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image of angel food cake cupcakes decorated with fresh berries and a dusting of powdered sugar
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5 from 1 rating

Angel Food Cake Cupcakes

These angel food cupcakes are frosted with fluffy whipped cream frosting and topped with juicy berries! They're the perfect, light summer dessert!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Additional Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Cupcakes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 14 cupcakes
Calories: 181kcal
Author: Chelsey White

Equipment

Ingredients

Angel Food Cake Batter

  • 5 large egg whites, freshly separated and at room temp 150g
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice or warm water 15g
  • 3/4 tsp cream of tartar 3g
  • 1 tsp lemon zest 2g
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar 66g
  • 2/3 cup powdered sugar 80g
  • 1/2 cup cake flour 60g
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt 3g

Stabilized Whipped Cream Frosting

  • 1/2 cup (4 oz) block full-fat cream cheese, cold 113g
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar 60g
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
  • 1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream, cold 300g

Cupcake Decoration

  • 2 cups fresh mixed berries, for decorating
  • powdered sugar (for dusting), optional

Instructions

Angel Food Cake Cupcakes

  • Preheat oven to 325°F/162°C. Line one cupcake pan with 12 paper liners, then add 2 liners to a second cupcake pan (this recipe makes about 14 cupcakes). DO NOT GREASE THE PANS!! If you accidentally did, wash out the grease and dry them before adding the paper liners. Set aside.
  • Add 5 egg whites, 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice or warm water, 3/4 tsp cream of tartar, and 1 tsp lemon zest to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on a low speed to combine the ingredients.
  • Gradually add in 1/3 cup of granulated sugar. Increase the speed to medium-high and mix until soft peaks have formed and the mixture has quadrupled in volume.
  • Sift 2/3 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 cup cake flour, and 1/2 tsp salt into the egg mixture. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the dry ingredients into the whipped egg whites. Mix just until you can't see any streaks of flour (it's ok if there are some small lumps).
  • Scoop the batter into the prepared pans, filling each liner about 3/4 full. Bake both trays (place the pan with 2 liners on a lower rack, and the pan with 12 cupcake liners on the upper middle rack) for 19-21 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the tops are just starting to brown. Do NOT open the oven door while the cupcakes bake, or they can deflate!
  • Let the baked cupcakes cool fully in the pan and set aside.

Whipped Cream Frosting with Cream Cheese

  • While the cupcakes bake, work on the whipped cream frosting. Chill your mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 30 minutes to help this whipped cream frosting whip up better.
  • Place 1/2 cup (4 oz.) of cold cream cheese into the chilled mixing bowl and mix on a medium speed until smooth.
  • Add in 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and mix on low at first to avoid powdered sugar clouds/explosions. Increase the speed to medium-high once the powdered sugar is incorporated and mix for about 1 minute. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed throughout this process.
  • Add in 1 tsp of vanilla extract, then turn the mixer to a medium-high speed and gradually pour in 1 1/4 cups of cold heavy cream. I like to do this in 3 additions and focus on pouring the heavy cream down the side of the bowl to prevent it from splattering.
  • Watch the mixture closely once the heavy cream is fully mixed in. It should thicken and take shape shortly after this (mine usually does within about 30 seconds of mixing after I've added in all the heavy cream). Take care not to over-mix this whipped cream frosting!! It will become soupy and difficult to fix.
  • As soon as you see the frosting start to take shape, turn off your mixer and do a quick whisk test. Dunk your whisk attachment into the frosting, then take it out and flip it upside down. The frosting should keep its shape and form a nice peak. If it doesn't, continue to mix the frosting on a medium-high speed for 30-second intervals until it does.
  • Once it passes the whisk test, place the whipped cream in a large piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1M piping tip and place it in the fridge until you're ready to use it or until the cupcakes have fully cooled.
  • Pipe a large swirl on each cupcake, then top with fresh berries (I used blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and halved strawberries) and a dusting of powdered sugar, and enjoy! I also love to top these with macerated strawberries by slicing up a pound of strawberries and mixing them in a bowl with about 3 Tbsp of granulated sugar, then letting them sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Notes

 

Tips for Making the Best Angel Food Cake Cupcakes

  • Use fresh egg whites if possible, they whip up best! Separate the eggs when they're cold, then let them come to room temperature before whipping them.
  • Note that this cake recipe bakes at 325°F, not 350°F! Be sure to set your oven to the right temperature.
  • Sift your dry ingredients. It's important in this recipe because it helps aerate the ingredients and makes them easier to fold into the egg whites.
  • Carefully fold your dry ingredients into your whipped egg whites. You don't want to over-mix and deflate the batter.
  • Let the cupcakes cool fully in their pans to help them maintain their height and shape.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 181kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 133mg | Potassium: 80mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 421IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 0.1mg