Strawberry Angel Food Cake is a soft, fluffy cake filled with sweet strawberries you can make with just 2 ingredients. Slather in cream cheese glaze for a delicious strawberry dessert recipe you'll make all summer long.
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If you love the classic combination of fluffy angel food cake with fresh strawberries, you're going to love this Strawberry Angel Food Cake recipe. It has all the same flavors plus a bonus topping of tangy cream cheese glaze.
I've made this delicious recipe a million times (not exaggerating) because it's such an easy dessert recipe, and it bakes up soft and fluffy every time. Plus, I always have the ingredients on hand.
We love the cream cheese frosting because it isn't overly sweet, and it perfectly complements the strawberry flavor. Sometimes we skip it, though, and add a dollop of Cinnamon Whipped Cream or Whipped Ricotta and Roasted Balsamic Vinegar Strawberries or fresh berries.
You’re Going to Love This
- Easy strawberry angel food cake dessert you can whip up in minutes
- Pretty pink cake, perfect dessert for Valentine's Day, baby showers, Pink Ribbon events, birthday parties, or any special occasion
- Made from simple ingredients, it's a great dessert for last-minute entertaining
- Delicious dessert with classic strawberries and cream flavor combo
- Light and airy angel food cake -- perfect summer dessert
Ingredients
Strawberry Cake
Boxed angel food cake mix. My go-to box mix brand is Betty Crocker Angel Food Cake Mix. I refer to the package instructions for oven temperature and baking time.
Frozen whole strawberries, thawed. I measure out 1 ½ rounded cups of frozen strawberries, thaw them in the microwave for about 2 minutes, then mash them with a fork.
Cream Cheese Glaze
Cream cheese. Use softened cream cheese so it blends well with the confectioners' sugar without lumps.
How to Make Strawberry Angel Food Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze
Step 1: Measure out 1 ½ rounded cups of frozen whole strawberries. Thaw in the microwave for about 2 minutes and mash with a fork.
You should end up with about ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons of mashed strawberries.
Step 2: Place the mashed strawberries, water, and angel food cake mix in a large bowl.
Mix with an electric mixer on low speed until combined, then on high speed for about one minute until the batter is light and fluffy. Do not overmix.
Step 3: Pour the batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Run a knife through the cake batter to deflate any air bubbles.
Step 4: Bake the angel food cake according to the directions on the package until the top is golden brown and the cracks are dry, usually around 35-45 minutes.
Step 5: Immediately turn the pan upside down onto a baking rack or the neck of a bottle. Let it cool upside down for about 2 hours.
Once the pan feels cool, run a thin knife around the edges to release the cake from the pan. It will be super moist because of the strawberries, so be gentle.
Step 6: Make the cream cheese glaze. Beat softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Beat in sifted powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk, a little at a time, until it reaches a glaze consistency. Spread cream cheese glaze over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides.
Expert Tips
- Be careful not to overmix the cake batter, or it can cause the cake to deflate.
- After pouring the cake batter into the pan, run a knife through it to break any air bubbles.
- Bake in an ungreased tube pan. Do not use a nonstick angel food cake pan. The cake needs something to grab onto. I like this pan because it has feet.
- Bake the cake until it is golden brown with dry cracks on top.
- Cool the cake upside down for at least 2 hours or until the pan feels cool.
What to Serve with Angel Food Cake
There are so many tasty toppings you can put on an angel food cake. Take a look through these delicious angel food cake toppings, like:
- Blueberry Maple Syrup
- Fried Apples
- Passionfruit Coulis
Stewed Rhubarb - ... and more!
FAQs
Store strawberry angel food dessert tightly covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container for up to 5 days. If it’s frosted with cream cheese frosting, store it in the refrigerator.
No. You should not grease the pan when you make angel food cake. Because it rises so high as it bakes, it needs to be able to grab onto the pan.
Yes. You can use two loaf pans or a 9 x 13 pan. You will still need to let it cool upside down. For loaf pans, let them rest on their sides. For a 9 x 13 pan, rest the pan on equal-sized cans.
Run a thin knife around the outer edge of the cake and separate the two pieces of the pan. Next, run your knife around the center hole and the bottom of the cake to loosen it from the tube section. Then invert the cake onto a serving plate.
Yes. To freeze an unfrosted strawberry cake, wrap it in a double layer of plastic. Wrap it again in aluminum foil. Store angel food cake in the freezer for a couple of months. Thaw at room temperature.
To freeze a frosted cake, set the cake or pieces of cake on a sheet pan in the freezer until it’s firm. Wrap the frozen cake in a double layer of plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil. Thaw in the refrigerator.
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Strawberry Angel Food Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze
Ingredients
Strawberry Angel Food Cake
- 1 box angel food cake mix
- 1 ½ cups frozen strawberries Measure the strawberries when frozen. When defrosted, you should have about ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons mashed strawberries.
- 1 cup water
Cream Cheese Glaze
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2-4 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven according to the instructions on the cake mix box.
