This Lemon Daffodil Cake is a fun, cheerful lemon spring cake with a light and airy texture, featuring a simple lemon glaze. It's also low-fat, Weight Watchers friendly, and is ideal for Easter Dessert, Mother's Day, birthdays, or any spring or summer celebration!

This daffodil cake is an old recipe that has no artificial color and the yellow hue comes naturally from the separation of the egg whites and egg yolks. If you are looking for spring cake ideas or Easter dessert and want a baking challenge, this lemon daffodil cake is perfect. However, there is the option to use a cake mix too! This cake is a lighter and WW friendly version (see below for WW points) of the old-fashioned daffodil cake recipe.
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Love lemon desserts? Try my Old Fashioned Lemon Pie or my Old Fashioned Lemon Bread!
🥘Ingredient Notes
For this Old-fashioned Daffodil cake, you'll need:

This recipe is a beautiful combination of white angel food cake and golden sponge cake batters.
- Cake flour. I use cake flour because it has a lower protein content, which makes it less gluten-forming. This means you end up with a softer, finer, and more tender crumb, which is what you want in an angel food cake. Don't have any cake flour? See substitutions below to make your own!
- Cream of tartar. Cream of tartar helps stabilize and maintain the structure of whipped eggs whites so they don't fall flat once you're done whipping them. *See below for substitutions
- Vanilla extract. I use clear vanilla extract (affiliate link) to keep the white batter white.
*See recipe card for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
📖Variations & Substitutions
- Angel Food Cake mix - if you want to use an angel food cake mix, prepare the cake mix as directed on the box and divide it into two portions, then proceed from step #7 *you can use a sugar-free box cake mix as well, if you prefer
- Yellow color - you can add a drop of lemon yellow food colouring if you want the yellow to be brighter (add to yolks after they are beaten/when you add lemon) *I would recommend using Wilton icing colors
- Cake flour - if you don't have cake flour, you can use all purpose flour and make your own cake flour HERE!
- Cream of tartar - Here are some simple substitutions for Cream of Tartar. However, if you can get your hands on cream of tartar, I do recommend following this recipe exactly as written.
- Glaze- you can use the lemon glaze I provide in the recipe card or another glaze of your choice. Or alternatively, you could frost it (a Stabilized Whipped Cream frosting would work best).
- Decorations -use yellow and white sprinkles, cut out fondant flowers or use fresh flowers to garnish. *Do NOT use daffodils (they are not safe). Flowers That Are Safe: Pansies, Lavender, Violas, Violets, Roses, Marigold, Cornflower, Carnations, Chrysanthemums, Day Lily, Hibiscus, Peony, Chamomile, Freesia, Gerber Daisy, Lisianthus, Queen Anne’s Lace, Primrose, Sunflowers. Here’s a longer list of safe flowers (and what parts of each flower are edible).
- Daffodil Cupcakes - You can make these into cupcakes as well. You'll just need to use the same process as you use for the cake for each cupcake and bake for ½ the time (15-18 minutes) or until cake tester comes out clean and they are lightly browned on top. * It will take you more time!
🔪How to Make a Daffodil Cake
Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/176 degrees C. Set an ungreased 10-inch tube pan nearby. * do NOT grease the pan (this type of cake does not need a greased pan).

MAKE THE WHITE CAKE BATTER (STEP 1- PART 1): Sift the cake flour and ¼ cup of the white granulated sugar into a small bowl (IMAGE 1). With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the egg whites into a separate bowl until foamy, about 30 seconds to 1 minute (IMAGE 2). Add the cream of tartar, vanilla, and salt. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat just until soft peaks form (about 45 seconds to 1 minute) (IMAGE 3). Beat in the remaining 1 cup of granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, until stiff peaks form (IMAGE 4).

MAKE THE WHITE CAKE BATTER (STEP 1- PART 2): Sift one quarter of the flour mixture over the egg-white mixture and, with a large rubber spatula, gently fold in the flour mixture just until blended. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture, one quarter at a time, until combined (IMAGE 5). Split the egg white batter into two bowls (IMAGE 6).

MAKE THE YELLOW CAKE BATTER (STEP 2): With the mixer on high speed, beat the egg yolks in a small bowl until thick, about 5 minutes. *it should be the consistency of thick gravy and be a fluffy pale yellow (IMAGE 7). Fold 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and 2 teaspoons of the lemon zest into the egg yolk mixture (IMAGE 8).

MIX THE BATTERS (STEP 3): Add one bowl of egg white batter to the bottom of the pan (IMAGE 9). Add egg yolk mixture (yellow batter) on top of the first layer of egg white batter (IMAGE 10). Then add second bowl of egg white batter on top of egg yolk mixture (IMAGE 11). Gently run a thin-bladed knife through the batters to marbelize, lifting the knife up each time and swirling it around once. You don't want to much marbleize in this cake (IMAGE 12).

