This delicious, gluten-free, keto Orange Angel Food Cake is topped with a sunny orange glaze and is like biting into a fluffy cloud. Packed with protein-rich egg whites, low-carb almond flour and swirls of fresh-squeezed orange juice, this sugar-free cake has only 91 calories and over 6 grams of protein per serving. So treat yourself to a slice of exquisite low-carb yumminess – or wow guests with this moist citrus treat at your next event.
If you love angel food cakes, don’t miss my heavenly Lemon Poppy Seed Keto Angel Food Cake. But if you’re looking for something simpler, check out my easy, sugar-free Lemon Bars or my Keto Lemon-Orange Bars.
What is angel food cake
An angel food cake is a low-fat cake made mainly from egg whites, flour and sugar. The cake is known for its sponge-like texture and pristine white interior which, in this version, is a mild orange due to the addition of orange juice and orange extract. The cake is also known for its chewy brown crumb on the outside.
Why sugar-free angel food cake is so healthy
In this keto recipe, grain-free, gluten-free, low-carb almond flour and a dash of coconut flour, replace all-purpose flour. Moreover, monk fruit, a natural, zero-calorie sweetener, replaces refined sugar.
In fact, there is no butter, no oil and no cream in the recipe – nor does it feel like anything is missing. You don’t even need to butter or grease the pan, since the batter needs to cling to ungreased sides while rising.
All these healthy factors mean one thing: This is a great cake for diabetics as well as for people on gluten-free, keto, low-carb, sugar-free and paleo diets. It’s also a fantastic cake for health-conscious individuals in general.
Ingredient notes
See the Recipe Card below for measurements and full instructions.
The cake
- 12 jumbo egg whites – make this a cholesterol-free, protein-rich dessert.
- Cream of tartar – adds volume, stabilizes and whitens the whipped egg whites.
- Blanched almond flour – Almond meal would be too coarse for this delicate cake.
- Coconut flour – adds a natural sweetness.
- Salt – brings out the flavor of the other ingredients.
- Xanthum gum – enhances foam stability and can thicken glaze, if desired.
- Powdered sweetener of choice – Powdered sweetener is best for the airy filling. To keep the carbs and calories down, use a sugar-free powdered sweetener. By the way, if you don’t have powdered sweetener handy, you can put granulated sweetener in a blender or food processor and pulverize it into powdered sweetener.
- Vanilla – adds depth.
- Orange juice – Fresh-squeezed orange juice is tastiest.
- Orange extract – augments the orange flavor. The amount of alcohol in orange extract varies by brand, so add it gradually.
- Orange zest – enhances the sugar-free angel food cake’s flavor. You can also decorate the cake with it.
The orange angel food cake icing
- Orange juice – Fresh-squeezed orange juice is best for the icing.
- Powdered sweetener of choice – powdered sugar or a powdered, zero-calorie sugar substitute such as monk fruit or erythritol.
How to make orange low-carb angel food cake
THE BATTER
1. Preheat oven to 325. Then sift together almond flour, coconut flour, salt, xanthum gum, and 1/2 cup powdered sugar. It’s very important that you sift them, since this is a delicate cake.
2. Put egg whites, cream of tartar, and vanilla in a clean mixing bowl and mix on low until frothy (about a minute). Then increase speed to medium-high to form soft, billowy egg whites.
3. While the mixer is running and when large bubbles stop appearing close to the edges, begin adding 1/4-1/3 cup powdered sweetener – one tablespoon at a time since this ensures a gorgeous meringue.
4. Keep mixing until you have a shiny meringue that forms soft peaks when the beater is lifted.
5. Run the mixer some more and add orange juice, orange extract and orange zest.
6. Using a spatula, gently fold flour mixture into egg whites, adding about 1/3 cup of flour mixture at a time. With your spatula, cut through the middle, then brush your spatula along the side of the bowl. Turn the bowl and keep repeating.
BAKING YOUR CAKE & REMOVING FROM A TRADITIONAL ANGEL FOOD CAKE PAN WITH FEET
7. Pour into ungreased angel food cake pan.
8. Bake 40-55 minutes until golden brown on top.
9. The cake needs to cool upside down to retain its volume, so immediately flip on its feet and allow upwards of 3 hours for it to FULLY cool.
10. To remove the keto angel food cake, firstly, run a knife (a thin knife) along the outside of the cake using a gentle up and down motion. Also run it along the center ring. Then use the tube to pull the cake out of the pan. Put it on a work surface. Use a chef’s knife to cut the bottom free. Invert it and flip onto a plate.
DECORATING WITH ORANGE ANGEL FOOD CAKE ICING
11. The cake will be upside down, so flip it right-side up, if desired.
12. Make the orange glaze with powdered sweetener and orange juice. I usually make 1/2 cup of glaze, but you can make more. If you want to thicken the glaze a little, whisk in a 1/4 tsp xanthum gum – a little goes a long way so don’t add too much.
