If egg whites are overmixed in angel food cake, what could happen to the final product after baking and cooling?

• A. It will shrink
• B. It will rise higher
• C. It will be dry
• D. It will be lighter

Answer: (A)

Angel food cake relies on a delicate, stable egg-white foam to trap air and create a light, springy structure. When the whites are overmixed, the proteins overstretch and the air bubbles rupture, weakening the foam. That unstable foam can’t support the cake as it bakes and cools, so the cake deflates and shrinks rather than holding its height. It won’t rise higher because the structure that provides lift has been damaged. The crumb becomes less airy and more compact, and while dryness isn’t the primary change, the texture can feel drier due to the reduced volume.