat the egg whites for another 5 - 6 min until soft peaks form.
- Add in a small portion of the dry ingredients to the egg whites and briefly mix in. Scrape down the the sides of the bowl. Continue to add the dry ingredients a small portion at a time to the egg whites until all of the dry ingredients are completely incorporated into the egg whites. You do NOT want to over beat the egg white mixture as you add the flour - just beat enough to incorporate the flour.
- Once all the dry ingredients are incorporated into the egg whites, beat the egg white mixture on high for a few seconds more.
- Using a large cookie scooper, fill the foil lined cupcake tins about ¼ inch from the top. You will have enough to make 12 cupcakes.
- Place the cupcake tin into the preheated oven at 325℉ and bake for 13 min. Keep the oven light on and start to visually check the cupcakes through the oven window at about 10 min. As soon as you see the cupcake tops beginning to very lightly turn golden, open the oven and lightly touch the top. If the top springs back, they are done.
- Remove the cupcakes when they are done. Let them sit for 10 min and then transfer them from the cupcake tins to a cooling rack. Cool completely before serving or using them as a base ingredient in another dessert.
- Store the cooled cupcakes in a plastic storage bag or plastic container.
Could you freeze these?
I haven’t tried freezing them. I currently have a batch on my counter and just stuck one in the freezer. I’ll thaw it later tomorrow and leave a note on how it did.
Thanks so much for stopping by.
Yes, these cupcakes held up well after freezing. There was no change in their texture after they were thawed and they maintained their original moisture.
Hi! Your recipes look amazing. I would like to be added to your mailing list. Thank you!
I just added you to the mailing list.
Thanks for stopping by.