These angel food cake recipes make it easy to serve a stunning dessert. Buy the cake already prepared, make a box mix or bake your own from scratch. Pair it with fruit and chocolate—or creamy caramel and toffee—and your family will stick around for seconds.

That store-bought angel food cake is the perfect blank canvas for an entirely new dessert. By itself, it’s fine with a little homemade whipped cream and fresh berries, but angel food cake has such a unique, bouncy, light texture (it’s one of a kind!) that it lends itself to so many more angel food cake desserts. Here, we use the cake as a component of the recipe; it’s not the star as it would be in angel food cake recipes.

Our favorite ways to repurpose an angel food cake lean into creamy textures, bright flavors and chilled accompaniments (aka ice cream and fruit sauces). Expect many trifle recipes, where we cube the angel food cake and layer it between pudding, whipped cream, chocolate ganache, broken candy bars and lots of fresh fruit. It’s my favorite way to feed a crowd without any fuss. You’ll also find a few recipes where we lay the cubed cake in a 13×9-inch pan, then cover it with sweetened cream cheese and fruit or the pie filling from a Key lime pie.

Alright, there are a few angel food cake desserts in here that don’t start with a store-bought cake, but they do start with one of the best angel food cake mixes, which is almost as simple. You’ll find this in our angel food cake cupcakes, lemon bars and pineapple cake recipes. Angel food cakes are a little finicky to make, so just follow the recipe to the letter and avoid common angel food cake mistakes.

1/15

Strawberry Trifle

82 Reviews
Total Time:20 min
Servings:10
Test Kitchen Approved
From the Recipe Creator: I won first prize in a dairy recipe contest with this tasty strawberry trifle. You can double the recipe and make two for large groups. —Norma Steiner, Monroe, Wisconsin
2/15

Luscious Lime Angel Squares

4 Reviews
Total Time:15 min
Servings:15
Test Kitchen Approved
From the Recipe Creator: Lime topping turns angel food cake into these yummy squares that are perfect for potlucks or picnics. You can eat a piece of this light and airy dessert without feeling one bit guilty. I adapted this luscious treat from another recipe. It is super easy to make. —Beverly Marshall, Orting, Washington
3/15

Heaven on Earth Cake

2 Reviews
Total Time:20 min
Servings:12
Test Kitchen Approved
From the Recipe Creator: Heaven on earth cake is an old-school recipe my mother used to make and take to potlucks while I was growing up. It is super easy to throw together and is always a crowd-pleaser. —Lauren Habermehl, Pewaukee, Wisconsin
4/15

Fruit Trifle

Total Time:25 min
Servings:4 quarts
Test Kitchen Approved
From the Recipe Creator: When you want an eye-catching dessert that's still easy to prepare, turn to a fruit trifle. Layers of whipped cream, vanilla pudding, cake cubes and fruit work together in harmony to create a lightly sweet and soft finish to any meal. —Megan Taylor, Greenfield, Wisconsin
5/15

Pineapple Angel Food Cake

1 Reviews
Total Time:35 min
Servings:1
Test Kitchen Approved
From the Recipe Creator: A dear friend used to make this often, and I think of her each time I make it. It is made with just two ingredients—yes, two! If you keep angel food cake mix and crushed pineapple in the pantry, you can mix up this cake in minutes. You can also make a peach angel food cake the same way: Just use a 15-ounce can of peaches with the juice. —Beverly Raleigh, Tulsa, Oklahoma
6/15

Lemon Blueberry Trifle

21 Reviews
Total Time:15 min
Servings:14
Test Kitchen Approved
From the Recipe Creator: A refreshing lemon filling and fresh blueberries give this sunny dessert sensation plenty of color. Don't worry about heating up the oven—this trifle doesn't require baking. —Ellen Peden, Houston, Texas
7/15

Peppermint Bark Trifle

3 Reviews
Total Time:20 min
Servings:12
Test Kitchen Approved
From the Recipe Creator: We're always looking for those showstopping desserts, especially during the holidays. This one is very impressive but couldn't be easier to make. No one will ever know it's made with a store-bought angel food cake. —James Schend, Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin
8/15

