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This delicious sugar free angel food cake recipe is moist, fluffy, light, and super easy to make! All you need is a handful of pantry ingredients, and you'll have a bakery-style, healthy, low calorie angel food cake with just 61 calories and 0 grams of sugar per slice!
This recipe for sugar free angel food cake is the best healthy dessert, and makes a great option for a sweet treat year-round!
With just six ingredients, it comes together quickly and rivals a traditional angel food cake recipe in both texture and flavor.
Use carton egg whites to eliminate the step of separating eggs, making this the perfect keto angel food cake recipe for beginners to tackle. Feel free to experiment with different extracts and sugar free syrups as toppings.
Enjoy a slice with some berries for a naturally sweetened treat whenever a cake craving strikes! Let's get started!
🥮 What Is Angel Food Cake?
Angel food cake is a light and fluffy sponge cake that is a great low-calorie dessert option. It gets its airy texture from whipped egg whites that are folded into the flour, sugar, and cream of tartar batter. Unlike other cakes, it contains no butter, oil, or egg yolks.
Angel food cake is baked at a low temperature for a long baking time to allow it to rise high without deflating. Topped with fresh berries and lightly sweetened whipped cream, angel food cake is moist, flavorful, and sweet. With its feather-light texture, this angel food cake recipe for diabetics is an excellent low-calorie treat.
👩🏽🍳 Why This Recipe Works
- Low Calorie: This easy angel food cake recipe is sugar-free and contains no butter or oil, keeping it light and low in calories. It also happens to be a low carb angel food cake, with only 9 g net carbs and 4 grams of protein per slice.
- Fluffy Texture: Whipping the egg whites creates classic angel food cake's signature airy, fluffy texture.
- Versatile Flavors: The recipe provides tips for adding different extracts and mix-ins to create flavor variations.
- Easy To Make: With just a few simple ingredients and steps, this sugar free dessert comes together quickly with no complicated techniques needed.
- Long Lasting: Once baked, the angel food cake stores well in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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🥘 Ingredients
To create this sugar free angel food cake recipe, you will need the following simple ingredients:
- Erythritol: This natural sweetener provides sweetness without spiking blood sugar. It substitutes 1:1 for real sugar in baked goods.
- All-Purpose Flour: The structure-building gluten in all-purpose flour gives the cake height and stability.
- Cornstarch: Added cornstarch helps keep the cake light, tender, and moist. It prevents the proteins in flour from toughening.
- Cream of Tartar: Cream of tartar stabilizes the egg whites so they hold their volume when whipped. This is key for the cake's airy texture.
- Large Egg Whites: Whipped egg whites act as the leavening agent to make the cake rise sky high without oil, butter or yolks.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla provides flavoring to the egg whites without additional carbs or fat.
🍲 Substitutions
- Erythritol: If you don't have erythritol, you can use granulated monk fruit sweetener instead. Stevia is not recommended as a 1:1 substitute in this low calorie angel food cake recipe.
- Different Flour: The cake will still work with whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, or gluten-free flour blends like cup-for-cup. The texture might be slightly different though. Adjust rising time as needed.
- Cornstarch: Substitute an equal amount of tapioca flour or arrowroot starch for the cornstarch.
- Cream Of Tartar: You can leave out the cream of tartar, but the egg whites may take longer to reach stiff peaks. You can use the same amount of lemon juice or white vinegar instead to stabilize the egg whites.
- Vanilla Extract: Almond extract, lemon extract, or orange extract can provide different flavor notes.
🔪 How To Make Sugar Free Angel Food Cake
Follow the step-by-step instructions below to make this light, fluffy angel food cake for diabetics.
Prep Dry Ingredients: Add the sweetener and flour to a high-speed food processor and pulse for 2 minutes to create a fine blend of flour and sweetener.
Sieve Dry Ingredients: Place a sieve over a large bowl and transfer the flour mixture to the sieve and the cornstarch. Sift the flour mixture three times to incorporate air, and set aside.
Whip Egg Whites: Next, add the egg whites and cream of tartar to the bowl of a stand mixer and whip. You can also use an electric mixer and a mixing bowl. As the egg whites are whipping, pour in the vanilla extract. Continue to whip until medium soft peaks form.
Fold Ingredients: Gently fold the flour mixture into the whipped egg whites in 3 batches making sure not to deflate the egg whites as you mix.
Pour Batter Into Cake Pan: Fill an ungreased tube pan with the batter and smooth off the top of the cake.
Bake: Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until the cake is springy to the touch, golden brown on top, and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
Allow to Cool: Remove the cake from the oven and turn the cake upside down on a cooling rack to prevent the cake from deflating while cooling. Cool the cake for at least an hour upside down.
Remove from Tin: Once cooled, carefully run a knife around the sides of the pan as close as possible to the tin, and repeat with the center of the cake. Remove the cake from the tin and run the knife carefully between the base and the cake.
Decorate Cake: Place the low carb angel food cake onto a serving dish or cake stand and top with optional toppings such as powdered sweetener or whipped cream and berries.
Serve & Enjoy: Serve a slice of this diabetic angel food cake with a cup of tea of coffee, and enjoy!
💭 Expert Tips
- Sweeteners: Do not use a liquid sweetener! Make sure the sweetener you use (whether it's monk fruit or erythritol) is a granulated sugar substitute and is meant for baking. Sugar alternatives may vary in sweetness so choose a sweetener that is rated 1:1 with regular sugar.
