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    Home » Dairy Free Keto » Keto Angel Food Cake

    Published: Mar 19, 2020 · Modified: May 13, 2021 by Carolyn

    Keto Angel Food Cake

    This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    25.6K shares
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    After much experimenting, I have finally perfected Keto Angel Food Cake! It’s light and airy, with the perfect angel food texture. It’s completely grain-free and dairy-free.

    A slice of keto angel food cake on a white plate over a green napkin. The rest of the cake on a white cake stand is in the background.

    This keto angel food cake represents an absolute triumph for keto baking. Perfectly light and airy, sweet and delicious, just as real angel food cake should be.

    I have to be very honest and say I was on the fence about publishing this recipe right now, given the current state of the world. But so many of you have written, asking me to keep doing what I do best, baking and sharing recipes. We need these little bright spots, perhaps now more than ever.

    I am committed to bringing you other great keto recipes that help you make healthy and easy keto meals during this time of uncertainty as well. It won’t be all cakes and cookies and butterflies over here, I promise. Be sure to check out this collection of easy keto dinners if you need a little inspiration.

    Keto angel food cake on a white cake stand with a strawberry.

    The perfect keto angel food cake

    It took me a long time to get this right, my friends. A lot of attempts, a lot of failures, and a lot of research. And a lot of sunken, overly dense keto angel food cake.

    It all tasted good, so rest assured that it was not wasted. We found good homes for the failed cakes. Most notably, in our bellies!

    I have to admit, I was very close to giving up. But I then I had a major breakthrough when I made the Chiffon Cake in The Ultimate Guide to Keto Baking. After a few attempts on that cake, I got the proportions of flour and protein powder JUST right.

    And I knew I had to give keto angel food cake one more try.

    Close up of a slice of keto angel food cake.

    This cake truly is keto-friendly!

    When I was doing research on how to make angel food cake, I came across a number of cakes that called themselves keto.

    I have to admit, was aghast that they all took either arrowroot starch or tapioca starch. And not just a little, either. One recipe took a full cup of starch.

    I knew it had to be possible to make it without any starch whatsoever. And turns out I was right!

    How to make keto angel food cake

    Even conventional angel food cake takes some effort to make properly. This is a good baking project when you have some time on your hands and are up for a challenge! A few important do’s and dont’s:

    Don’t grease the pan

    Angel food cake needs to “climb” the sides of the pan and greasing the sides interferes with this.

    Do line the bottom with parchment

    This is critical for the easy release of the cake once it has cooled. I have clear instructions about how to line a tube pan with parchment in the recipe notes.

    Do consider weighing your dry ingredients

    Accuracy is crucial for angel food cake recipes, which is why I provided the exact weights for my almond flour and protein powder.

    Do use protein powder

    Protein powder is part of what allows keto angel food cake to rise and have the proper structure. You will need it for this recipe and I recommend egg white protein. Whey protein should also work but I haven’t tested that out properly.

    Do sift your flour mixture properly

    Sifting the flour thoroughly helps the cake be lighter and fluffier. If you don’t have a good sieve for sifting, then spend some time fluffing up the flour mixture with a fork.

    Don’t invert the cake pan right away

    Traditional angel food cake has you inverting the pan the minute it comes out of the oven, to avoid heaviness at the bottom of the cake. But I found it was important to let the cake cool for 20 minutes before inverting it.

    A slice of sugar-free and grain-free angel food cake with whipped cream and strawberries.

    How to store keto angel food cake

    One of the great parts about this cake is that it can be made ahead and frozen! Just be sure to wrap it up tightly. I have half of my last cake in there as I write this.

    If you aren’t planning on freezing it, it’s fine on the counter for 4 days, covered. Place plastic wrap over any cut ends to keep them from drying out.

    What to do with leftover egg yolks

    I have many answers for that! Check out these 35 great keto recipes for leftover egg yolks.

    You can also simply add a few extra yolks to an omelet or to my Easy Taco Pie. The yolks will keep in your fridge for 3 days or so. I store mine in glass jars.

    Bon appetit! I hope you enjoy this recipe.

    Keto Angel Food Cake

    Perfect keto angel food cake! It's light and airy, with the perfect angel food texture. It's completely grain-free and dairy-free.
    4.91 from 53 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: angel food cake recipe, keto angel food cake
    Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12 servings
    Calories: 128kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 Angel Food Pan
    • 1 9-inch parchment paper circle

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup Swerve Granular
    • ½ cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
    • 1 ¾ cups almond flour (about 175g)
    • ½ cup egg white protein powder (about 40g)
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 10 large egg whites room temperature
    • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
    • 1 teaspoon almond extract
    • ½ tsp vanilla extract
    US Customary – Metric

