Angel Food Cupcakes with Whipped Buttercream and Berries

Light as air, these angel food cupcakes shine with a simple whipped cream cheese buttercream and fresh summer berries.

Angel food cupcakes require no special baking pan, and are the perfect single serving dessert for potlucks, barbecues, and picnics. I especially love them in the summertime, but they’re delicious any time of the year!

These cupcakes are super light and spongy, with a subtle sweet vanilla flavor. The topping is a combination of whipped cream and cream cheese buttercream, and it’s the perfect smooth and creamy counterpart to the tender angel food cupcakes. I like to top these cupcakes with fresh berries, but feel free to use whatever you like.

Looking for classic angel food cake? Don’t miss my full-size angel food cake with whipped cream and strawberries.

How to make these angel food cupcakes

There are 3 parts to this recipe— angel food cupcakes, whipped cream cheese buttercream, and fresh berries. So let’s get started, shall we?

1. Sift powdered sugar and cake flour. Sifting them together 3 times makes sure there are no lumps and that the mixture is light and fluffy.
2. Whip egg whites. This is how the cupcakes get their light texture! Use an electric mixer and wire whisk attachment to beat with cream of tarter  until foamy, then slowly add granulated sugar and continue to beat until glossy and holds soft peaks. Add vanilla.
3. Fold together. Add sifted mixture in 3 additions, do not overmix.
4. Scoop into cupcake pan. Fill liners all the way to the top.
5. Bake. Bake at 350°F until golden and spring back when gently touched, about 18 minutes.
6. Prepare frosting. Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy, then transfer to another bowl. Beat whipped cream to soft peaks, then stir in the cream cheese mixture in a few additions.
7. Top with berries, or as desired. Other options are sliced strawberries or peaches, chocolate sauce, etc.

Then, enjoy!

More tips for this recipe

• This recipe calls for cake flour and cannot be substituted with all-purpose flour. All grocery stores carry cake flour, or you can make your own.
• You must use cupcake liners for this recipe, as just greasing the muffin pan will not give the cupcakes something to hold onto as they rise.
• Unlike traditional cupcakes, you want to scoop the batter until it’s heaped to the top of the cupcake liner. They will rise as it bakes (but not spill over) and sink slightly as they cool.
• For smooth frosting, make sure the cream cheese has a chance to come to room temperature. See my tips for how to quickly soften cream cheese.
• I prefer these cupcakes the day they are baked, but they can be stored in the fridge for several days. (If I’m serving within 24 hours I don’t worry about refrigeration, but anything longer than that and they go in the fridge.)

Shop tools for this recipe

Recipe originally published June 2015.

get the recipe

Angel Food Cupcakes

Servings: 15 cupcakes

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 35 mins

Light as air angel food cake cupcakes topped with whipped vanilla buttercream and fresh seasonal berries. Perfect for summer!

Print Recipe Leave a Review

5 from 3 votes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

• ½ cup powdered sugar (55 grams)
• ⅔ cup cake flour (80 grams)
• 1 cup egg whites (225 grams, about 8 large eggs)
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Whipped Cream Cheese Buttercream:

• 8 oz cream cheese , at room temperature (225 grams)
• 1 cup powdered sugar , sifted (115 grams)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream (450 grams)
• Fresh berries such as strawberries, blueberries and raspberries

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
• Sift together the powdered sugar and cake flour 3 times. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or in a bowl with a hand-held mixer, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt on medium high speed until foamy. Increase the speed to high and slowly add the granulated sugar 1 tablespoon at a time with the mixer running. Beat until glossy and soft peaks form. Stir in the vanilla.
• In 3 additions, sift the dry ingredients over the meringue and gently fold in after each addition. Do not overmix or meringue will deflate.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin pan, filling the cups all the way to the top. Bake until golden and spring back when touched, about 18 minutes. Let cupcakes cool completely.
• To make the frosting, either in a stand mixer or with a hand-held mixer, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla together until smooth and creamy. Transfer to another bowl and set aside.
• Add the whipping cream to the mixer bowl (no need to clean) and beat with wire whisk attachment until thickened to soft peaks.
• Add cream cheese mixture in a few additions, and beat until smooth.
• Frost cupcakes with buttercream and top with berries.

Nutrition

Sodium: 49mg, Calcium: 6mg, Vitamin A: 247IU, Sugar: 26g, Fiber: 1g, Potassium: 43mg, Cholesterol: 22mg, Calories: 201kcal, Saturated Fat: 5g, Fat: 8g, Protein: 3g, Carbohydrates: 31g, Iron: 1mg

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Author: Annalise

Have you tried this recipe?I’d love to hear about it! Leave a review below or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious with #completelydelicious.