Angel Food Cupcakes
Looking to use up leftover egg whites? These light and airy Angel Food Cupcakes from scratch without cake mix use 2 egg whites and doesn’t require a special tube cake pan nor cream of tartar. Top with whipped cream and fresh berries.
It’s no secret I’ve been focusing on small batch recipes and recipes for two for years now.
One challenge with baking for two is figuring out how to cut an egg in half.
Since you don’t literally cut an egg in half, you either use the egg white or egg yolk. Which means you’re stuck with the part of the egg you didn’t use.
Not wanting to waste food, you put it in the fridge. Then a few weeks later, you clean out the fridge and toss it out. That was pointless, wasn’t it?
Good thing I have recipes dedicated to leftover egg whites and leftover egg yolks.
One of my go-to recipes when figuring out what to do with egg whites is making Angel Food Cupcakes.
They’re light and airy cupcakes made without box mix. The best part? They’re also made without cream of tartar so you don’t have to buy an ingredient you’ll only use 1-2 times a year.
Angel food cake is probably one of my favorite cakes. However, I rarely make it homemade because it requires a special tube pan.
However, I did figure out you can make angel food cake in a loaf pan and mini angel food cake in mini loaf pans.
Knowing you don’t NEED a tube pan, I opted for a pan we all have – the muffin pan.
A lot of you told me you struggle with having a small kitchen. My last apartment was like that; I barely had any counter space to do anything. Last thing you want is to buy a cake pan with limited use.
To finish them off, I frosted them with homemade whipped cream (although my strawberry whipped cream, chocolate whipped cream, and even maple whipped cream would be excellent pairings as well).
These delicate yet fluffy small batch cupcakes are the perfect way to end your evening without being too heavy.
Ingredients For Angel Food Cupcakes
Here are the ingredients needed for your angel food cake cupcakes:
- Granulated sugar: Sugar helps stabilize and aerate the egg whites in addition to sweetness, which contributes to the cake’s fluffy texture.
- All-purpose flour: Provides structure and stability so the egg whites don’t collapse.
- Cornstarch: Because we’re not using cake flour, adding cornstarch makes up for the gluten difference.
- Egg whites: Must use clean egg whites with no trace of egg yolk or fat on the beaters or in the bowl. Otherwise they won’t whip properly.
- Vinegar or lemon juice: Acidic substitute for cream of tartar
- Vanilla: Because there isn’t any fat, you need vanilla for flavor.
- Salt: Also brings out more flavor
Substitute For Cream Of Tartar
Typically angel food cupcakes from scratch uses cream of tartar, which is essentially powdered acid. Acid helps stabilize the egg whites while beating because the batter can be quite delicate.
However every time I buy cream of tartar, I only use it 1-2 times a year so it expires by the time I want to use it again.
To substitute for cream of tartar, use white distilled vinegar or fresh lemon juice instead. It really comes down to using some form of acid rather than focusing on which one.
How To Make Angel Food Cupcakes
Here’s how to make your angel food cupcake recipe:
- Sift together sugar, flour, and cornstarch. This ensures there are no lumps in your batter.
- Beat egg whites, vinegar, vanilla, and salt until foamy then increase the speed and beat until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold flour into egg whites. Do not stir or you’ll deflate the whites.
- Bake at 325F for 16-18 minutes or until golden brown and cake springs back when gently touched. If the indentation remains, bake a little longer.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 4-6 months.
How many angel food cake cupcakes does this recipe make?
This small batch cupcake recipe makes 5-6 cupcakes.
As I learned from my Flourless Chocolate Cookies, not all egg whites weigh the same, which is why the yield varies slightly.
The cupcakes won’t rise much, so fill the paper liners all the way full and smooth out the top. They will pretty much bake the way they go in, so you have little peaks in the batter, they won’t be perfectly flat.
Recipes Using Leftover Egg Yolks
Since you’ll have extra egg yolks, here are some recipes using leftover egg yolks:
How To Serve Angel Food Cupcakes
The easiest way to serve your angel food cake cupcakes for two is with whipped cream and berries.
You can also take it one step further with the fruit and make strawberry sauce or blueberry pie filling.
Angel Food Cupcakes FAQ
Separate the egg while it’s still cold then let the whites come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Eggs are easier to separate when cold because the yolks are firmer but easier to whip at room temperature.
Yes. Omit the cornstarch then use 1/4 cup cake flour.
Yes, double all ingredients to make 10-12 cupcakes. You may need a few more minutes for the bake time.
More Cupcake Recipes
Enjoyed this recipe? Check out my other small batch cupcake recipes including:
- Small Batch Chocolate Cupcakes
- Small Batch Vanilla Cupcakes
- Small Batch Red Velvet Cupcakes
- Small Batch Yellow Cupcakes
- Carrot Cake Cupcakes with pineapple
Angel Food Cupcakes
Looking to use up leftover egg whites? These light and airy Angel Food Cupcakes from scratch without cake mix use 2 egg whites and doesn’t require a special tube cake pan nor cream of tartar. Top with whipped cream and fresh berries.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 large egg whites, room temperature (clean with no trace of egg yolk)*
- 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar or fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon table salt
- Homemade Whipped Cream, for garnish (get recipe here)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F. Line a cupcake pan with 5 paper liners.
- In a small bowl, sift together flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, and cornstarch.
- In a large mixing bowl on high speed (with whisk attachment if using a stand mixer), beat egg whites until foamy, about 1 minute. Add vinegar, vanilla, and salt.