BAKE THE CAKE & COOL THE CAKE (STEP 4): Immediately place in the oven and bake until the cake springs back when touched lightly, 35-40 minutes. It will be lightly browned on the top of the cake (IMAGE 13) .Invert cake onto a the neck of a bottle or inverted metal funnel and cool completely, 2-3 hours. *If your angel food cake pan/tube pan has feet (as you see mine does) simply turn it over and allow it to cool for 2 hours on a cutting board or wire rack (IMAGE 14). To loosen the cake, run a spatula around the sides of the pan and around the center tube. Unmold the cake onto a serving plate (IMAGE 15).

GLAZE & DECORATE THE CAKE (STEP 5): To make the glaze: whisk together the confectioners' sugar, 2-3 tablespoon of lemon juice, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of lemon zest in a small bowl until smooth (IMAGE 16). Add enough of the remaining lemon juice to make a thick glaze, so you are able to spread and it runs down the side of the cake, but does not run too much (IMAGE 17). Spread the warm glaze evenly over the top of the cake. Let the cake stand until glaze is set (about 30 minutes) *pop it into the fridge or freezer to get it to set faster. Garnish with edible flowers or sprinkle top of cake with yellow and white heart sprinkles. (IMAGE 18).
Expert Recipe Tips
- Separate Eggs Carefully. Ensure no egg yolk gets into the whites, as even a tiny bit of fat can prevent the egg whites from reaching stiff peaks. Separate each egg over a small bowl first, then transfer the whites and yolks into separate larger bowls.
- Room Temperature Eggs. Using room temperature eggs allows them to whip up to a greater volume, resulting in a lighter, fluffier cake. To quickly bring eggs to room temperature, place them in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes.
- Sift Flour for Lightness. Sifting the cake flour with sugar helps create a finer, lighter batter. Repeat the sifting process twice for the best texture.
- Fold Gently. When incorporating the flour and the egg yolk mixture into the beaten egg whites, use a gentle folding motion with a large rubber spatula. Overmixing can deflate the batter, resulting in a denser cake.
- Cool Completely Upside Down. Cooling the cake upside down prevents it from collapsing. If your tube pan doesn't have feet, place it over a bottle or metal funnel. Make sure the cake is completely cool before removing it from the pan to maintain its structure.
- Avoid Greasing the Pan. Do NOT grease the tube pan. The batter needs to cling to the sides to rise properly, creating that airy texture.
- Marbling Technique. For a subtle marbled effect, run a knife gently through the batter just once or twice. Over-mixing will blend the batters too much, losing the distinct layers of white and yellow.
- Check for Doneness. The cake is done when it springs back lightly when touched and is golden brown on top. Avoid opening the oven door frequently, as this can cause the cake to deflate.
👪 Serving Size
This lemon daffodil cake recipe makes 16 servings. However, you can half, double, or triple the recipe by clicking on the serving number and selecting the number of servings. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust. You'll need additional angel food cake pans if you want to make more than one cake.

🔢WW Points
The original daffodil cake recipe came from WW magazine many years ago and this was about 5 points on the plan at that time. However, on the current plan, this recipe is 10 WW points.
But considering it's a cake, that's really not a lot. If you don't mind sugar substitutes, you could further reduce the points by using a sugar substitute/artificial sweetener. To keep it natural, you can use monk fruit, but you'll need to use half the amount, which would be ¾ cup)/
🥗 Spring Meals to serve with this cake
This cake is a great accompaniment to any spring or summer meal, including my Picnic Ham with Orange Glaze Recipe (shown), Chipotle Mashed Potatoes and Healthy Roasted Carrots with Brown Sugar. And be sure to check out my Easter brunch menu ideas!

🍽Equipment
For this lemon daffodil cake, you will need an angel food cake pan (or tube pan)/
I prefer the angel food cake pan with feet, (affiliate link) so you don't have to worry about having to find a bottle or something to invert pan onto. You can simply flip it over to cool.

🌡️Storage
Store this cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can make this cake in advance and freeze it, but I would recommend making the glaze and glazing the cake just before you serve it (30 minutes in advance, as this is how long it takes for the glaze to set.)

🥚What to do with leftover egg yolks
You are going to have 6 leftover egg yolks. I would recommend you use them up in this light, healthy and WW friendly Healthy Hollandaise Sauce. You can make a double batch and use it for quick and healthy Healthy Eggs Benedict, salmon, asparagus or broccoli!