- Measure out 1 ½ rounded cups of frozen whole strawberries. Thaw in the microwave for about 2 minutes and mash with a fork. You should have about ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons of mashed strawberries.
- Add strawberries and water to the angel food cake mix. Mix on low until combined, about 30 seconds, then on medium for about 1 minute, until the batter is light and fluffy.
- Place the batter into an angel food cake pan. Run a knife through the batter to deflate any air pockets.
- Bake the cake according to the directions on the package, until the top is golden brown and the cracks are dry.
- Immediately turn the pan upside down onto a baking rack or the neck of a bottle. Let it cool upside down for about 2 hours.
- When cool, run a knife around the edges to release the cake from the pan. It will be super moist because of the strawberries, so be gentle.
Make the Cream Cheese Glaze
- Beat 4 ounces softened cream cheese until it is smooth and creamy. Beat in ½ cup sifted powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 2-4 tablespoons milk until it reaches a glaze consistency. Spread over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides.
Notes
- Be careful not to overmix the cake batter, or it can cause the cake to deflate.
- After pouring the cake batter into the pan, run a knife through it to break any air bubbles.
- Bake in an ungreased tube pan. Do not use a nonstick angel food cake pan. The cake needs something to grab onto. I like this pan because it has feet.
Will this work with fresh strawberries? It's strawberry season!
Hi, Katie, I haven't tested this recipe with fresh strawberries so I am not able to say for sure, but I would think so! If you try it, let me know how it works out.
I could drink this glaze with a straw!! This was amazing!
Hi, Mindy! I'm so happy you loved the glaze! I do too ... I definitely call dibs on licking the bowl when I make this one! Thanks again :), Cara
What a refreshing twist on a classic favorite!
Thanks, Jess, it means so much to me that you enjoyed it and took the time to drop a note :). Cara
This is such an easy and delicious cake. It was already delicious even before adding the glazing.
Thank you, Anita, I'm so glad you enjoyed it! You're right, it's so good on its own -- I probably make it as often with the glaze as without.
I love this recipe! I usually just enjoy angel food cake with sliced strawberries, now I can have the double dose of strawberries + the tasty cream cheese glaze.
Hi Rebecca, thank you so much! Right, now you can double the strawberries in every bite :). Cara
Yum! what a perfect summer dessert. It is so easy to make with cake mix and using frozen strawberries is genius! My toddlers gobbled this cake up so quickly and was a delicious treat for them!
Aw, thank you so much, Liz, I'm so glad you enjoyed it! And it makes me so happy to know that your little ones loved it :).
I have looked and looked for strawberry angel food cake. I have tried this recipe 4x and ALL 4X's it has fallen flat as pancake!!! I have tried cooking longer up to an hour and nothing helped. I would like to know what to try to keep it from falling.
Thank you
Oh no, I'm so sorry to hear that! I make this one a lot and have never experienced that. But here are a few thoughts that I hope will help you figure out the culprit. 1. Measure the strawberries when they are frozen. 2. Run a knife through the batter before baking, otherwise large air holes can develop, which can deflate the cake. 3. Rest the cake upside down until the cake has completely cooled. I like to give it a full two hours. I hope this helps you! Let me know, please! Cara
This has happened to me too. It has fallen on me while still baking in the oven. I’ve followed the directions exactly and ran a knife through the cake before baking and it still deflated. What am I doing wrong?
Oof, how frustrating! While I've never had this happen, it seems to be one of the more common problems with angel food cakes, unfortunately.
Here are a couple more troubleshooting tips for you:
1. Use an ungreased pan -- not a nonstick pan -- without parchment. The cake needs to be able to grab onto the pan.
2. Measure the strawberries carefully so there isn't too much liquid being added.
3. Be careful not to undermix. Or overmix.
4. Check that your oven temperature is accurate.
I'm so sorry this happened and hope these tips help you.
Cara
I absolutely love the light texture of this cake! It sounds so good paired with the cream cheese glaze.
Hi, Tara, thank you so much for your note! Strawberries and cream cheese are such a match made in heaven, I couldn't resist adding the glaze to this cake. Thank you! Cara
Yum! This cake is delicious - love all the flavours! Also love how easy it is to make!
Hi, Vanessa, Thank you so much for sharing your feedback -- it means so much to me that you enjoyed this yummy, easy strawberry cake!
Delicious and yummy mix. So easy to make and I love the fruit combinations too. Glaze looks perfect. Best dessert for sure
Thank you so much for your note, I'm thrilled that you enjoyed it! Cara
I love how simple this recipe is, and how few ingredients it has!! It is definitely going to be a staple in my house from now on!!
Hi, Cathleen, Thank you so much for letting me know how much you enjoyed it! Nothing like an easy cake mix hack to get to dessert as quickly as possible :). Thanks again, Cara
This was so light and delicious! We really enjoyed it. Thank you. 🙂
Hi, Kris, thank you for your note! I'm so glad you enjoyed it :). Cara