This coconut flour angel food cake is light, fluffy, and uses no starchy flours. This cake is Paleo, gluten-free, and dairy-free with keto options.
I didn’t think it was possible to make an angel food cake using coconut flour without any starchy flours. To my surprise it was extremely easy to create! It doesn’t taste eggy. It doesn’t taste dense. It’s extremely light and fluffy. If I didn’t know it was made with coconut flour I would never be able to guess.
I was able to keep all of the ratios of a normal angel food cake. The same amount of egg whites and sugar. I wouldn’t recommend decreasing the sugar until you have made this recipe at least once.
This coconut flour angel food cake would be perfect for parties, birthday parties, Valentine’s Day, or enjoying as a special treat. With the whipped cream it’s a light dessert that everyone will love.
How to make coconut flour angel food cake
This angel food cake feels like it would be complicated, but it’s actually extremely easy.
First, of course, you need to gather your ingredients – including:
- 12 egg whites, at room temperature
- 1 ¼ tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups erythritol or sugar
- 6 tbsp coconut flour
- ½ tsp salt
- Topping: whipped cream, coconut whipped cream, berries or dusted with powdered sugar
Next, whisk together half of the sugar, coconut flour, and salt.
Then whip the egg whites, cream of tartar, vanilla, and sugar until stiff peaks.
Next, gently fold the flour mixture into the whipped egg whites. Then pour into a cake pan, remove the air pockets, and bake.
Coconut Flour Angel Food Cake FAQ
How can I make this keto-friendly?
You can easily make this cake keto-friendly by using powdered erythritol instead of sugar. I do not recommend using a sweetener like stevia because you need something that acts like sugar and will add bulk to this recipe.
Can I substitute almond flour for coconut flour?
No, you can’t substitute coconut flour 1:1 for almond flour. There are ways to convert a coconut flour recipe to an almond flour recipe but it would also require decreasing the eggs. For this recipe, I suggest you use only coconut flour or search for a Paleo almond flour angel food cake recipe. Why does this recipe use barely any coconut flour? Coconut flour is highly absorbent. Think of it like sawdust haha (you’ll understand once you start baking with it). Coconut flour recipes soak up all of the liquid so that’s why you need a higher amount of eggs and liquid ingredients. When you see a coconut flour-based recipe don’t be alarmed when the amount of coconut flour seems too low and DON’T be tempted to add more coconut flour unless you are used to baking with this special flour.
I’m allergic to nuts. Is coconut a nut allergy?
If you are allergic to nuts it makes sense to wonder if you can eat anything made with coconuts. Coconut is not a botanical nut; it is classified as a fruit. If you are allergic to tree nuts, please talk to your allergist/doctor before adding coconut to your diet.
Can I skip using cream of tartar?
No, you cannot skip adding the cream of tartar. Cream of tartar helps the egg whites keep their shape. Since angel food cake is all egg whites, you really need the help of the cream of tartar in this recipe. Cream of tartar is easy to find in any grocery store. You can usually find it in the baking section or spice section.
Are you sure I’m supposed to cool angel food cake upside down?
Yes, it’s the traditional way to cool angel food cake. It helps the cake keep its shape. The cake will not fall out of the cake pan.
I don’t have an angel food cake pan or a bundt pan. Can I use another cake pan?
Worst case you could use 2 loaf pans. Remember not to grease the loaf pan. You could add parchment paper to the bottom but not the sides.
What’s the best way to separate egg whites from egg yolks?
When using egg whites in a recipe that requires you to whip them it is best to work with room temperature egg whites. I personally find it easier to separate egg whites from egg yolks when the egg is still cold. Crack the egg and pour the egg white into one small bowl and the egg yolk into another small bowl. Then pour the egg white into the large bowl. Keep adding the egg white to a small bowl. If you happen to get a little egg yolk mixed into the egg white you need to discard it. Instead of discarding a whole bowl of egg whites you only need to discard one egg white. Then set the egg whites out on the counter to come up to room temperature.
I can’t eat eggs. How do I make this egg-free?
I don’t recommend making an egg-free angel food cake recipe. This recipe is basically baked meringue with a little bit of flour.
How do I store this cake?
This coconut flour angel food cake will last about 3 days if you store them in an airtight container in a cool place and about 5 days if you keep it stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator. You can also keep them stored in your freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutritional Info
I used erythritol in the nutritional data below. There are 38.7 grams of carbs per serving and only 1.8g of net carbs. Erythritol, the sugar alcohol in Swerve and Lakanto, is zero calories and has no effect on blood sugar, so you can subtract 100% of carbs coming from erythritol.
Related Recipes:
PrintCoconut Flour Angel Food Cake
This coconut flour angel food cake is light, fluffy and uses no starchy flours. This cake is Paleo, gluten-free, and dairy-free with keto options.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 1 9-inch cake (8 slices) 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 12 egg whites, at room temperature
- 1 ¼ tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups erythritol or sugar
- 6 tbsp coconut flour
- ½ tsp salt
- Topping: whipped cream, coconut whipped cream, berries or dusted with powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line the bottom of an angel food cake pan with parchment paper. Since I used a bundt pan I didn’t do this step.
- In a medium-sized bowl add half of the sugar, coconut flour, and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- Place the egg whites, cream of tartar, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, whip the egg whites until you have soft peaks.
- Add small amounts of sugar, like 1 tbsp at a time, of the rest of the sugar while the egg whites are being whipped.
- Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks. The egg whites will look a little glossy and when you lift the whisk it will have egg whites that stay in a stiff peak.
- Take small amounts of the flour mixture and gently fold it into the egg whites using a spatula until all of the flour mixture is mixed in.
- Pour the batter into an angel food cake pan (or a bundt pan like I used). Take a knife and run it through the batter to try to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 40-60 minutes, until the cake is golden and a toothpick can be inserted into the baked cake and comes out clean. It’s very important that the toothpick comes out completely clean, no crumbs. If you see some crumbs put it back in the oven for another 5 minutes.
- When the cake is done baking, turn the cake pan upside down and set it on its “feet” (if your angel food cake pan has any) or use a can or bottle. You are going to allow the cake to fully cool upside down so it doesn’t deflate. Don’t worry, the cake won’t fall out. One side of my cake did pull away from the side while cooling.
- Once the cake is fully cooled, like in 2 hours, you can take a knife and gently loosen the cake from the sides. Then invert the pan onto the cooling rack to release the cake. Cover in whip cream and berries like I did or in a glaze.
Notes
Note: I used erythritol in the nutritional data below. There are 38.7 grams of carbs per serving and only 1.8g of net carbs. Erythritol, the sugar alcohol in Swerve and Lakanto, is zero calories and has no effect on blood sugar, so you can subtract 100% of carbs coming from erythritol.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 1 slice (8 slices total)
- Calories: 62
- Fat: >1g
- Carbohydrates: 38.7g (1.8g net carbs)
- Fiber: 1.8g
- Protein: 6.2g