How to make Coconut Angel Food Cake

Coconut Angel Food Cake is the ultimate cake to pair with fruits, jams, and freshly whipped cream. Made mostly from egg whites and sugar, this low-fat angel food cake recipe is the cloud of cakes with its light and airy texture.

Homemade Angel Food Cake is not what I remember as a kid from the already made cakes in the local store or even the semi-homemade versions from the box. My homemade version doesn’t have the stiff, slightly rubbery exterior but rather a super soft and springy texture ready to soak up all the flavorful toppings you love the most.

Coconut pairs well with a number of fruits and preserves and there’s just the right amount to get a great coconut flavor without overpowering any extra toppings.

Angel Food Cake Questions: Answered

• Why don’t I grease the pan for angel cake?

With any cake that’s primary rising agent is eggs vs. flour, the eggs need to “grow” up the sides of the pan. The eggs cannot do this on a greased or oiled surface.

• Do I need to have a funnel cake pan to make angel cake?

No, a funnel cake pan is not necessary for an angel cake. You can use a regular cake pan and adjust cooking times. I have made this coconut angel cake in a regular cake pan.

The one thing you should not do is, bake angel cake in bundt pans. Bundt pans are not designed for this type of batter will stick in the pan.

• What if my cake didn’t rise?

There were traces of egg yolk in the egg whites. Egg whites cannot whip with the addition of any fats i.e., yolks. Separate one egg at a time, then add the egg white into another dish or into your mixing bowl before cracking another egg just in case the yolk does break.

The eggs were either under whipped or over whipped.

The pan had grease or oil on the inside.

Improperly weighed ingredients could have caused this issue.

Overmixing the batter is another reason why the cake may not properly rise.

The oven was too hot.

More Questions and Answers

• What if my cake sank?

The oven temperature was too low.

Overmixing the batter can cause the cake to sink.

Not inverting the cake to cool can also cause the cake to fall.

The pan is too small.

There was too much liquid in the batter.

Opening the oven during the baking process.

Too much movement in the vicinity of the oven.

• Why do I use cake flour for this recipe?

Cake flour has less protein than all-purpose flour, therefore it produces less gluten resulting in a lighter crumb.

• Why does the cake smell eggy?

The eggs weren’t fresh.

The eggs weren’t whipped to the proper consistency.

Cake was overcooked in the oven.

• Why is the cake tough?

The eggs were overbeaten.

Ingredients were not properly scaled.

• How can I fix a dry angel food cake?

Simple syrup is one of the best routes to fix any dry cake. There are endless possibilities, flavor-wise, for the type of syrup you use. We keep our lemon simple syrup (sugar-free and regular) on hand most of the time.

Fill or cover the cake with jam or preserves.

Macerate berries or other fresh fruits and ladle the fruits and juices on to the cake.

How to make Coconut Angel Food Cake

Turn the oven to 335° F and have all ingredients measured or weighed (always preferrable to weigh ingredients.)

In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, combine the room temperature egg whites and water, whip until eggs are foamy. To the foamy egg mixture, add the superfine sugar, cream of tartar, salt, and extracts. Whip the mixture until soft peaks form.

Soft peaks are when the eggs won’t hold their shape.

Add two tablespoons of sifted cake flour to the egg mixture to temper it, then fold in the remaining flour and unsweetened coconut flakes.

Transfer the batter into a tube pan or a 9” cake pan. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until the cake passes the toothpick test. Invert the cake for 90 minutes while it cools to ensure it does not fall or sink.

After cooling, run a knife along the edges of the pan and remove, slice easily with a serrated knife and finish with your favorite toppings.

Have you made this RECIPE? Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think.

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Looking for more great recipes? Check out Earl Grey Madeleines and Low Carb Rhubarb Crumble Cake.

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