Angel Food Cake With Whipped Chocolate Frosting
4.6
(46)
Angel food cake with chocolate frosting is a dreamy dessert that requires a delicate touch. If you’re starting with store-bought cake, make sure it’s fresh and springs back when you (gently) touch it. Our go-to angel food cake recipe gets its ethereal texture from cream of tartar and finely milled cake flour, which forms less gluten than all-purpose flour and produces an airy crumb. Cocoa powder provides all the chocolate flavor in the frosting, so it’s worth shelling out for a quality brand. An electric mixer is the easiest way to combine the chilled cocoa mixture with the heavy whipping cream, but you can also whisk it by hand in a large bowl until stiff peaks form.
To ice the cake, place it on a platter or cake stand atop a lazy Susan or cake wheel if you’ve got one; otherwise, use your non-dominant hand to gently rotate the platter as you spread the airy chocolate frosting on the sides of the cake with an offset spatula. Decorate the top of the cake with swirls of chocolate icing, or add cocoa nibs, toasted coconut flakes, a handful of raspberries, or thinly sliced strawberries or bananas. This chocolate-frosted angel food cake is delicious as is, though we doubt anyone will complain if you serve it with vanilla ice cream or extra homemade whipped cream on the side.
Recipe information
Total Time
1 hour 10 minutes
Yield
8–10 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Whisk 1 cup (114 g) powdered sugar, ½ cup (42 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, and 1 pinch cream of tartar in a large bowl to combine, about 30 seconds. Add ¼ cup whole milk; whisk until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour.
Step 2
Combine cocoa mixture with 2 cups heavy cream, well chilled, and beat using an electric mixer on moderate speed until stiff peaks form.
Step 3
Place 1 Angel Food Cake on a platter. Spread top and sides of cake with chocolate icing. Run vegetable peeler down side of 1 chocolate bar (if using). Pile chocolate shavings atop cake. Slice into wedges and serve.
Do ahead: Cocoa mixture can be made 4 hour ahead; keep refrigerated.
Editor’s note: This recipe was first printed in the October 1991 issue of ‘Bon Appétit’ as Angel Food Cake With Chocolate Whipped Cream Icing and first appeared on Epicurious in August 2004. Head this way for more of our easiest cake recipes →
How would you rate Angel Food Cake With Whipped Chocolate Frosting?
Leave a Review
Reviews (46)
Back to TopThe frosting! Using this on every cake I make from now on. Light, airy and delicious!
Noreen
Vancouver, BC
6/8/2024
I needed a lighter Holiday dessert and chose Angel Food cake this year. This frosting was a nice change from using the packaged varieties which always seem tooo sweet. It was a hit with the whole family.
Anonymous
Maple Grove, MN
12/25/1999
Made this for my boyfriend's birthday. It was a huge hit with him and the kids. Added coloured sprinkles for fun! The icing is light a fluffy.
Anonymous
Mississauga, ON
6/6/2000
My mother has been making a similar cake for at least 25 years. How fun to see it here. She would slice the angel food cake into three layers, frost each layer with the whipped cream frosting, and then top each layer and the top with crushed Butterfingers. It is awesome!
Anonymous
San Luis Obispo, CA
11/16/2000
My mother has been making a similar cake for at least 25 years. How fun to see it here. She would slice the angel food cake into three layers, frost each layer with the whipped cream frosting, and then top each layer and the top with crushed Butterfingers. It is awesome!
Anonymous
San Luis Obispo, CA
11/16/2000
This was a great cake but next time I would use a little less of the icing as I found it a bit heavy on the cake.
Anonymous
Vancouver, BC Canada
7/26/2002
Fantastic & so easy! I have tried the frosting on the angel food cake as well as a checkerboard cake. It is my new chocolate frosting! My boyfriend & my Dad said it was the best frosting they have ever tasted!
Anonymous
Chicago
8/26/2002
