This gluten-free Chocolate Cream Angel Food Cake is perfectly fluffy and stuffed with chocolate whipping cream frosting. It’s a must-have dessert!
A family tradition.
When I was growing up, Chocolate Cream Angel Food Cake was a family birthday tradition. Each year, for each family member, my mother would carefully separate eggs, whip them, fold in flour, and gingerly place the delicate cake in the oven. Once baked she would dig out a trench in the center of the cake and fill it with chocolate whipped cream. My brother and I never asked for a different cake for our birthdays – mom’s Waldorf Angel Food was the best cake we’d ever had!
After marrying and having my own crazy kids, I was excited (and a little nervous) to carry on the angel food cake legacy. Then, gluten and egg-intolerance hit my family. There went my beloved birthday tradition! Thankfully, after a few years of bitter longing (I’m only slightly exaggerating) the GAPS diet brought back some hope – a.k.a. eggs – into my life.Â
One of the first things I did as a recovering egg-intolerant was make my dear mother a gluten-free angel food cake for her 50th birthday. 🙂
Eight years of love.
Yesterday was my oldest’s 8th birthday (!). During the weeks of anticipation, she begged me to make her a cake like the one I made for Grandma.
Of course I complied willingly.Â
Even though this cake is very delicate, and can take a while to prepare, it’s really not all that hard to put together. As long as you keep hungry 4-year old boys and curious 2-year old girls away!
More birthday goodness.
If you’re still on the lookout for a good family-friendly birthday treat, but this angel food cake doesn’t do it for you, check out these recipes. They’re all family favorites!
- Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake with Whipped Cream Frosting
- Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting
- Dairy-Free Hummingbird Cake
- Honey Orange Cupcakes
- Deep Dish Gluten-Free Apple Pie
- Vegan Chocolate Applesauce Cake
- Buttermilk Carob Zucchini Cake
In the recipe card I’ve linked to some of the products from my affiliate partners that I like to use. Purchasing through these links won’t cost you anything extra. Thanks!
Chocolate Cream Angel Food Cake
Free from gluten and dairy.
Ingredients
- 1 c. sorghum or brown rice flour
- 1/2 c. tapioca starch
- 1 c. evaporated cane juice, divided
- 1 t. guar gum
- 1/2 t. kosher salt
- 12 room temperature egg whites (I recommend using farm-fresh, or at least organic)
- 1 t. cream of tartar
- 1 t. vanilla extract (I like to use my homemade extract)
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 325.
In medium bowl whisk together flour, starch, 1/2 of the evaporated cane juice, guar gum, and the salt. Set aside.
In separate large bowl, whip egg whites until frothy. Add in cream of tartar and continue to beat. Slowly add in remaining evaporated cane juice and vanilla extract and beat until soft peaks form.
Sift 1/4 cup of the flour mixture over egg whites, folding in carefully with a rubber spatula. Repeat until all flour mixture has been incorporated and no dry streaks remain.
Carefully pour mixture into an ungreased 10 inch tube pan.
Run a butter knife or spatula around the edges and through the center of the batter to make sure there are no large air pockets.
Transfer pan to the oven and bake for 60-70 minutes, or until crust is golden-brown and cracked, and cake springs back lightly when touched.
Tip cake pan upside down and cool completely before trying to remove cake.
When completely cooled, slice around the edges of a pan with a serrated knife, then gently remove the outer edge of the pan.
Flip cake upside down and, using a serrated knife, slice off the bottom (which is now the top) about 1 inch from the top of the cake. Carefully set aside. This is the ‘lid’ of the cake.
Using a steak knife, cut a circle around the diameter of the cake about 1 inch inside. Cut another circle about an inch from the first circle.
Take a fork and carefully dig out a 1×1 inch trench. Set the trench aside, or devour immediately if no one is watching.
Fill the trench with chocolate cream frosting.
Replace the ‘lid’ of the cake over the trench and continue to frost entire cake as desired.
NOTES
It’s very important to make sure your egg whites are room temperature and that whatever extract you use contains NO oil.
Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting
Free from gluten, grain, eggs, and refined sugar.
Ingredients
- 1 pint whipping cream – use the cream off the top of a can of coconut milk for a dairy-free version
- 1/4 c. cocoa powder
- 1/3-1/2 c. honey, depending on how sweet you like your chocolate
INSTRUCTIONS
Whip cream until peaks begin to form.
Sift cocoa over the cream and beat to combine.
Drizzle with honey and beat to combine.
NOTES
Cream whips best when beat with chilled beaters in a chilled bowl. I usually stick my bowl and beaters in the freezer for about 20 minutes before whipping the cream.
 What’s one of your family’s favorite birthday traditions?
Aria, you say to use evaporated cane juice then link to cane sugar. Do you make your own? How?
I’m so sorry, my Kindle changed your name, Raia.
😉 No problem, Mary! The evaporated cane juice I use is cane sugar. It’s written on the bag, just in smaller letters. You could probably use coconut sugar instead, if you want. I just haven’t tried it. 🙂
Awesome! I thought it was a liquid. Thank you, Raia!
No problem! 🙂
Yummmmmmmmm
😉
what a great way to celebrate birthdays! i love the surprise tunnel of icing in the center… happy birthday to your girl!
Thanks, Gretchen! It’s a pretty delicious tradition. 🙂
Happy Birthday to your little girl. Great cake… and it’s gluten free.
Thanks, Ilona! 🙂
Um, did I mention this cake is stunning yet? 🙂 Looks amazing! Figuring out an eggless angel food cake {bahahaha!} is still on my hit list. Such an amazing classic. Love your chocolate covered take on it.