    Instructions

    • Place an oven rack in the second lowest position and preheat the oven to 325F. Line the bottom with parchment paper (see recipe notes). Do not grease the pan.
    • In a medium bowl, whisk together the granular and powdered sweeteners.
    • In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, protein powder, half the sweetener mixture, and the salt. Use a sieve or strainer to sift the flour mixture into another large bowl. Do this back and forth between the bowls 3 times.
    • If you do not have a sieve, simply use a fork to fluff up the mixture for several minutes, to break up clumps and make it lighter and airier.
    • In another large bowl, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until frothy. With the beaters running, slowly add the remaining sweetener until the whites hold medium peaks (the tips should flop over slightly when the beaters are lifted).
    • Add the extracts and continue to beat until the whites hold stiff peaks (tips should stand up straight when beaters are lifted).
    • In four separate additions, carefully fold the flour mixture into the egg whites until well combined (a large silicone spatula works best for this). Be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl well to mix in any ingredients that may have settled there.
    • Spread the batter in the prepared pan and smooth the top. Wipe off any drops of batter from the sides, and lightly tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.
    • Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking, until the top is uniformly golden and springs back when lightly pressed.
    • Remove and let cool in the pan 20 minutes, then turn the pan upside down and let cool completely.
    • Run a sharp knife around the inside of the pan, and around the tube in the center, to loosen the cake. If the pan has a removable bottom, you can simply push up to release the cake. Otherwise, invert the pan over a cake plate and tap the bottom to release the cake.

    Video

    Notes

    To line the cake pan, you will need a 9-inch circle of parchment paper. Fold the paper in half and then in half again to create a cone. Cut enough out of the tip so that when it is opened, it fits over the center of the tube pan. It does not need to be perfect. 
    Nutrition Facts
    Keto Angel Food Cake
    Amount Per Serving (1 serving = 1/12th of cake)
    Calories 128 Calories from Fat 84
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 9.3g14%
    Carbohydrates 4.2g1%
    Fiber 1.8g7%
    Protein 9.3g19%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    25.6K shares

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    Nutritional Disclaimer

    Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Andrea says

      July 31, 2023 at 10:46 am

      what can I substitute for egg white powder?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        July 31, 2023 at 11:23 am

        Whey protein powder works.

        Reply
    2. Laurie says

      July 29, 2023 at 12:56 pm

      5 stars
      Just made this cake today. It’s delicious ! I followed the recipe exactly and it came out looking beautiful!

      Reply
    3. Karen Barnhart says

      July 11, 2023 at 7:04 am

      Can you use this instead of the one you list? It doesn’t have lecitin in it.

      It’s Just! – Egg White Protein Powder, Dried Egg Whites Protein, Meringue Ingredient, Non-GMO, USA Farms, Unflavored (8oz) https://a.co/d/5MSYHew

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        July 11, 2023 at 7:28 am

        That’s fine, I’ve used that one a lot.

        Reply
        • Karen Barnhart says

          July 11, 2023 at 12:25 pm

          Thank you!

          Reply
    4. Diane says

      July 04, 2023 at 2:00 pm

      Growing up, my sisters and I chose what we wanted for dinner and cake for our birthdays.My angel food cake just came out of the oven! Third time to use this recipe, thanks so much for making it keto! My 67th birthday is tomorrow!!

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        July 04, 2023 at 3:29 pm

        Happy Birthday!

        Reply
    5. Valerie says

      June 19, 2023 at 7:55 pm

      I use to make Angel Food Cake from scratch with my Grandmother; her recipe used one dozen egg whites. Oh it was so good! I can’t wait to try this recipe.
      We use to make noodles with the egg yolks. I haven’t seen one on your web site; I was wondering if you could give us another wonderful recipe, one making noodles.
      Thanks so much Carolyn.

      Reply
    6. Deb G. says

      May 31, 2023 at 3:19 pm

      Hi Carolyn, I made this cake today and I followed the instructions very closely, the only change I made was I used Purecane sweeteners because Swerve sweeteners don’t agree with me. My problem is that the finished product was not a batter at all, but a very dry and crumbly dough. And sure enough, it came out dry and crumbly. Any ideas what I did wrong? I used Blue Diamond almond flour and the other ingredients were pretty standard.

      Help? I’m out of ideas here! :\

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        May 31, 2023 at 5:10 pm

        Is this the one you used? -> https://purecane.com/products/purecane-baking-sweetener-new

        One thing that stands out to me in the ingredient list is the “soluble fiber”. The added fiber may be causing the batter to become a dough. Of course that’s not how it’s supposed to be as you can see from my video! I can’t be certain that’s the issue… what size were your eggs?

        Reply
    7. Karen Warren says

      April 30, 2023 at 7:11 pm

      5 stars
      The prep took just a bit to get all the eggs separated, but I will definitely make this cake again. It’s delicious! It’s so nice to know I have a sugar-free dessert waiting for me at the end of the day!

      Reply
    8. Tina says

      April 22, 2023 at 6:06 pm

      what is the difference between the 2 allulose as in Australia we use erythritol. what can I substitute for the 2.

