How to cut an angel food cake

Now you are in the best source of how to cut an angel food cake. All the hustle and time invested in making baking that award-winning cake could all go to waste at the moment of cutting the cake. I’m sure this is not something you quite like thinking about, but it can happen if you don’t know how to cut an angel food cake in the right way!

As delicate as it is to successfully bake an angel food cake, so does it require care and skill to cut the cake. A simple mistake could crumble the cake, ending your short-lived glory in disappointment. In this post, I will share the tips and tricks to cutting the cake in whatever manner you like- may it be layers, cubes, or even in halves, all without crumbling it!

What to use to cut an angel food cake

Every job requires the right tools! Similarly, cutting an angel food cake calls for the ideal tools. Let’s find out the tools first, then jump onto the procedure.

You can use a serrated knife or an angel food cake cutter.

a)    Using a knife 

A serrated knife is one of the most effective tools to cut a delicate angel food cake. Besides, you’ll find a serrated knife in almost every kitchen in the US or everywhere else in the world, where crusty loaves are commonplace.

The knife needs to be more than just the serrated type- it has to be long and very sharp. These attributes largely determine the quality of cuts that you make.

If you go this way, you need to go easy on the cake and let the sawing do the ‘heavy-lifting’ for you. Cut gently and slowly, back-and-forth, without applying much downward force on the cake.

From the moment you start cutting, you will easily determine the right amount of force to apply. You need to apply as much pressure as to keep the blade edge sawing while avoiding compressing the cake.

Tips to cutting an angel food cake with a knife

A serrated knife will work best when cutting the cake horizontally but can still cut layers. We will get back to this in a short while.

Just before cutting the cake, dip the knife in hot but not boiling water, wipe it off, and then cut the cake. The warm blade will cut easily and smoothly, unlike a cold one which might drag some particles along, destroying the cake edges.

Always clean the knife after each slice. This helps keep a uniform finished appearance on the frostings and makes each subsequent cut easier. Just do not forget to place it back in hot water and wipe off excess water before cutting the next slice. By wiping off excess water, I don’t mean making the blade completely dry. As you’ll see, a slightly wet blade will cut any delicate cake better than a dry blade.

b) Using an angel food cake cutter

This is unlike the conventional blade cutter. The tool resembled a comb with long tines (about 4-inches long)- something you’d mistake for a comb. Some cultures refer to it as a comb!

The tines are usually blunt on the free end and attached to a metal rod on the other end. The metal rod is then fixed onto a handle, which can be wooden on Bakelite.

To use the angel food cake cutter, you insert the tines at the point where you want to slice the cake through and then pull the cutter away to slice the cake. I’m sure you can imagine torn edges, but don’t forget the frosty nature of the cake.

The cutter is ideal for cutting a cake into layers, but if you prefer clean edges over convenience, go for the serrated knife.

c) Other tools…

You can also use other tools like a cake breaker or even an electric knife.

In the case of an electric knife, you will need to be careful with sawing speed. Even so, this knife is not ideal for cutting cubes- just slices.

A cake breaker works in the same way as an angel food cake cutter- there is no actual cutting but pulling to break the cake. The obvious disadvantage is that the edges won’t be clean nor well defined. As a result, this method is also not ideal for cubing an angel food cake.

So, what’s the best tool to cut a cake? That entirely depends on which of the above you have in your kitchen. If you happen to have them all, then it’d boil down to how you want to cut the cake. Generally, a long, sharp serrated knife can accomplish all the three styles of cutting- slicing, cubing, and {into} layers, while the other tools are good at not crumbling the cake, at least.

With that, let’s get into the actual cutting…

How to cut an angel food cake into layers

First of all, a knife, even a serrated one, is not the best for cutting a sponge cake into layers. The knife’s entire surface, both sides will gum up and mess with the layers, especially if you are cutting them thin!

So, how do you cut layers? The angel food cake cutter is the most viable solution, although it still won’t give you the cleanest edges.

You can also try other hacks, such as using dental floss, a string, or even a serrated knife with hot water, as we discussed earlier.

When cutting layers, begin from the top. If you cut the bottom first, the weight of the cake will cause the knife to gum up even more, and you might even rip the cake!

All of the above methods apply to a ready-to-eat cake. But did you know you can make better slices, given more time? this is how you cut the best angel food cake layers:

Disclaimer: this method might tamper with the flavor and the overall score of your cake!

1. Chill the cake in the fridge until it feels rigid
2. Remove the cake from the fridge/freezer and mark the heights of the layers with a paring knife.
3. Cut through the layers with a large, sharp serrated knife, following the scored lines.
4. Lift every layer with the serrated knife once cut. Take your time to cut slowly but carefully.
5. Defrost the frostings, and serve.

Related Topics:

• Best pan for angel food cake reviewed and buying guide.
• How to cool an angel food cake

Video: How to cut an angel food cake

How to cut an angel food cake into cubes

You’re going to need a good serrated knife for this operation.

1. Begin by cutting the cake into two halves vertically through the centerline.
2. Place one half by the top or bottom and make 1-1.5 inch pies. This gives larger cuboids that are not exactly proportional, but they are close to the shape of a cuboid.
3. Depending on the size of your cake, cut each individual ‘cuboid’ into two or three equal portions. These portions are the cubes.

You can line up several of the ‘cuboids’ and cut them in a go.

4. Repeat the procedure for the second half of the cake.
5. Season the cubes to your liking and enjoy!

How to cut an angel food cake in half

This is the simplest cut you can make of the cake.

You only need a sharp serrated knife!

Locate the centerline of the cake (usually the diameter of the round cake) and cut through the line.

You have your two halves!

Another way of cutting the cake in half is by cutting two equal layers midway through the height of the cake.

For this method, you need to follow the steps involved in cutting the cake into layers.

Conclusion

Cutting an angel food cake may have been a tough ordeal, but not anymore. Should you practice the cutting styles as described above and the tips shared along, you should be cutting clear edges within a short time.

Don’t let cake cutting bring down your baking efforts; try the above tactics and share some in the comments section below, should you have any.