A delicate egg white bundt cake or Gugelhupf with raisins, almonds, and candied lemon peel, a recipe using leftover egg whites.
As promised yesterday, this is the second recipe for the Saxon Bischopfskuchen, the egg white cake version with raisins, candied lemon peel, and almonds. The Orange Bundt Cake with Chocolate, Raisins and Almonds uses whole eggs, while today's version is a pure egg white recipe.
Why love this recipe?
It makes use of leftover egg whites: A great recipe for using up some of those many egg whites I always seem to have in my freezer. As I feel sorry to throw away so many of them, and as I am not a fan of egg white omelets, there is only the meringue left for me to use up some of them.
And from time to time, such an egg white cake, which is similar to the American angel food cake, but a bit richer and more interesting due to the addition of nuts, candied citrus peel, and dried fruit.
So, if you like angel food cake, I think you will like this egg white recipe as well.
Table of contents
Recipe ingredients
- Egg whites: As they come in various sizes, the best way to know how much you need is to measure the amount on a kitchen scale.
- You will need 250 g/ 9 oz, and that would be about 7-8 of them.
- Filling: Chopped almonds, candied lemon peel, and raisins.
- Alternatively, you can use another kind of nuts, peel, or dried fruit.
- Other ingredients: Flour, unsalted butter, sugar, and baking powder. If you glaze the cake, you will need some icing sugar and a little bit of lemon juice.
How to make egg white cake?
Just like any other bundt cake, this bundt egg white cake is super easy to make.
Prepare the pan:
- Grease the pan, including all the crannies and nooks, with soft butter; be thorough.
- Tip about ¼ flour into the pan. Shake and turn to coat its insides with the flour.
- Once it's covered with flour, flip it upside down over the sink and pat it on the bottom and sides to help remove the excess flour.
- If using a silicone bundt cake pan, there will be no need to prepare it; you can use it as it is without greasing it or anything.
Make the batter:
- Melt the butter and let it cool slightly while you make the rest.
- Beat the egg whites until stiff. Slowly add the sugar and continue beating until the meringue is stiff and glossy.
- Add flour: Gradually and carefully add the mixed and sifted flour and baking powder.
- Add ingredients: Fold in the melted butter, then the almonds, peel, and raisins.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the pan and bake in the preheated oven for about 50 minutes or until golden. Make the toothpick/skewer test.
- Rest in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips about working with egg whites
How to separate and beat egg whites?
- Make sure to separate the whites from the yolks carefully so that absolutely no yolk will get into the whites; if they contain any trace of fat, you will not be able to beat them properly.
- The safest way to do that is to break each piece separately in a small cup, let the egg white slide there first and add it to the already separated whites only when you are sure that it is clean. I ruined quite a few meringues because I was too lazy to use an extra cup...
- Using a very clean bowl and clean beaters to beat the whites is important for the same reason. I usually wash them with soap and hot water and dry them again before using them, just to be sure.
Can I use frozen egg whites?
Yes. If using frozen egg whites, defrost at room temperature until liquid again. Also, make sure the egg whites are at room temperature and not cold when you start making the cake.
Recipe FAQ
Of course, this egg white cake doesn't have to be a bundt cake. You can bake the egg white recipe in a regular cake pan of about 24-26 cm/ 9 - 10 inches in diameter.
Yes. Mix 100 g/ ¾ cup icing sugar with 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice or enough to have a thick, very slightly runny glaze. Adjust the consistency with more icing sugar or more orange juice.
Alternatively, you can use another lemony glaze of your choice.
Just in case you have never baked a cake using only egg whites instead of whole eggs before, be aware that the egg whites do give the cake a very special egg whitey taste, if I can say so.
If you are familiar with Angel Food Cake, for instance, you will know what I mean; otherwise, be warned, the taste is quite different from your usual bundt cake.
Theoretically, you can, but it's not the recommended method. Blenders tend to overwhip the egg whites, and that affects the texture. If you would like to do it, read this article to learn more about whipping egg whites in a blender.