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        April 26, 2023 at 8:16 am

        This recipe doesn’t use allulose.

        Reply
    9. NKindall says

      April 21, 2023 at 9:38 pm

      5 stars
      Just baked this cake and, as expected, the result is fabulous! Wonderful height, perfect angel food texture and tastes so good!

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        April 22, 2023 at 6:00 pm

        So glad to hear it!

        Reply
    10. Gail Bobrowitz says

      April 19, 2023 at 1:45 pm

      I was wondering if the cream cheese filled carrot cake can be made in a square pan?

      Reply
    11. Rebecca argall says

      April 09, 2023 at 6:24 pm

      I love this recipe and it’s the second time I have made it and I feel as though it’s a bit dry to you have a remedy for that?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        April 09, 2023 at 7:42 pm

        Angel food cake is light and a little dry… and then you are meant to serve it with cream and berries. 🙂

        Reply
    12. Jen H M says

      March 02, 2023 at 2:25 pm

      5 stars
      This was absolutely delicious. Made a few changes which didn’t affect the recipe negatively at all, in my opinion. I used whey protein because that’s what I had, and it worked fine. Substituted xylitol for the sweetener, also worked great. Lastly, I use liquid egg white from a carton (1.25 cups). I would say this took about an extra 10 minutes to bake than listed, but turned out great.

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        March 02, 2023 at 2:38 pm

        Thanks for the info!

        Reply
    13. Konnie says

      February 19, 2023 at 3:05 pm

      1 star
      Heavy as a rock, flavor was good though.

      Reply
      • Konnie says

        February 19, 2023 at 3:07 pm

        Maybe I’ll try to make biscotti out of it

        Reply
      • Carolyn says

        February 19, 2023 at 4:19 pm

        So I need to know EVERY ingredient you used. Because if it was heavy as rock, something went very wrong on your end. I can help if you give me more specific information.

        Reply
        • Konnie says

          February 19, 2023 at 5:47 pm

          I’m a pastry chef so I followed instructions exactly. Maybe I am expecting too much!

          Reply
          • Carolyn says

            February 19, 2023 at 6:17 pm

            No… if you read the reviews, most people have success with this. Once again, I need to know exactly what ingredients (including brands) you used.

            Reply
    14. April says

      February 12, 2023 at 12:10 am

      5 stars
      Angel food cake is a family favorite, especially when fresh strawberries are available. I used Whey Protein Isolate (vanilla flavor) instead of the egg white protein ($$$) and it turned out just fine! Wonderful texture and fabulous taste. Thanks for all you do Carolyn. Keep on!

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        February 12, 2023 at 9:00 am

        Yes, egg white protein is awfully expensive these days! It used to be the less expensive option. 🙁

        Reply
      • Rhonda says

        June 12, 2023 at 11:20 am

        5 stars
        glad.to know whey vanilla protein powder works fine that’s all i have .

        Reply
    15. Diana says

      January 19, 2023 at 3:30 pm

      5 stars
      Hi, I signed up for your blog post

      Reply
    16. Alex says

      December 29, 2022 at 8:27 am

      5 stars
      Hi Carolyn,

      This was my first attempt at making an angel food cake, and it turned out perfectly! I baked it last night and had a slice for breakfast just now and I can’t believe how soft, light, and delicious it is while being so low-cal, keto, and protein packed. I’ve tried many keto baking recipes from others but they always felt lacking compared to regularly baked goods, so I was a little apprehensive trying this but I’m so so glad I did. Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe; I’m sure I’m gonna make this multiple times in the future. BTW, this recipe convinced me to buy your cookbook!!

      Reply
      • Allison Brigham says

        July 28, 2023 at 1:28 pm

        Hi Alex,
        I can tell you I haven’t baked a dessert from Carolyn (and followed her directions perfectly) that wasn’t delicious! I felt the same about my sweets until I found her Keto Chantilly Cake… It Is A DREAM!

        Reply
    17. Katie says

      December 10, 2022 at 3:38 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious!! Your instructions were so easy to follow! This was a test run, as I want to use it as the cake in a trifle on Christmas Eve. Its light, it’s flavorful, and It’s perfect!! Thank you!!

      Reply
    18. San says

      November 04, 2022 at 1:40 pm

      The egg white protein powder in cost prohibitive. Is there a more reasonably priced version you recommend?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        November 04, 2022 at 6:00 pm

        Try this one… that one is out of stock anyway and I use this “It’s Just” brand frequently. https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/stuffed-pepper-skillet-keto-recipe/

        Reply
    19. Pat M says

      October 10, 2022 at 12:14 am

      This sounds so good, but I have a major erythritol allergy and am new to low carb. Would other sweeteners work? Monk fruit, coconut sugar or? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        October 10, 2022 at 7:49 am

        Unless you are using true monkfruit extract, that’s usually blended with erythritol anyway. Coconut sugar is not in the least bit keto, and would also make this too brown. You could try BochaSweet.

        Reply
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