10 Best pan for Angel Food Cake Reviewed 2023 and Buying Guide

Angel food cakes are a delicious type of light and fluffy sponge cake. Famous for their unique shape, the cakes are made from egg whites, flour, and sugar, then added a touch of beauty with different toppings. If you are a baking enthusiast, you understand why you need to have or rather invest in a great angel food cake pan.

After all, you wouldn’t want to end up spoiling your angel food cake just because you own the wrong food cake pan. So in this article, I will enlighten you on all you need to know about angel food cake pans, including the best food cake pans available in the market.

Top 10 Pan For Angel Food At A Glance

The pan for angel food is one of the most important kitchen tools you will ever own, as it is the only way to get that perfect texture. But, what is the pan for angel food and how do you use it? Here are the top 10 pan for angel food cake for at a glance check.

What is an Angel food pan?

An angel food pan is a flat bottomed pan featuring a tube-like hole at its center. The pan’s tube allows the cake mixture to cling onto it, giving it a better rise. Upon pouring your cake mixture into the pan, a hole is formed at the cake’s center.

Most angel food cake pans have removable bottoms that ease removing the cake from the pan. Some also have feet to hold them over surfaces. Those that don’t have feet are propped by their tubes on a tin. The good news with this pan is that it doesn’t require any greasing whatsoever.

10 Best pans for Angel food cake Reviewed

With dozens of pans available in the market today, it can be overwhelming to get the right one that perfectly suits your baking needs. To help you with that, I have narrowed down the top 10 best angel food cake pans that will help you prepare those light and fluffy angel food cakes. So let us dig straight into reviewing them, so you get the best one for you.

1. Nordic Ware Angel Food Cake Pan

This great 18-cup capacity food cake pan is purely made from durable aluminum that distributes heat evenly when baking for those perfect results! The pan features a non-stick interior coating, so your cake doesn’t stick but rather pop out when turned upside down.

If you are looking for a versatile pan, then this fits in. Not only does it bake the best fluffy angel food cakes, but it also makes beautiful pound cakes with a rich golden crust. You can also bake a Bundt cake or that cake your heart desires with this pan.

Nordic Ware pans are designed with handles that are quite handy in offering convenience when turning over your cake. By just holding the handles of the pan and turning it over, your cake slides right out! This pan, however, is not dishwasher safe.

The pans’ premium non-stick coating ensures there is no build-up of cake residues on the sides of the pan. So with just some warm soapy water, you will have a clean pan within a short while! The manufacturers also offer a lifetime warranty on this angel food pan, which is enough reason it shouldn’t lack in your bakeware collection.

2. Nordic Ware Heavyweight Angel Food Cake Pan

Nordic Ware’s heavy-weight pan is made in the USA. It can make molded salads and many other delights in the shape of an angel food cake shape. This pan is sturdy and offers you a life expectancy due to its heavy aluminized steel make, which is highly resistant to rust and warp.

Baking your cakes with this pan is quite fun as there’s less worry of your cake sticking into it. This is because it features a single-piece design with a silicone-based non-stick coating.

Another good thing about this pan is that the non-stick coating is PTFE FREE, NON-TEFLON, and PFOA. So your food safety is quite guaranteed. The pan can hold up to 12 cups of batter, a capacity large enough to make a cake for 10-12 people.

The pans’ weight is quite easy to handle, and although it has no handles, you can easily remove your cake by the center cone. Just use a bottle to release it from the pan. After baking, you can clean the pan with a non-abrasive sponge and some warm soapy water.

3. Fox Run Loose Bottom Angel Food Cake Pan

Are you looking for a great removable bottom cake pan? If yes, then this Fox Run pan got you covered. Its construction is of durable yet lightweight aluminum that enables you to move it easily. The pans material distributes heat evenly around the pan, so you end up with a well-baked cake.