11. Apply glaze.
12. Decorate the iced cake with fresh oranges or mandarins, if desired.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the flavor of angel food cake? It’s like biting into a sweet, vanilla cloud. It is also a great cake to add extracts to, so you will, for example, find lemon, orange, strawberry and chocolate versions.
- What color is angel food cake? It is white inside and has a chewy, brown crumb outside. The color can, however, change if you add extracts such as chocolate to the cake.
- Why is angel food cake so fluffy? The fluffiness comes from the 10-12 egg whites that are whipped into a glorious meringue for this cake.
- What is the main ingredient in angel food cake? It is mainly egg whites, flour, sugar.
- What kind of beater do you use for angel food cake? An electric hand mixer or stand mixer with whisk attachment.
- How do you making orange angel food cake icing? Simply combine powdered sweetener and fresh-squeezed orange juice to make the tasty glaze.
Equipment corner for keto angel food cake
- An angel food cake pan – Specifically, I recommend using the traditional one with raised feet by Nordic Ware.
- An electric hand mixer or a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer with whisk attachment
How to store your angel food cake
- To store: Store the keto angel food cake for up to 3 days covered at room temperature. I would like to point out that I use a special cake storage container that clicks shut. However, other options include an airtight plastic container or plastic bag.
- To freeze: Freeze sealed in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Other popular keto recipes
- Keto Chocolate Bundt Cake – The BEST Recipe Ever!
- Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie
- Orange Milk Jello
- Keto Chicken Pot Pie in a Cheddar-Chive Crust
- Keto Orange Indian Spice Cake
You can also FOLLOW ME on INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK and PINTEREST for more great recipes!
Orange Angel Food Cake – Sugar-Free, Keto
Equipment
- 1 angel food cake pan I use the traditional one with feet by Nordic Ware
- 1 electric hand mixer or Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer with whisk attachment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup blanched almond flour Not almond meal.
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp xanthum gum
- 1/2 cup powdered sweetener of choice I use Lakanto Powdered Monk Fruit and sometimes simply pulverize granulated monk fruit in the food processor.
Wet Ingredients
- 12 jumbo egg whites (2 1/3 cups) Room temperature
- 1 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4-1/3 cup powdered sweetener of choice I add 1/4 cup here and fine tune the sweetness at the very end.
- 2-3 tsp orange extract The different brands contain different amounts of alcohol, so the amount will vary.
- 3 Tbsp orange juice fresh squeezed
- 1 tsp orange zest
Orange Glaze
- 1/2 cup powdered sweetener of choice I use Lakanto Powdered Monk Fruit which is very sweet so half a cup suffices here for me. You can also use 3/4 cup powdered sugar and a little more orange juice if you'd like more glaze.
- 2-3 Tbsp orange juice Sometimes I add quite a bit of orange juice which makes the glaze a bit runny, so I thicken it by whisking in 1/4 tsp xanthum gum. A little goes a long way so don't add too much.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325. Then sift together almond flour, coconut flour, salt, xanthum gum, and 1/2 cup powdered sugar. It’s very important that you sift them, since this is a delicate cake.
- Put egg whites, cream of tartar, and vanilla in a clean mixing bowl and mix on low until frothy (about a minute). Then increase speed to medium-high to form soft, billowy egg whites.
- While the mixer is running and when large bubbles stop appearing close to the edges, begin adding 1/4-1/3 cup powdered sweetener – one tablespoon at a time since this ensures a gorgeous meringue.
- Keep mixing until you have a shiny meringue that forms soft peaks when the beater is lifted.
- Run the mixer some more and add orange juice, orange extract and orange zest.
- Using a spatula, gently fold flour mixture into egg whites, adding about 1/3 cup of flour mixture at a time. With your spatula, cut through the middle, then brush your spatula along the side of the bowl. Turn the bowl and keep repeating.
- Taste the batter. If it needs a touch more sweetener, then gently sift it in.
- Pour into ungreased angel food cake pan.
- Bake 40-55 minutes until golden brown on top.
- Immediately flip cake onto its feet. Allow it to cool upside-down upwards of 3 hours so it FULLY cools.
- To remove cake, firstly, run a knife (a thin knife) along the outside of the cake using a gentle up and down motion. Also run it along the center ring. Then use the tube to pull the cake out of the pan. Put it on a work surface. Use a chef's knife to cut the bottom free. Invert it and flip onto a plate.
- The cake will be upside down. Flip it right-side up, if desired.
The Orange Glaze
- Mix 1/2 cup powdered sweetener with 2-3 Tbsp orange juice. I usually make 1/2 cup of glaze, but you can make more. If you want to thicken the glaze a little, whisk in a 1/4 tsp xanthum gum – a little goes a long way so don't add too much.
- Apply glaze and decorate with oranges, if desired.
Notes
Carbs per serving: 4.3 carbs
Protein: 6.5 grams
Did you try this recipe? Let me know @cathyscakesalon or tag #cathyscakesalon.
This is a very tasty cake and my diabetic mother was very appreciative.