- Gradually beat in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Then continue beating on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 4-5 minutes (when you pull the beaters straight up, peaks will form but not fall over).
- Fold in the flour mixture using a rubber spatula until all of the flour is incorporated, being careful not to deflate the egg whites.
- Fill paper liners all the way to the top (they won't rise much). Bake for 16-18 minutes or until lightly brown and tops spring back when touched. Cool completely. They will deflate a little as they cool.
Store unfrosted in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, with whipped cream in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or unfrosted in the freezer for up to 4-6 months.
Notes
- *Eggs are easiest to separate when they are cold because the yolks are firmer and less likely to break. However, egg whites are best whipped at room temperature to maximize their volume potential. If there is any yolk in the egg white, you need to start over.
- Don't know what to do with the extra egg yolks? Check out my recipes using leftover egg yolks.
- Enjoyed this recipe? Check out my full list of Small Batch Cupcake Recipes, including chocolate, vanilla, and more.
- Don't want to make cupcakes? Check out my Angel Food Cake in a loaf pan and Mini Angel Food Cake.
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First published April 15, 2012
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Thanks for your personal marvelous posting!
I truly enjoyed reading it, you’re a great author. I will be sure to bookmark your blog and will come back down the road. I want to encourage yourself to continue your great work, have a nice day!
As a maker of noodles, I always have whites—these look delish!!! Can’t wait until I have more whites to try this receipe!!!
Your cupcakes look and sound totally gorgeous!
they’re really fluffy and creamy, for sure you get the angel taste and aroma..
My very favorite cake (always was my birthday cake)…having it in cupcake form is perfect! Pinned. Love your site! Thanks for all the work you do to scale down recipes for two!
Thank you so much, Mary! Hope you enjoy the cupcakes :)
Did you know that when you put Angel food cake in the freezer, it doesn’t freeze? Can’t wait to try your recipe.
No I didn’t know that! Thanks for sharing. Let me know how you like the recipe.
Love this recipe. Thanks, I’m retired and most of the time cook only for my husband and myself, so little batches are great.
Glad you’re enjoying the small batch recipes!
These are delicious. My grands will love having these for after school. I was craving a baked good and didn’t need a lot. These were perfect. I signed up for your newsletter also.
Oh that’s perfect! And thank you :)
I was considering using almond extract in lieu of vanilla, what do you think?
I think that sounds fabulous! I haven’t tried it, but I love almond extract and think it’ll work just fine.
If I were to bake this as a small cake in a 6 inch round pan, how long do you think I would need to bake it for?
I’ve never tried baking this recipe in a 6 inch pan before. I would start at 20 minutes then go from there. 6 inch cakes can take 20-30 minutes, depending on the type of batter. I also have a recipe for Angel Food Cake in a loaf pan that has been tested several times by me: https://www.chocolatemoosey.com/2019/02/18/angel-food-cake-in-a-loaf-pan/
These are absolutely heavenly! I had never made any angel food cake before, and don’t have the pan for it in my little kitchen. They turned out perfectly the first time, and were fluffy, light and tender under your small batch whipped cream and some fresh berries. Honestly, they made me feel like I was something special in the kitchen…which I’m not. :-)
Oh wonderful! Thanks for sharing your positive feedback.
These were delicious. Followed recipe exactly, using lemon juice. Whipped cream and strawberries are perfect compliments. Thank you!!
Has anyone tried this with gluten free flour? It’s such a little amount that it might work. Finding your blog was a gift from heaven! There are just two of us, which seems to be the way it’s going to be for awhile in this pandemic. So many, many thanks!
I haven’t, but if you substitute it properly you can probably do it! People have told me Bob Red Mill’s 1:1 gluten free flour has great results.
Can these be baked without the paper liners? I normally never use those, only grease my forms and pans.
Likely yes. I haven’t tried it without the liners.
Wow! This is reminiscent of my mom’s perfect angel food cake that she laboriously constructs and hangs upside down for perfection. I followed the timing on the beating of the eggs and carefully folded in the flour/sugar combo. I multiplied the recipe by 1.5 due to having three extra egg whites from another recipe and it was perfect. Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
Oh wonderful! Happy to hear you enjoyed the cupcakes.
Hi, I love the idea of angel food cupcakes! I tried them, and they tasted delicious, but the liners pulled away from the cupcake pan, and the cupcakes ended up being rather small. Just wondering if that has happened to anyone else. I think I will try without the liners and turn the pan upside down when they are done—I’m just a bit worried about them sticking to the pan…
Hmm it could be the type of liner used? I know the cheap ones are cheap for a reason. I haven’t tried it without, but my angel food cake in a loaf pan came out. It does stick but you should be able to loosen it easily (for reference https://www.chocolatemoosey.com/angel-food-cake-in-a-loaf-pan/)
Hi, thanks! I never thought about the quality of the cupcake liners…what kind do you use?
I tried it without liners, and they turned out great—they did stick a little on the sides, but came loose when I ran a metal spatula around the edges. Thanks again!
The brand I currently have is no longer available online but you want to look for high quality paper ones (aka not from the dollar store). Use paper ones, not foil. Also you don’t want the cheap kind that don’t hold their shape while storing.
Thanks! Having some angel food cupcakes as part of our Mother’s Day celebration today 😊
WOW Carla! can’t wait to try these thank you so much!! Angel food cake was my childhood obsession!! PS I truly miss Pennsylvania!
Let me know how they turn out!