Cherry Almond Angel Food Cake Recipe

If you want a light and airy dessert that is packed with flavour and the most gorgeous shades of pink for your Mother's Day gatherings or spring brunch, look no further than Cherry Almond Angel Food Cake! This delicious take on a classic is sure to be a new favourite for all your spring celebrations.

🍒 Cherry Almond Angel Food Cake (makes 1 cake) 🍒

Almond Angel Food Cake:
1 cup + 2 tablespoons cake flour
1 3/4 cup caster sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 large egg whites, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 to 3 drops soft pink gel food colouring
8 maraschino cherries, for garnish

Cherry Glaze:
3 cups icing sugar
1/2 cup maraschino cherry juice

Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream:
2 cups whipping (35%) cream
1 tablespoons icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Method:

Almond Angel Food Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 325℉.
2. In a food processor, pulse the cake flour, 3/4 cup of the caster sugar, and the salt 5 to 10 times, until the mixture is light and aerated.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Reduce the speed to low. Very slowly add the remaining 1 cup caster sugar. Increase the speed to medium-high. Whip for 5 minutes, or until soft peaks form. Add the almond extract, vanilla, and food colouring. Whip on medium speed until combined.
4. In three separate additions, use a fine-mesh sieve to sift the flour mixture into the egg whites, using a spatula to gently fold in the flour mixture after each addition. Take extreme care to not deflate the egg whites. Pour the batter into an ungreased tube pan (see Baker's Tip). Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a knife or toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
5. Leaving the cake in the pan, flip it upside down onto a wire rack to cool for 3 hours. Once cool, release the cake from the pan by running a knife or an offset spatula around the edges of the pan. Gently tap the pan on the counter until the cake comes out.

Cherry Glaze:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the icing sugar and maraschino cherry juice until smooth.

Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitter with the whisk attachment, add the cream, icing sugar, and vanilla bean paste. Whip on medium-high speed until the mixture looks light and fluffy and medium peaks form, about 2 minutes. Be careful not to overwhip.
2. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and place in the fridge for up to 30 minutes, until ready to use. Do not re-whip.

Assembly:

1. Whisk the Cherry Glaze, then immediately pour it evenly over the cake, letting the glaze run over to coat the sides of the cake.
2. Transfer the Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream to a piping bag fitted with a No. 8B tip. Pipe 8 evenly spaced rosettes of whipping cream around the top of the cake to form a crown. Top each rosette with a maraschino cherry.
3. To serve, cut slices with a serrated knife. This cake is best served fresh. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Baker's Tip: In might sound counterintuitive, but it's important to refrain from greasing the pan. For this recipe, you want the batter to cling to the sides of the pan because it will help the cake rise. If the pan is greased, the cake won't rise as much as it could. 

Find more recipes in our cookbook, Jenna Rae Cakes and Sweet Treats, over 100 recipes for the modern baker, and Jenna Rae Cakes At Home, featuring our favourite recipes to make for family and friends.