Angel Food cake has a lightness that is unmatched by other sponge cakes thanks to a total absence of fat and yolks in the batter. It's also a more traditional sponge cake considering it's mechanically leavened (using whipped egg whites instead of baking powder/soda).

Similar to our Almond Glaze Angel Food cake, this variation uses a matching flavor for the cake and its glaze. The flavor of choice for this recipe is orange as it goes quite well with chocolate. So without further delay, here is a simple recipe for Orange Scented Chocolate Angel Food cake.

The recipe

Cake ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup cake flour
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup castor sugar
  • 12 egg whites
  • 1 tbsp orange juice
  • 1 tsp cream of tartar
  • 2 tsp orange zest

Glaze ingredients:

  • 1 cup icing sugar
  • 1/2 (2 oz) stick unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp milk
  • 1 tsp orange juice
  • 1 tbsp orange zest for garnish

The directions

Cake directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Sift the flour, cocoa powder and salt together in a bowl. Add half of the sugar and orange zest to the dry mixture and whisk together. Set aside
  2. crack open the eggs and separate the egg whites from the yolks in bowls. Seal the bowl containing the yolks with cling and refrigerate or use for another recipe.
  3. Beat together the egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric mixer fitted with a whip attachment on medium speed until they form white and soft peaks. Switch the mixer to high speed and add the remaining sugar to the whipped whites by the tablespoon until they form stiff and glossy (but not dry) peaks to complete the meringue. Immediately turn off the mixer afterward.
  4. Gently fold the flour into the meringue in stages using a wooden spoon until all lumps disappear.
  5. Pour the cake batter into an ungreased 10-inch Bundt pan and gently tap the bottom of the pan onto a table to knock out any bubbles formed at the bottom of the batter. Make sure to clean the mixer afterward for mixing the glaze.
  6. Place in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes back out clean.
  7. Remove the cake from the oven and invert it over a cake rack to cool for an hour before removing. Remove the cake from the pan by carefully running a sharp knife around the edges, the Bundt pan upright and place a plate on top of it, then invert it again. Place the plate onto a table with the Bundt pan still on top and lift it straight off.

Glaze directions:

  1. Beat together the icing, sugar, and butter together with the electric mixer until smooth. Beat in the milk and orange juice until fully combined.
  2. Carefully pour the icing over the top of the cake, making sure it trickles down both its outer and inner sides. Garnish the cake with orange zest.
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