Keto angel food cake with lemon curd or custard is the airy, protein-packed centerpiece your dessert table has been missing. Twelve egg whites whip up into a cloud-light crumb, then it gets crowned with silky sugar-free lemon curd or a warm keto custard. Every slice lands at just one gram of carbs, so celebration and low-carb living finally sit on the same plate.
Craving a dessert that’s light as air but still fits your low-carb lifestyle? Look no further! This Keto Angel Food Cake is a game-changer. It’s incredibly fluffy, packed with protein, and completely guilt-free. We’re pairing this heavenly cake with a bright, zesty sugar-free Lemon Curd that cuts through the sweetness perfectly. And for those who want a creamier option, I’ve included a luscious custard recipe too. Get ready to bake the most impressive keto dessert you’ve ever made!
Ingredients
• Keto Angel Food Cake
• 12 large egg whites
• 2 tsp / 6 g (0.21 oz) cream of tartar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 cup / 120 g (4.2 oz) Jay Robb’s strawberry protein powder or egg white powder
• 1 cup / 192 g (6.8 oz) Swerve Confectioners Sweetener or powdered erythritol
• 1 tsp / 5 ml strawberry extract or vanilla extract
• Sugar-Free Lemon Curd
• 1 cup / 192 g (6.8 oz) Swerve Confectioners Sweetener
• ½ cup / 120 ml (4.1 fl oz) fresh lemon juice
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tbsp finely grated lemon peel
• 8 tbsp / 112 g (4 oz) coconut oil or butter
• Optional Keto Custard
• 12 large egg yolks
• 1 cup / 240 ml unsweetened almond milk
• ½ cup / 96 g (3.39 oz) Swerve Confectioners Sweetener
• ½ cup / 112 g (4 oz) coconut oil or butter, melted
Instructions
1. Keto Angel Food Cake
2. Preheat your oven to 350°F / 175°C. Thoroughly grease a 10-inch tube pan.
3. In a medium bowl, sift together the protein powder and sweetener. Set aside.
4. In a large, impeccably clean glass or metal bowl, whip the egg whites and a pinch of salt with an electric mixer on medium speed until foamy.
5. Add the cream of tartar, increase the speed to high, and continue to beat until very stiff, glossy peaks form. You should be able to turn the bowl upside down without the whites moving.
6. Beat in your desired extract.
7. Gently and quickly fold the dry protein powder mixture into the stiff egg whites in three additions, being careful not to deflate the batter.
8. Carefully pour the batter into the prepared tube pan and smooth the top. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Remove from the oven and immediately invert the pan onto a wire rack to cool completely before removing the cake.
10. Sugar-Free Lemon Curd
11. In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk together the sweetener, lemon juice, 4 eggs, and lemon peel until well blended.
12. Add the coconut oil or butter and place over medium heat.
13. Whisk constantly until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10-12 minutes. Do not let the mixture boil.
14. Pour the curd through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. To cool it quickly, place the bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice water and whisk occasionally until completely cool, about 15 minutes.
15. Optional Keto Custard
16. In a medium metal or heatproof glass bowl, whisk together the 12 egg yolks, almond milk, and sweetener.
17. Slowly whisk in the melted coconut oil or butter until combined.
18. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (creating a double boiler), ensuring the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
19. Whisk the mixture constantly and vigorously until it thickens and an instant-read thermometer registers 140°F / 60°C, about 3-5 minutes.
20. Remove from heat. Serve warm or chill in the refrigerator for 1-3 days. Re-whisk before serving if chilled.
Nutritional Information
• (Per Serving)
• Traditional Angel Food Cake: 159 Calories, 0.7g (0.02 oz) Fat, 35g (1.23 oz) Carbs, 5.5g (0.19 oz) Protein
• Keto Angel Food Cake: 54 Calories, 1g (0.04 oz) Fat, 0.9g (0.03 oz) Carbs, 11.1g (0.39 oz) Protein
• Keto Angel Food Cake with Lemon Curd: 146 Calories, 10g (0.35 oz) Fat, 1g (0.04 oz) Carbs, 13g (0.46 oz) Protein
Pro Tips
• Ensure your bowl and beaters are completely free of any fat or grease, as even a tiny speck can prevent your egg whites from whipping to stiff peaks.
• Fold the dry into the egg whites gently and quickly. Over-mixing will deflate the whites and result in a dense cake.
• Cool the angel food cake upside down in its pan. This prevents the delicate, airy structure from collapsing as it cools.
• When making the lemon curd, keep the heat at a steady medium and whisk constantly. If it boils, the eggs can scramble.