It features three feet that make it easy to be placed on a tabletop surface for faster cooling. Its center tube also allows a quick and uniform rising, so you end up with a well-shaped angel food cake free from any inconsistencies.  On top of the pans’ awesomeness is a non-stick coating that allows a fast and easy release of the cake.

The Fox Run pan is dishwasher safe, but it’s not recommended to toss it in there for long. The washers’ heat changes the color of the pan. To avoid risking that, you can go the hand-washing way that takes minimal time and gives excellent results.

4. Nordic Ware 12- Cup Angel Food Cake Pan

If you are a décor enthusiast, then this Nordic Ware pan is what you should grab for your kitchen space. Its soft classic red and white color brightens your kitchen and adds a touch of beauty! Above that, this pan can be a perfect gift to a friend.

The pan is a large capacity, fitting 12 cups and dimensions of 10” X 10” X 4.25”so you can comfortably prepare a cake you and your family will enjoy together. The pan is constructed from aluminum that conducts heat better and more evenly compared to other materials.

The material also gives your cakes sharp and defined looks. Its non-stick finish works well with higher sugar and flour contents in your cakes and desserts. It is also easier to get that cake out of the pan without any inconveniences.

When it comes to cleaning the pan, both the dishwasher and hand-washing it can do, in addition to that, the pan is rust-resistant, so you are guaranteed a rust-free pan even after using it for a long period.

5. Fat Daddio’s ProSeries Anodized Aluminum Angel Food Cake Pan

The Fat Daddio’s ProSeries Anodized Aluminum Angel Food Cake Pan is one ideal pan that can make any cake recipe. From your favorite pound cakes, bread, streusel cakes, and frozen desserts, this pan does it all!

This bakeware reflects heat when baking, so it reaches the baking temperatures faster, allowing a good rise of your cake. The pan also cools fast when retrieved from the oven, so your cake doesn’t over-bake.

Fat Daddio’s Anodized Aluminum Angel Food Cake Pan is designed with no chemical additives or extra metals. Anodized construction is an environmental-friendly process that contains no dyes, chemicals, PTFE, or PFOA’s.

This pan is widely used in tool bakeries, commercial kitchens, and by baking enthusiasts for the perfect cakes. Unlike the traditional bakeware, this pans’ surface is non-reactive and durable, allowing you to bake citrus-based foods.

Its aluminum body is rust-resistant and doesn’t peel or flake even after long usage. Cleaning is safe by hand washing with warm soapy water. Although this pan has no non-stick coating, it still works great. All you have to do to take the cake out is to gently knock the pan on the outside using a spoon or spatula.

6. Dealglad Angel Food Cake Pan

Dealglad comes in three pieces with a 2 in 1 design for your angel food cakes and the regular round cakes. It is 3 inches deep with a hollow bottom and a tube inside to help attain the designed fluffiness as the cake rises.

The Dealglad aluminum make is free from different metals, welds, and chemical coatings. Its finish is anodized, meaning there will be less risk of rust, peel, or flaking. The pan is safe for use with citrus-based sauces and foods.

It features a non-stick finish, so your foods don’t stick at their sides. Topped by that is a removable bottom that also helps you release foods easily. The pan can bake various cakes, from the dense ones to the light and airy ones.

So you can bake that chiffon cake, cheesecake, wedding cake, and apple cake, among many others, with less worry. This pan is easy to clean, thanks to the non-stick finish and the removable bottom that allows faster clean-up.

7. CasaWare Angel Food Cake Pan

The CasaWare Angel Food Cake Pan is made from a premium ceramic coating that is FDA, California proposition 65, and European Union approved. The coating is free from lead, cadmium, POA, PTFE, and PFO’S free.

The pans 15 cup capacity is perfect for preparing pull-apart pieces of bread, angel food cakes, pound cakes for family gatherings. The pans carbon steel construction combined with the high temperature non-stick ceramic coating gives the best baking experience!

