Recipes Dessert & Treats Recipes Cake Recipes Chocolate Cake Recipes Chocolate Angel Food Cake With Double-Chocolate Frosting Be the first to rate & review! Double the chocolate, double the deliciousness. By Martha Stewart Martha Stewart Martha Stewart is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and lifestyle expert who has taught millions of people through generations the joy of entertaining, cooking, gardening, collecting, crafting, and home renovating via her eponymous magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Emmy-winning television shows, and 99 books (and counting). Based in Katonah, N.Y., where she helms her 156-acre Bedford Farm, Martha is America's first self-made female billionaire. Editorial Guidelines Published on February 27, 2024 Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Brie Goldman Yield: Makes one 9 1/2-inch cake Our chocolate angel food cake has the characteristic ethereal texture of an angel food cake, but is deeply chocolaty in flavor. The cake batter is made with cocoa powder, its rich chocolate frosting uses bittersweet chocolate and milk chocolate, and there are the optional (but highly recommended) semisweet chocolate shavings for decoration. That’s four types of chocolate in one not-to-be-missed dessert. It's for angel food cake lovers—and also for those who need to be tempted to try this unique type of cake. 21 Gorgeous Layer Cake Recipes for Every Occasion What Is Angel Food Cake? Angel food cake is made with the whites of the egg (usually as many as a dozen), no yolks, and not a trace of butter or oil. It's a fat-free cake, which helps explain its longtime popularity among the calorie- and cholesterol-conscious. There is no baking powder or baking soda to help the cake rise, it's just the whipped egg whites that provide structure to a batter that contains a modest amount of flour. As the cake bakes, it rises tall with a beautiful moist, light, and airy texture. Angel food cakes do use more sugar than other types of sponge cakes; this is to support and stabilize the large amount of egg whites. Tips for Making a Tall Angel Food Cake In order to get the maximum volume from the egg whites, make sure your mixing bowl and whisk are clean, dry, and free of greaseThe egg whites should be at room temperature before you whip them, not cold from the refrigerator. The flour is gently folded into the batter in two parts so it will not lose its volume. Quick light strokes with a rubber spatula or wire whisk are all that is needed. Take care not to overmix the cake; this will deflate the meringue, creating a dense cake.Angel food cake pans are not greased so the batter can cling to the sides of the pan as it bakes and can reach its full volume. Angel Food Cake Pans These special cake pans are designed to support the angel food cake batter as it bakes. They are straight-sided tube pans with feet on the bottom that allow the cake to cool properly once it is inverted. The hole in the middle of the pan allows the hot air to circulate and reach the center of the cake. Why Angel Food Cakes Are Inverted to Cool Unlike most cakes that are simply placed on a wire cooling rack to cool completely, angel food cakes are immediately inverted so the baked cake will maintain its volume and to keep it from shrinking as it cools. Using a Tube Pan Instead If you don’t have an angel food cake pan, use an ordinary tube pan. When the cake needs to be inverted, simply place the pan over the neck of wine bottle until the cake has cooled. Ingredients Cake 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour (not self-rising), sifted ¼ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder 1 teaspoons instant espresso powder ½ teaspoon kosher salt 12 large egg whites, room temperature 1 teaspoon cream of tartar 1 ¾ cups sugar 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract Frosting 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped 6 ounces milk chocolate, chopped 1 cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons light corn syrup 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened but still cool, cut into 1-inch pieces Semisweet chocolate shavings, for garnish (optional) Directions Brie Goldman Preheat oven; whisk dry ingredients: Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk together cake flour, cocoa, espresso powder, and salt. Brie Goldman Beat egg whites: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium speed until frothy. Brie Goldman Add cream of tartar, then sugar, and then vanilla: Add cream of tartar and increase speed to high. Continue beating while gradually adding sugar until stiff peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Brie Goldman Fold in half flour mixture; then other half: Remove bowl from mixer. Add half the flour mixture and gently fold in until streaky, then add remaining flour mixture and fold in until well incorporated. Brie Goldman Transfer batter to tube pan: Gently spoon batter into an ungreased 9 1/2-inch tube pan with removable bottom; smooth top. Run a knife or small spatula through batter to release air bubbles. Brie Goldman Bake: Bake until a tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Brie Goldman Invert, cool, and remove from pan: Invert pan; let cake cool completely in pan. Run a knife around the inner and outer perimeter of the pan to loosen. Use knife to release cake from bottom of pan and remove. Brie Goldman Add chocolates to bowl for frosting: Place both chocolates in the bowl of a stand mixer; set aside. Brie Goldman Heat cream and corn syrup: In a small saucepan, bring cream and corn syrup to a boil. Brie Goldman Pour hot mixture over chocolate: Pour over chocolate; let stand 2 to 3 minutes. Brie Goldman Whisk chocolate mixture: Whisk, starting in center and working outward, until chocolate is smooth. Let cool at room temperature, whisking occasionally, about 30 minutes. Brie Goldman Add butter: Attach bowl to stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium speed, gradually adding butter, until frosting is smooth and silky. Brie Goldman Split cake: Using a serrated knife, split cake in half horizontally. Brie Goldman Spread frosting on bottom half: Place bottom layer on a cake plate. Measure 2 cups frosting and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Brie Goldman Add top layer and frost: Top with second layer. Use remaining frosting to cover cake completely, using spatula to create a smooth finish or create swirls. Brie Goldman Garnish with chocolate: Garnish with chocolate shavings, if desired. Serve immediately. Brie Goldman Storage Our chocolate angel food cake is at its best the day it is made. It you have leftovers, the cake can be stored in the refrigerator, lightly covered with plastic wrap, for a few days. Frequently Asked Questions What is the best way to slice angel food cake without tearing it? Angel food cakes are delicate and need to be sliced carefully or you risk squashing the delicate cake. The best tool is a specialty cutter, sometimes called an angel food rake or comb, that allows you to gently saw through the cake to make even slices. What is cream of tartar and why is it used in angel food cakes? Cream of tartar is tartaric acid. It’s a fine white crystalline acid salt which is a by-product of the wine-making industry. It is used when whipping egg whites to stabilize them and to prevent overbeating the whites and having them dry out. What happens to the egg yolks when you make angel food cake? Similar to when you make meringue, making an angel food cake means you will use a lot of egg whites and have a lot of egg yolks leftover. Don't toss these yolks, you can use them to make yolk-rich desserts like custards, ice cream, lemon curd, or puddings. Other Angel Food Cake Recipes to Try: Angel Food Cake Swirled Angel Food Cake Lemony Angel Food Cake Gluten-Free Angel Food Cake Brown Sugar Angel Food Cakes Originally appeared: Martha Bakes, Episode 1005 Rate It PRINT Updated by Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer is an experienced food editor, writer, and recipe developer. She manages the Martha Stewart recipe archive and is always curious about new ingredients and the best techniques. She has been working in food media for over 20 years.