- Don't Grease The Pan: Use an un-greased angel food cake pan with a removable bottom. It's important to make sure you do not grease the pan, as this will cause the cake to deflate while cooking. Place the pan in the center of the oven rack for even baking.
- Use The Right Pan: For best results, it's really important to use an angel food cake pan for this recipe so your cake rises properly. While you can try it with a bundt pan, I don't recommend it as your cake won't have the same texture and rise.
- Texture: Gently fold dry ingredients into whipped egg whites just until combined to retain air, otherwise the cake won't be light and fluffy. Do not over whip the egg whites, you're looking for medium peaks when whipping.
- Prevent Cake Deflating: Cool baked cake completely upside down to prevent sinking, and cool for at least an hour on the cooling rack.
- Loosen Cake: When cooled turn the cake tin the right way up and run a knife around the edge of the tin to loosen the cake from the tin. Take care to keep the knife as close to the edge of the tin as possible when removing the cake. Place the pan on your hand and gently shake it while inverting it onto a plate.
- Doneness: Start checking doneness at 40 minutes. Cooking times may vary based on your oven, so start checking at 40 minutes and check every 5 minutes until the cake is done.The cake should be lightly golden and spring back when touched.
📖 Variations
Here are 5 ways to customize your angel food cake and pack it with flavor!
- Lemon Angel Food Cake: Add the zest of two lemons and two tablespoons of lemon juice to your cake batter. The bright citrus notes give this cake a tangy twist.
- Almond Sugar Free Cake: Use almond extract instead of vanilla extract. Fold 1/2 cup of sliced almonds into the batter before baking for a nutty crunch throughout.
- Chocolate Angel Food Cake: Mix two tablespoons of cocoa powder into the flour to give this cake a subtle chocolate flavor. Top with chocolate shavings or drizzle for more intense chocolate.
- Warm Spiced Cake: Add one teaspoon each of ground cinnamon, allspice, and ginger to the dry ingredients. Top with whipped cream cheese frosting spiced with nutmeg.
- Strawberry Angel Food Cake: Fold one cup of chopped fresh strawberries into the batter. The sweet berries will create pockets of flavorful juice. Top with sliced strawberries.
🥜 Topping Ideas For Sugar Free Angel Food Cake
- Fresh Fruit: Top your healthy angel food cake with fresh fruit like fresh strawberries, ripe bananas, or tropical fruits. You can elevate it even more with this pear compote, this apple curd, or served with this breakfast fruit salad!
- Whipped Topping: Make a light whipped cream or coconut cream topping to complement the airy cake texture.
- Chocolate Drizzle: Drizzle melted sugar-free chocolate over the cake for a chocolate lover's dream.
- Citrus Zest: Add brightness with lemon, lime, or orange zest.
- Toasted Nuts: Chopped toasted almonds, pecans, or walnuts add crunch and texture.
- Powdered Sweetener: Dust with powdered monk fruit sweetener or erythritol for a sweet finish.
- Syrup: Make a simple syrup with sugar-free maple or agave syrup to lightly drizzle over the cake. Serve this low-calorie angel food cake with some vegan honey, strawberry simple syrup, or blackberry simple syrup. Note - using a non-sugar free syrup will turn this into a low sugar angel food cake (vs. a sugar free cake).
🍽 Serving Suggestions
- Coffee Or Hot Drinks: A cup of freshly brewed coffee, tea, or a creamy latte makes for a perfect companion for this fudgy cake. If you don't need to make it a completely sugar free meal, try my Biscoff latte recipe, golden latte, or my creamy mocha latte. They are all great companions for this sugar-free cake. Not a fan of coffee drinks? No problem! Try this cake with my oat milk hot chocolate for a decadent treat.
- Milk: Cake and a glass of cold milk is a perfect pairing. You can use dairy milk or dairy-free alternatives like unsweetened almond milk or oat milk for a zero sugar option.
🙌 Dietary Adaptions
You can easily modify this recipe for different dietary restrictions.
- Vegan Angel Food Cake: Use use aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas) instead of egg whites.
- Gluten-Free Angel Food Cake: Use a 1:1 gluten free baking flour instead of the all purpose flour in this recipe.
🫙 Storage Directions
- Room Temperature: Angel food cake stays fresh at room temp for up to 2 days, stored in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap.
- In the Refrigerator: Cover leftovers in an airtight container or plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let come to room temp before serving.
- In the Freezer: To freeze, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Refresh in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes.
❓Recipe FAQs
What pan is best for angel food cake?
Use an ungreased 10-inch tube pan, preferably one with removable sides. This allows air to circulate as it cools upside down.
Is angel food cake sugar free?
No, normal angel food cake is not sugar free. It's made with granulated sugar, and typically has 15-20 grams of sugar per slice.
Can I make angel food cake cake with whole eggs?
While technically you can substitute 3 whole eggs for the 6 egg whites, I don't recommend it because the egg yolks can weigh down the batter. The entire classic texture of an angel food cake comes from the combination of beating sugar, cream of tartar, and egg whites together - which creates an airy, fluffy, spongy cake.
Can diabetics eat angel food cake?
When prepared with diabetic friendly ingredients, angel food cake can be a great dessert for diabetics to eat and enjoy. Since diabetics have to watch their sugar intake, a no sugar angel food cake (that uses sugar substitutes) is best for diabetics.