Blueberry Angel Dessert

56 Reviews
Contest Winner
Total Time:10 min
Servings:12
Test Kitchen Approved
From the Recipe Creator: Make the most of angel food cake, pie filling and whipped topping by creating this light impressive dessert that doesn't keep you in the kitchen for hours. It's the perfect way to end a summer meal. —Carol Johnson, Tyler, Texas
9/15

Caramel Fluff & Toffee Trifle

1 Reviews
Total Time:15 min
Servings:12
Test Kitchen Approved
From the Recipe Creator: The best part of this stunning dessert is that you need only five ingredients to put it together. —Daniel Anderson, Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin
10/15

Strawberry Banana Trifle

18 Reviews
Total Time:20 min
Servings:14
Test Kitchen Approved
From the Recipe Creator: No matter where I take this dessert, the bowl is emptied in minutes. It’s fun to make because everyone oohs and aahs over how pretty it is. —Kim Waterhouse, Randolph, Maine
11/15

Lemon Angel Cake Bars

37 Reviews
Total Time:35 min
Servings:4 dozen
Test Kitchen Approved
From the Recipe Creator: A neighbor gave me this recipe years ago and it's been in flavor rotation ever since. It can be made ahead and serves a bunch, so it's perfect for parties and potlucks. —Marina Castle, Canyon Country, California
12/15

Lemon Strawberry Trifle

6 Reviews
Total Time:20 min
Servings:14
Test Kitchen Approved
From the Recipe Creator: This refreshingly fruity dessert is one of our favorites. It looks so beautiful layered in a glass bowl that people will think it took ages to make. The secret is starting with a purchased angel food cake. —Lynn Marie Frucci, Pullman, Washington
13/15

Mango Sorbet Dessert

2 Reviews
Total Time:10 min
Servings:4
Test Kitchen Approved
From the Recipe Creator: Here's an all-around wonderful dessert recipe that's easy to whip up and packed with fruity flavor. —Katie Rose, Pewaukee, Wisconsin
14/15

Chocolate Angel Cupcakes with Coconut Cream Frosting

7 Reviews
Total Time:30 min
Servings:2 dozen
Test Kitchen Approved
From the Recipe Creator: Sweeten any meal with these fun frosted chocolate cupcakes that take just minutes to make. The finger-licking flavor packs far fewer calories and fat than traditional desserts. —Mandy Rivers, Lexington, South Carolina
15/15

Peanut Butter Cup Trifle

3 Reviews
Total Time:20 min
Servings:12
Test Kitchen Approved
From the Recipe Creator: Using just five ingredients makes this recipe so simple. You can add a little extra decoration with chocolate jimmies too. —Chris Nelson, Decatur, Arkansas

Angel Food Cake Desserts FAQ

What can I do with store-bought angel food cake?

There are lots of ways to use store-bought angel food cake. One of the best ways is to cube the cake and turn it into a trifle. You can also place the cubes in a 13×9-inch pan and cover the cake with instant pudding, cream pie filling or a sweetened cream cheese with pie filling on top. You can also slice the angel food cake and serve it as a base for strawberry shortcake or with ice cream sundae toppings. It makes a fun option for French toast too!

How do you fancy up an angel food cake?

Fancy up an angel food cake with unexpected angel food cake toppings. I like to cut my angel food cake in half lengthwise, spread instant pudding, lemon curd or cream pie filling inside, place the top back on, then finish it with other toppings. Chocolate ganache, toasted meringue, frosting or stabilized whipped cream make excellent finishes to store-bought angel food cake. You can also slice and grill the angel food cake and serve it with fresh berries and ice cream.

Is there gluten-free angel food cake?

Gluten-free angel food cake does exist, but you’ll most likely have to make it yourself. However, I’d call your nearby gluten-free bakery to see if you can special order one. Otherwise, you can make gluten-free angel food cake with a good gluten-free flour blend, cornstarch, lots of egg whites, cream of tartar, sugar, and almond and vanilla extracts.