The interior non-stick coating also allows for quick release and easy clean-up, and you end up with a clean pan within a short period. The pan features an interior blue non-stick granite and ceramic coating, with the exterior being a blue non-stick that complements how this bakeware looks.

8. Calphalon Nonstick Bakeware, Angel Food Cake

The Calphalon Non-stick bakeware is constructed from a heavy-gauge steel core resistant to warping even when exposed to intense heat. The pan is safe to use to up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.  Even when used in high temperatures, this bakeware creates no hot spots but instead heats evenly, so your cakes and cookies get out of the oven perfectly browned.

The pan’s interior has non-stick interlocking layers designed to give a stable and high-performance release, so you easily get the cakes out of it. After baking and cleanly releasing your cake, the pan remains clean without any sticky residues allowing for easy clean-up.

Calphalon pan is dishwasher safe, but you can also skip tossing it in the washer and hand-wash it. Using aerosol sprays on this bakeware can give a hard cleaning time, so you can skip oiling it before you start baking.

It is recommended to use nylon, coated, and wooden tools with the pan for optimum performance. This pan is also designed with tall sides so you can bake that classic food angel cake. The manufacturers offer a lifetime warranty and recommend giving the pan time to cool before you clean to prevent warping.

9. Winco Angel Food Cake Pan

If we were honest for once, we could agree that even the coloring in the toughest clothing will at some point wash off. The same thing applies to cookware that has a non-stick coat. First of all, the Winco Angel Food Cake Pan has a non-stick coating, so you don’t have to stress washing the pan should your cake get burnt.

Winco goes a step further in ensuring you are safe in case the worst happens. The non-stick coat is made of a non-toxic material so that even if the coating flakes off into your cake (which is very rare), it doesn’t cause you any health issues.

The Winco Angel Food Cake Pan is made of carbon steel and has a capacity of 12 cups. The round and deep shape make it visually attractive for a cake pan.

Coupled with the fact that you can wash it in the dishwasher, this is one of the few professional quality cake pans that I recommend for heavy bakers.

10. Winco Non-Aluminized Carbon Steel Angel Food Cake Pan

Dedicated to delivering quality foodservice products, the Winco manufacturers wanted to make the baking experience much more fun with this aluminized carbon steel pan. The pan aluminized steel construction doesn’t warp easily and will serve you for a long time.

One great thing I love about this pan is that it is stackable so that you can store it even in the tiniest storage spaces. The pan features a non-stick coating that prevents your cake from sticking on the sides when baking.

The pan weighs 2.07 pounds with dimensions of 10.13 X 10.13 X 5.19 and is deep enough to help you make delicious cakes. When cleaning this pan, you do not have to worry, especially if you are running out of time because you can toss it in the dishwasher and let the washer do the job!

That, however, doesn’t mean you can’t hand wash it. As long as you use a non-abrasive cleaner and some warm soapy water, washing by hand is quite safe too.

What is the difference between angel food cake and sponge cake?

Light and airy cakes are perfect desserts, especially during the holidays. Both the angel food cake and the sponge cake fit to be that perfect dessert. These cakes are made with similar ingredients and with the same consistencies, and you might wonder what their difference is.

However, the cakes may have different flavors but let us understand some of the things that distinguish the angel food cake from a sponge cake.

i.  Egg parts

An egg is the main ingredient in both the sponge and angel food cake. However, the egg parts each of the recipes call for is quite different. Angel food cakes use only the white part of the egg, while sponge cakes use white and yolk.

With the Angel food cake, the egg white part is whipped using lots of sugar then mixed with other ingredients to make a fluffy batter while retaining enough air as possible. The egg whites and the yolk are whipped separately with the sponge cakes, then later mixed with salt and tartar.

After a proper mix, you can add flour and other ingredients. The yolks in sponge cakes add a richer flavor to them when compared to angel food cakes.

ii. Pan

You get the best angel food cake from baking it with a tube pan. Angel food cakes can easily collapse if used on regular pans. This is because they are light and do not use any leavening product. With the help of the tube pan, the angel food cake gets out smoothly without tampering with its shape.