FAQ
Q: Can I use a different protein powder for this keto angel food cake
A: For the best results, you should use egg white protein powder. Whey or casein protein powders have different properties and will not create the light, airy texture required for an angel food cake, likely resulting in a dense, flat cake.
Q: Why do I need to cool the angel food cake upside down
A: Cooling the cake upside down is a critical step that prevents its delicate, airy structure from collapsing. This method allows gravity to help stretch and set the cake’s crumb, ensuring it stays tall and fluffy.
Q: My egg whites are not forming stiff peaks, what went wrong
A: The most common reason egg whites won’t whip properly is the presence of fat or grease. Ensure your bowl and beaters are impeccably clean and that no trace of egg yolk has gotten into the whites. Even a tiny speck of fat can ruin the meringue.
Q: Can I make this recipe without a tube pan
A: A 10-inch tube pan is highly recommended because its central tube allows heat to circulate evenly and helps the cake rise and bake properly. Using a regular pan will likely result in a dense and undercooked center.
Pro Tips
- Whip the egg whites in an impeccably clean glass or metal bowl with grease-free beaters – even a tiny speck of fat keeps them from reaching stiff peaks.
- Fold the sifted protein powder and sweetener into the whites in three quick, gentle additions so the batter keeps its volume instead of deflating into a dense cake.
- Cool the cake upside down in its tube pan; this is what keeps the delicate, airy structure from collapsing while it sets.
- Keep the lemon curd at a steady medium heat and never let it boil, or the eggs will scramble – then strain it through a fine-mesh sieve for a perfectly smooth finish.
- The curd or custard can be made ahead and chilled for 1-3 days; simply re-whisk before spooning it over the cake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make parts of this keto angel food cake ahead of time?
Yes. The lemon curd and the optional custard both keep in the refrigerator for 1-3 days – just re-whisk them before serving. The cake itself is best baked and assembled the day you plan to serve it.
Do I have to use strawberry protein powder?
No – egg white powder works as a direct swap for the Jay Robb's strawberry protein powder. Pair it with vanilla extract instead of strawberry extract for a classic vanilla crumb.
Why won't my egg whites whip to stiff peaks?
Almost always a trace of grease in the bowl or on the beaters. Use a spotless glass or metal bowl, add the cream of tartar once the whites turn foamy, and beat on high until glossy peaks hold when the bowl is inverted.
Is a whole slice of this cake really keto-friendly?
Yes – one serving with the lemon curd has 146 calories, 10g fat, 13g protein and just 1g of carbs, so it fits comfortably into a keto day.
Recipe card below.
More Recipes You’ll Love
Keto Angel Food Cake with Lemon Curd or Custard
Ingredients
Method
- Keto Angel Food Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350°F / 175°C. Thoroughly grease a 10-inch tube pan.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the protein powder and sweetener.
- Set aside.
- In a large, impeccably clean glass or metal bowl, whip the egg whites and a pinch of salt with an electric mixer on medium speed until foamy.
- Add the cream of tartar, increase the speed to high, and continue to beat until very stiff, glossy peaks form. You should be able to turn the bowl upside down without the whites moving.
- Beat in your desired extract.
- Gently and quickly fold the dry protein powder mixture into the stiff egg whites in three additions, being careful not to deflate the batter.
- Carefully pour the batter into the prepared tube pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and immediately invert the pan onto a wire rack to cool completely before removing the cake.
- Sugar-Free Lemon Curd
- In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk together the sweetener, lemon juice, 4 eggs, and lemon peel until well blended.
- Add the coconut oil or butter and place over medium heat.
- Whisk constantly until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10-12 minutes.
- Do not let the mixture boil.
- Pour the curd through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. To cool it quickly, place the bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice water and whisk occasionally until completely cool, about 15 minutes.
- Optional Keto Custard
- In a medium metal or heatproof glass bowl, whisk together the 12 egg yolks, almond milk, and sweetener.
- Slowly whisk in the melted coconut oil or butter until combined.
- Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (creating a double boiler), ensuring the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
- Whisk the mixture constantly and vigorously until it thickens and an instant-read thermometer registers 140°F / 60°C, about 3-5 minutes.
- Remove from heat.
- Serve warm or chill in the refrigerator for 1-3 days. Re-whisk before serving if chilled.
- Fold the dry into the egg whites gently and quickly. Over-mixing will deflate the whites and result in a dense cake.
- Cool the angel food cake upside down in its pan. This prevents the delicate, airy structure from collapsing as it cools.
- When making the lemon curd, keep the heat at a steady medium and whisk constantly. If it boils, the eggs can scramble.
