Mock Angel Food Cake from White Cake Mix

If you’re in the mood for a springy angel food cake but you don’t have the ingredients on hand, I’ve got a quick alternative for you. This angel food came comes together easily and it starts with a box of white cake mix! 

What is a Mock Angel Food Cake? 

Traditionally a mock angel food cake is a from scratch cake that’s similar to an angel food cake, but without as many egg whites. 

Most angel food cakes call for 12 egg whites. Yep, you read that right. But when times were tough, 12 was a lot. (It still is, actually.) 

So, women took to making “mock” angel food cakes that were a little more dense in texture but still had the same delicious flavors. 

I wanted to make a mock angel food cake, too. But I had a completely different idea in mind.

Can I make Angel Food Cake from a White Cake? 

This was the question on my mind as I contemplated this project. I had just wrapped up a “from scratch” angel food cake and it turned out beautifully. 

As I nibbled on a slice of it (wow!) the question came to mind: “Could I do this with white cake mix?”

This site, after all, is called “Out of the Box Baking.” It almost seemed like a betrayal to the brand to bake a cake from scratch, (though I have to confess it was one of the best cakes I’ve ever tasted!) 

So, I decided to give it a try. 

Does an Angel Food Cake have Oil?

The answer to that question, my friends, is an emphatic no.

One thing that sets angel food cake apart is the lack of fat. No oil. No butter. And the “From scratch” version doesn’t even have water or milk. 

Traditionally, the moisture (and all of the springiness) comes from one thing: egg whites. 

Could I follow the same pattern and make a white cake taste and feel like angel food cake? 

Only time would tell. 

Full disclosure: I made this cake twice: once without water and once with. I’m sharing the recipe that includes water because the first one turned out a little too dry. 

I’ll share more of my thoughts on how it turned out in a bit but let’s start with what you’ll need: 

Angel Food Cake Ingredients

You’ll find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post but I want to go ahead and give you a quick look at what you’ll need. These ingredients are so simple! You probably already have them on hand in your kitchen. 

• white cake mix
• egg whites
• cream of tartar
• vanilla extract 
• cold water

That’s it, just five ingredients! 

How to Make Angel Food Cake from a Box Mix

This came together so easily! Here’s how you’re going to do it:

For best results, use a tube pan for this recipe. Don’t grease or flour it. This cake doesn’t call for that. 

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Place dry cake mix in a food processor and pulse for about a minute until it’s light and fluffy. 

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment, place your egg whites and cream of tartar. (Note: set your egg yolks aside to make some delicious Lemon Curd!)

Mix on low for a minute until light and foamy. 

Now increase your speed to medium-high and beat for five minutes or until the white are soft peaks. You don’t want them to get stiff (like you would for a meringue). 

Add vanilla and mix only until it’s incorporated. (Check out those fluffy egg whites!)

Now comes the exciting part. Alternate half of the water, then half of the cake mix, then whisk for about a minute. 

Add the rest of the water, the rest of the cake mix, and whisk until light and bright in color. 

I did notice that my batter wasn’t as fluffy as the from scratch version but I decided to move forward anyway. (And I’m glad I did!) 

Pour batter into pan. 

Use rubber spatula to smooth it down. 

Place in preheated 325 degree oven and bake for 40 – 45 minutes or until it springs back to the touch. Mine didn’t really turn golden on top (probably from all of the whisking) but it was cooked perfectly. 

Remove and flip upside down on wire cooling rack. 

Let it come to room temperature and then flip right-side up and run a thin knife along the edges of the pan. 

Gently separate the pans. You’ll probably have to use the knife to loosen the cake from the bottom. 

At this point I did notice that the cake wasn’t the same height as my from scratch version but it did spring back to the touch, so I was hopeful! 

Using a serrated knife slice a piece of the cooled cake. 

(At this point I knew things would be okay. That bright white cake was super springy to the touch, just what I wanted!) 

Sprinkle with powdered sugar if you want added sweetness.

Add a dollop of whipped cream and some fresh berries to dress it up. 

Place leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature. I like my angel food cake cold, so I refrigerated mine. It should stay good up to a week if you refrigerate it. 

What to Expect from this Cake

Is it your grandma’s angel food cake? It’s pretty close! It was delicious and came close in texture and taste (if not height) to my “from scratch” Angel Food Cake.

What I loved about this recipe was the ease of use and the idea that you could actually bake a boxed cake mix with absolutely no added liquids (water, milk, oil, or butter). That’s why I wanted to try this experiment. I had to see for myself if it would work. 

And it did! I’m tickled with this recipe and was happy to have some of my homemade mango curd on hand to add on top, along with some shredded coconut.

All in all, I’d say this is an easy alternative if you don’t have the ingredients on hand to make an angel food cake from scratch. I’m guessing no one will know the difference. 

Variations on this Recipe

Chiffon Cake: If you want to make this a simple chiffon cake you can add water and six egg whites.

Lemon cake mix: Use lemon juice (and lemon zest) with egg whites to make a lemon chiffon cake. 

Pink peppermint: Add a dot of pink coloring gel to the cake and decorate with a chocolate peppermint glaze. (I did this in a separate recipe). 

Questions People are Asking

Can I add almond flavoring to this recipe?

Absolutely! Almond is a delicious flavor in white cake and a dash of almond extract would be perfect with this recipe.

Why do so many people serve fresh fruit with angel food cake?

The light, bright flavors of fruit pair beautifully with angel food cake, which is also light. It’s a great summertime dessert combination

Is this a classic angel food cake?

It’s very close, friends. Very close. I suggest you serve it to your family and friends and see if they can tell the difference between this cake and a traditional angel food cake.

How does this compare to the homemade angel food cake (or an angel food cake mix)?

It has an equally delicious flavor and I actually love the texture of this boxed version. It’s a slightly denser cake, more sponge-cake like. But man, is it ever delicious!

Can I use a bundt pan for this cake?

A tube pan (or angel food cake pan) is made specifically for angel food cakes, so I would probably stick with that one instead of a bundt or loaf pan.

What is the purpose of cooling on a wire rack?

An elevated cooling rack is perfect because it allows air to circulate underneath and cool the cake down quicker. If you haven’t already invested in a wire rack, I highly recommend the Wilton three-tiered rack, which I purchased on Amazon.

Other White Cakes from Out of the Box Baking

The Most Delicious White Cake from a Box: This is my go-to doctored cake mix, which I use for nearly every wedding cake I bake!

Simple White Cake Recipe: This is a from-scratch white cake that would make a good substitute for my go-to doctored mix.

20 Amazing Recipes that Start with a White Cake Mix: I had a lot of fun taking a white cake mix and turning it into all kinds of other sweet treats!

That’s it for this post, friends!

I hope you enjoyed this delicious mock angel food cake recipe. 

If you make this recipe and love it, don’t forget to leave a review and a comment below. And while you’re at it, go ahead and pin some photos to your Pinterest boards!

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