Baking your sponge cake can be done with any proper bakeware. The cream of tartar is enough to keep the sponge cake in shape when removing it from the pan.

iii. Flour

Angel food cake recipes use cake flour that is more refined and with a lower protein content that doesn’t weigh down the egg whites. On the other hand, sponge cake recipes mainly use all-purpose flour.

iv. Temperature and time

Baking an angel food cake takes longer compared to a sponge cake’s baking time. With the temperatures, you should preheat the oven to 3750 F before baking an angel food cake which should take 30 to 40 minutes.

With a sponge cake, the oven is preheated to 3500 F then baked for 25 to 30 minutes till the cake attains a brown color.

How to Remove Angel Food Cake From Pan

A perfectly done angel cake should be fluffy and light. At times, we don’t end up with the best results, especially if we don’t give the cake enough time to cook and cool. A slight mistake, and you end up with a messy cake that doesn’t release well. So what do you do when your cake gets stuck on the pan? Here is how you do it without crumbling it.

• Ensure you follow the recipe’s instructions and pay attention to the exact proportions. Do not add less or exceed what the recipe calls. Too much sugar will moisten your cake and make it hard to maintain its shape. Lesser sugar will make the cake not rise well.
• After mixing all your ingredients, pour the mixture into the pan and place it in the oven. Set the timer with the proper time, so your cake doesn’t undercook or overcook.
• When the set time is up, test whether the cake is ready by inserting a skewer between the angel cakes center and the pan edge, if ready, the skewer will be completely dry.
• Retrieve the cake from the oven and place it upside down and allow it to cool for up to 30 minutes.
• Once cooled, flip the pan right side up, then run a knife around the edges of the cake, between the cake and the pan. Ensure that the pan stays in contact with the side of the pan, so you don’t cut through the cake. If your cake is stuck, wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 6 hours. After it has chilled, then slide the knife around the edges of the pan again.
• Place the cake on a plate and use the pans’ tube to pull the cake out of the pan.
• If your pan has a removable bottom, cut the bottom free, then invert it on a plate while twisting the tube to remove the cake. 
• There your angel food cake is! Quite simple, right?

Video on Removing Angel Food Cake From the Pan

How to Bake Angel Food Cake

Two things that make angel food cakes stand out are the height and the flavor. With the right recipe, you will bring out that sweetness and airy texture in your angel cake. Check out this recipe to get the angel food cake.

Ingredients

• 12 large egg whites- should be at room temperature for easier whipping.
• 1 ½ Cream of tartar- to stabilize the egg whites
• 1 cup flour- use cake flour
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt- to balance the cakes’ sweetness
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon almond extract

Equipment needed

• Stand mixer
• 10- inch tube pan

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 3500 F.
2. Whip your egg whites in the mixer bowl using the whisk attachment for 2 minutes until bubbles form.
3. Add the cream of tartar and salt and mix for 1 to 2 minutes on medium-high speed.
4. Pour the sugar into the egg whites and let it mix at medium speed for 30 seconds.
5. Add in your vanilla and almond extracts and beat at the same speed for 2 to 3 minutes till stiff peaks begin to form.
6. Turn the mixer off.
7. With a rubber spatula, fold the flour and powdered sugar. Be keen not to overmix. You can pour in ½ cup at a time.
8. Fold till the mixture is well combined with the egg white mixture.
9. Spread the mixture in your tube pan, and with a knife, cut through the batter to eliminate any air bubbles, then smoothen the top.
10. Place the cake in the center rack of the oven and let it bake for 35- 40 minutes till the top attains a golden brown color.
11. Invert the cake on a wire rack and allow it to cool upside down for up to an hour.
12. After the cake is well cooled, flip the pan with the right side up, then run a knife around the edges of the cake to remove it from the pan.
13. Use a serrated knife to slice your cake and serve with some whipped cream and strawberries!