Thanks, Audrey! 🙂 Yeah, I pondered how to make an egg-free one for a few years before I gave up. Haha. I’ll be excited to try it if you ever figure it out! 🙂
I have never made an angel food cake…I ma guessing a homemade version is leaps and bounds tastier than the cake I remember my mom eating as kid! And that frosting…love!
Yes, I’ve had store-bought and homemade, and the homemade version is definitely much better! Usually there’s a little frosting left over when I make this, and I just eat it with a spoon. 😉
Beautiful — both the cake and the love expressed by baking it. xoxo
~jules
Aw, thanks Jules. 😉
Happy birthday to your daughter! This cake looks fab – love that chocolate cream!
Thanks, Sharon! 🙂
My family has a thing about Angel Food Cake too. This looks lovely.
Thanks for sharing this on Tasty Tuesdays. Pinned to the Tasty Tuesdays Board.
Thanks so much for stopping by and pinning, Audrey! 🙂
What is evaporated cane juice? Is that like blue agave? I don’t quite have 1 C of that either. I have cocnut sugar, do I use 1 c of that or regular sugar?
Evaporated cane juice is actually granulated, so I would sub the coconut sugar, or regular. 🙂
This cake has my mouth watering! Happy Birthday to your daughter! Thank you for sharing on the Brag About It link party!
Glad to share, Laurie! Thanks so much for stopping by! 🙂
YUMMY! We are so glad you shared with us at the Merry Monday party! We can’t wait to see what you’ve been up to at our next party!
Thanks, Shirley!
Do you think white rice flour would work? I don’t do well with brown and don’t have sorghum.
Thanks
Yes, white rice flour should work, as long as it’s not sweet rice flour. 🙂
This sounds so good! We eat gluten free at my house as well, and it can be so hard to find cake recipes that don’t come out as hard as a rock. haha 🙂 The texture of your angel food cake looks absolutely amazing! I am definitely going to try this out. Thanks for sharing!
Hugs!
Sarah
http://sprinklesonmyicecream.blogspot.com/
I hope you enjoy it, Sarah! It’s definitely not rock-like. 😉 Thanks for stopping by!
This looks amazing…so light and fluffy! I found your post over at the #SHINE blog hop.
Thanks for stopping by, Melissa! 🙂
Holy! Who doesn’t like a treat with a lovely surprise in the middle? That’s a special birthday cake for sure! 🙂
Shirley
😉 Haha! Agreed, Shirley.
Oh that’s a beautiful cake for a very special girl’s birthday. Glad you shared your family recipe on Gluten Free Fridays. Thanks!
Glad to share, Barbara! Thanks so much for stopping by! 🙂
I sort of feel like attempting to make a cake for the man in my life – for his birthday – and this is a GREAT recipe for me to base my creation off of!
Haha. Well, thanks… 😀 I hope you both enjoy whatever you come up with. 😉
Hi Raia,
Great recipe. You come up with such great recipes. Looks delicious and love that it is gluten free. I have never actually tried to make a angel food cake such as this one, but it sure sounds great with the filling inside and all the real food ingredients filled with health. Happy Birthday to your Mom! Thanks for sharing on Real Food Friday. Pinned & twitted.
Thanks so much, Marla! It is one of my favorite cakes, by far, and worth all the effort. 🙂
Hi there girly!
If you’re interested, I starting a new link up on Tuesdays over at my blog. It’s a great way to share your content and meet other awesome bloggers. I’d LOVE to have you share a post!
-K
http://www.peeledwellness.com
Thanks for the invite, K! I’ll try and remember to stop by. 😉
I’ve been craving angel food cake lately but I really need one of those fancy pans first!
This sounds and looks so great (and what adorable pictures of a big 8-year-old).
Thanks for sharing (and for linking up to the #SHINEbloghop).
Wishing you a lovely day.
xoxo
Thanks so much, Jennifer. 🙂 You could probably make the cake in 2 loaf pans instead, it just wouldn’t look so fancy. 😉
Gorgeous cake!
Thanks for linking up to Awesome Life Friday!
Thanks, Ashley! Glad to share. 🙂
Hi Raia,
Just a note to let you know that I have chosen your post as one of my features for this weeks Real Food Fridays blog hop that goes live Thursday @ 7pm EST. Thank you for being part of Real Food Fridays and sharing with us. Looking forward to seeing you each week.
Thanks so much, Marla!
What a great story to go along with what sounds like a yummy birthday treat! Thanks for stopping by and sharing this on Five Friday Finds! I’m looking forward to what you share this week. 🙂
Glad to share, CJ! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
This looks fantastic! Thanks for linking up!
-Cindy
Thanks, Cindy! 🙂
This Angel Food cake looks heaven sent! It’s been way too long since I have enjoyed a slice of light and spongey angel food cake, and then you’ve gone and made it even dreamier with chocolate cream! Yee!!
Your daughter is so darling!! Sending happy birthday wishes!
Aw! Thanks, Andrea. 😉 Chocolate makes everything more delicious, even though angel food cake is pretty dang good by itself. 🙂
I was so excited when I saw this on Savoring Saturdays! It will be perfect for my friend’s birthday as she loves angel food cake. Thank you!
Yay! I hope she enjoys it, Jennifer! 🙂
Can I just use a gluten free flour mixture instead of all the individual ingredients you have listed?
In theory yes, you could use a gf mix in place of the sorghum/rice, tapioca, and guar gum, if your mix contains it. I haven’t tried it though. 🙂 Hope you enjoy the cake!
Nice one!