Loaf Pan Meyer Lemon Angel Food Cake

What is the best way to use up 6 egg whites and you happen to have some lovely Meyer lemons at home? Why, make this Meyer lemon angel food cake of course, in a loaf pan no less! Most of the time, it’s only me and my husband at home, so a smaller portion of cake like this is just perfect for the two of us. :)

Ingredients for a loaf pan size angel food cake

We are going to bake this angel food cake in a 9"x5" loaf pan and we will need these ingredients: egg whites, sugar, fresh Meyer lemons, salt, all-purpose flour, and confectioners’ sugar.

For the tools, you will need a whisk (manual or electric), a large mixing bowl (at least 3-quart capacity), and a loaf pan (9"x5").

Rules for baking an angel food cake

There are some non-negotiable rules to successfully bake an angel food cake:

1. Use a regular pan, and not a non-stick pan.
2. Do not grease. The cake needs to cling and climb up the sides of the pan to rise.
3. If using a non-removable bottom pan, like a loaf pan, you can place a piece of parchment paper to line only the bottom of the pan. This helps to remove the cake easier later. But do not line the sides!
4. Do not beat the egg whites until stiff peak. Stopping at a medium peak is the best.
5. Cool the cake upside down/inverted, on a cooling rack, until completely cool. This is super important to prevent the cake from collapsing.

Prepare and bake an angel food cake

1. Preheat oven to 325 Fahrenheit. Ready an uncoated, ungreased 9"x5" loaf pan. Feel free to line only the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
2. Whisk egg whites in a mixing bowl until foamy.
3. Set the speed to medium, gradually add sugar, lemon juice, and salt. Increase the speed to high and continue whisking until medium peak.
4. Fold in the lemon zest. I use a whisk, but feel free to use a spatula.
5. Combine all-purpose flour and confectioners’ sugar, then sift over the egg whites. Gently fold in with a whisk/a spatula. Don’t over mix, stop when the flour/sugar is just combined.
6. Pour the batter into the loaf pan, and lightly smooth the top. Gently tap the sides of the pan to remove air bubbles.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes.
8. Remove the cake from the oven, and invert the loaf pan (with the cake in it) on a cooling rack. It is even better if you can prop the cake pan up with two cans of equal height to elevate the cake while it cools. The cake must be cool completely upside down to prevent it from collapsing.
9. Once cool, run a thin-bladed knife along the cake pan to gently remove the cake. Place the cake top down onto a serving plate. Peel off the parchment paper if using.

Angel food cake topping and how to properly slice the cake

Angel cake topping

Angel food cake is quite sweet on its own. Most of the time, I simply sprinkle with some confectioners’ sugar to cover any imperfection. When I’m feeling fancy, I whip up some barely sweet whipping cream to serve with the cake along with some fresh berries.

Since this is a Meyer lemon angel food cake, this is the perfect time to make some homemade lemon curd and serve the cake with it.

How to slice an angel food cake

This cake is super airy and fragile, so we must use precaution not to press down on the cake too much and end up crushing it. The best is to use a serrated knife and gently cut with a sawing motion.

Serving and storing tips

Serve the cake at room temperature. Store the leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for a couple of days.

For longer storage, wrap the cake tightly with plastic wrap, then parchment paper/aluminum foil, and then into a freezer-safe ziplock bag. It can stay fresh for several months when stored like this in the freezer.