Angel food cake pan vs Bundt pan

An angel food cake pan and a Bundt pan can be pretty confusing. You might go to purchase a food cake pan and end up getting the Bundt pan instead. There is a breakdown of the differences between these two pans. Firstly, you need to understand what they are.

A food cake pan is a round baking pan with smooth sides and a tube at its center that allows quick cake release. Some angel food cake pans are designed with removable bottoms to get your sponge cakes from them without crumbling them. On the other hand, a Bundt pan is a tube pan with decorative features on its sides. The Bundt pan design makes it ideal for dense cakes that take up the pan’s design without sticking onto it.

These pans might look quite similar, but you can’t use them interchangeably. You cannot bake an angel food cake, and sponge cake in the Bundt pan as the batter sticks to the pans’ sides. You can, however, bake dense cakes on an angel food cake pan.

The Bundt pan measures 10 X 3 ¼ inches and can hold 12 cups of batter. A 12-cup capacity food cake pan would measure 10 X 4 inches. To measure the pan’s capacity, you can fill it with water and pour it into a granulated container.

How to choose the best pan for angel food cake- Buying guide

With the wide variety of angel food cake pans in the market, it can be overwhelming to choose one that perfectly fits your needs. Below are some of the things you should pay extra attention to when purchasing an angel food cake pan.

i. Size

Getting a good size ensures that the pan suits your needs well. Your pans size will determine whether you will be baking that angel food cake to enjoy with your family or not. You can even invest in two pans, a small and a larger one.

ii. Material

Numerous materials make food cake pans, with aluminum and steel being the most popular. Aluminum pans are heavier and more durable, so you can use them for a long time without replacing them. Steel-made angel food cake pans are light and can be moved easily. All in all, the material you go for should be your choice as long as it suits your needs.

iii. Is it one-piece or two-piece?

One-piece angel pan designs tend to be thick, sturdy, and more durable, and they are excellent in baking delicious cakes. Releasing a food cake from a one-piece pan is done with a knife before tipping it upside down.

A two-piece design doesn’t require any use of a knife to remove your cake from the pan. After baking, you invert your cake to a plate, and it will pop out.

iv. Price

The price of angel food cake pans does vary, with the heavy-weight ones costing more than lightweight angel food cakes pans. Get that pan that will fulfill your baking needs and that which won’t strain your pockets.

v. Feet or no- feet

Angel food cakes need to cool well in an upside-down position so that they do not collapse. The pans that come with legs allow faster cooling and are much easier to use. Those that don’t have legs can be tricky to use as you will need to insert a bottle into the center tube of the pan.

vi. Bottom design

An angel food cake pan with a removable bottom design makes the use of the pan effortless. The design enables a baker to easily pull the cake out of the pan without the need to use knives, which isn’t the case with those with no removable bottom.

Pro tips on Angel food cake pan

How do you ensure you get the best out of your angel food cake pan? Here’s how:

• Always use non-stick cooking sprays with caution as they can discolor your angel food cake pan.
• Clean your angel food cake pan with some warm water and dish detergent. Do not use abrasive sponges to protect the non-stick coating.
• Always read the manufacturer’s guide to determine whether the angel food cake pan is safe to be tossed in the dishwasher or not. Remember that high heat can damage the non-stick coating.
• The price of an angel food cake pan is determined by the pans’ size, features, and construction.

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQS)

Conclusion

With this guide, I know you already have the pan you want in the back of your mind. If you are looking for a large capacity pan, the Nordic Ware Angel Food Cake Pan is a great option. For that baker who adores versatile bakeware, then Fat Daddio’s ProSeries Anodized Aluminum Angel Food Cake Pan will do. We cannot forget the Fox Run Angel Food Cake Pan that features a removable bottom! All in all, the pan you go for should be able to meet your needs effortlessly.