More citrus cakes
Egg White Cake – Bundt Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 7-8 large egg whites depending on size (about 250 g/ 8.8 oz)
- 100 g/ 3.5 oz/ ⅓ cup + 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
- 200 g/ 7 oz/ 1 cup granulated sugar
- 200 g/ 7 oz/ 1 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 100 g/ 3.5 oz/ ⅔ cup raisins
- 50 g/ 1.8 oz/ ⅓ cup chopped almonds
- 50 g/ 1.8 oz/ ⅔ cup candied lemon peel chopped
- icing sugar
Instructions
- If using frozen egg whites, defrost at room temperature until liquid again. Also, make sure the egg whites are at room temperature and not cold when you start making the cake.
- If using fresh egg whites, separate them very carefully from the egg yolks, making sure that no trace of the egg yolks is to get into the egg whites. To achieve that separate each egg into a small bowl and only give the egg white to the larger bowl when you are sure that everything went well.
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius/ 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prepare the bundt cake pan by buttering it very thoroughly with soft butter and flouring it well, making sure to reach all the nooks and crannies of the pan. For more detailed information on preparing a bundt cake pan properly have a look at the Orange Bundt Cake with Chocolate.
- Melt the butter into a small pot and let cool slightly while you beat the egg whites.
- Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks start to form. Slowly and gradually start adding the sugar while beating all the time. Beat the egg whites until stiff and glossy.
- Sieve the flour and the baking powder in another bowl. Gradually and carefully fold the flour into the egg whites. Fold in the melted and cooled butter.
- Fold in the almonds, raisins, and chopped candied lemon peel as well.
- Pour the batter into the prepared bundt cake pan and bake for about 50 minutes or until golden. A skewer inserted in the middle of the cake should come out clean.
- Leave the cake in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes, then carefully revert onto a wire rack.
- Leave to cool completely and serve sprinkled with icing sugar.
- You can glaze the cake with lemon glaze or frosting.
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
Save this for the next family gathering! Looks tender, light and delicious..
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop says
This is a great use of leftovers. I love how light this cake looks and the raisins and almonds add great flavor and crunch!
Laura Dembowski says
This is such a great idea because I hate throwing away egg whites when I need yolks. Plus, then I have an excuse to make this cake.
Inge Kohl says
I have read the recipe several times now and can't see where you added the melted butter. It doesn't take 100g to grease the pan. When did you add it? I am going to add it with the flour and hope for the best.
Adina says
Sorry about that Inge and thank you for bringing it to my attention. I read the recipes so many times before posting, but I still forget something sometimes and not even notice it. 🙁 But you were right to add the melted butter at that point. I hope it came out ok.
Ana says
@Inge Kohl, it’s added on step 7!
“ the egg whites. Fold in the melted and cooled butter.”
Inge A Kohl says
The cake came out perfect. I tried it as soon as it was cold. It really is good the way it is, but I may make a little lemon glaze anyway.
Thanks
Adina says
Thank you for the feedback, Inge, I am so glad it came out well and that you liked it. 🙂 Ich wünsche dir einen schönen ersten Advent!
Edith de Souza says
This is a great way to use up the egg whites I have in the fridge. However, I do not have a bundt pan, can I use an 8” cake pan for this cake?
Adina says
Hi Edith. A normal pan will be fine, mine is 9 1/2 inch.
Edith de Souza says
Thanks, Adina. I ended up baking it in 2 loaf pans. It took around 35 minutes to bake. It smelled so good that we sliced it as soon as it was cool enough to handle. Will be making it again for sure.
Adina says
So glad to hear this, Edith. Thank you for the feedback.
Joel says
I saw melted butter in the recipe and instructions but I didn't see the part when it was incorporated with the cake.
Adina says
Sorry Joel. I have just updated the recipe, somehow that sentence is missing. Fold in after the flour.
michelle says
delicious cake! My only change was to substitute america's test kitchen's baking mix for the flour and it turned out great! I had all of these egg whites from making lemon bars and hate to waste anything.
Adina says
Hi Michelle. Thank you for the feedback, I am so glad you liked the cake.
Anne says
I'm making this for the second time.
I don't have a bunt pan so am using an oversized loaf pan. Adding home-made raspberry-swirl gelato after it's out of the oven.
Second time, and I already know it'll be perfect. Thanks.
Adina says
Thank you, Anne. So happy to hear it. Merry Christmas.