❔ Recipe FAQ's
Daffodil cake is an old-fashioned cake (vintage cake) that's a beautiful combination of white angel food cake and a golden sponge cake batters swirled together and baked in a tube pan/angel food cake pan.
Daffodil cake, like angel food cake, is very delicate and needs to cool upside down to prevent it from collapsing. If your tube pan has feet, you can invert it onto a cutting board. Otherwise, place it over a bottle or metal funnel.
Yes! If you don’t have cake flour, you can make a substitute by measuring 1 cup of all-purpose flour, removing 2 tablespoons, and replacing them with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift it together before using.
Make sure you are only the dry cake mix - do not follow the directions on the box. The pineapple juice reacts with the cake mix to create the rise, so do not drain all the juice. Avoid overmixing; gently stir until just combined. Do not open the oven door too early, as the cake may collapse.
🌷More Spring Cakes
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📋 Lemon Daffodil Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup cake flour
- 1 ½ cup sugar
- 12 egg whites
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 egg yolks
- 4 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 3 teaspoon grated lemon
- 1 ½ cup powdered sugar/confectioners sugar, sifted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Set a tube pan nearby. * do NOT grease the pan (this type of cake does not need a greased pan). Sift the cake flour and ¼ cup of the white granulated sugar into a small bowl.
- With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the egg whites into a large bowl until foamy, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Add the cream of tartar, vanilla and salt. Increase the speed to medium- high and beat just until soft peaks form (about 45 seconds to 1 minute).
- Beat in the remaining 1 cup of granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time
- Beat until stiff peaks form.
- Sift one quarter of the flour mixture over the egg-white mixture and, with a large rubber spatula, gently fold in the flour mixture just until blended. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture, one quarter at a time until just until fully blended (but don't overmix)
- Split the egg white batter into two bowls.
- With the mixer on high speed, beat the egg yolks in a small bowl until thick, about 5 minutes. *Should be the consistency of very thick gravy and be a fluffy pale yellow
- Fold in 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and 2 teaspoons of the lemon zest.
- Add one bowl of egg white batter to the bottom of the pan.
- Add egg yolk mixture on top of the first layer of egg white batter.
- Then add the second bowl of egg white batter over top of the egg yolk batter.
- Gently run a thin-bladed knife through the batters to marbelize, lifting the knife up a each time and swirling it around once. You don't want to much marblizing in this cake.
- Immediately place in the oven and bake until the cake springs back when touched lightly, 35-40 minutes. It will be lightly browned on top.
- Invert onto a bottleneck or inverted metal l funnel and cool completely, 2-3 hours. If you angel food cake pan/tube pan has feet (as you see mine does) simply turn it over and allow it to cool for 2 hours.
- To loosen the cake, run a spatula around the sides of the pan and around the centre tube. Unmold the cake onto a serving plate.
- To make the glaze: whisk together the confectioners sugar and, 2-3 tablespoon of lemon juice and the remainaing 1 teaspoon of lemon zest in a small bowl until smooth.
- Add enough of the remaining lemon juice to make a thick glaze. so you are able to spread it over the top and let it run down the sides of the cake, but so it does not run too much.
- Spread the glaze evenly over the top of the cake. Let the cake stand until glaze is set ( about 30 minutes) *pop it into the fridge or freezer to get it to set faster
- Garnish with sprinkles, or edible flowers.
Notes
-
- Separate Eggs Carefully. Ensure no egg yolk gets into the whites, as even a tiny bit of fat can prevent the egg whites from reaching stiff peaks. Separate each egg over a small bowl first, then transfer the whites and yolks into separate larger bowls.
-
- Room Temperature Eggs. Using room temperature eggs allows them to whip up to a greater volume, resulting in a lighter, fluffier cake. To quickly bring eggs to room temperature, place them in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes.
-
- Sift Flour for Lightness. Sifting the cake flour with sugar helps create a finer, lighter batter. Repeat the sifting process twice for the best texture.
-
- Fold Gently. When incorporating the flour and the egg yolk mixture into the beaten egg whites, use a gentle folding motion with a large rubber spatula. Overmixing can deflate the batter, resulting in a denser cake.
-
- Cool Completely Upside Down. Cooling the cake upside down prevents it from collapsing. If your tube pan doesn't have feet, place it over a bottle or metal funnel. Make sure the cake is completely cool before removing it from the pan to maintain its structure.
-
- Avoid Greasing the Pan. Do NOT grease the tube pan. The batter needs to cling to the sides to rise properly, creating that airy texture.
-
- Marbling Technique. For a subtle marbled effect, run a knife gently through the batter just once or twice. Over-mixing will blend the batters too much, losing the distinct layers of white and yellow.
-
- Check for Doneness. The cake is done when it springs back lightly when touched and is golden brown on top. Avoid opening the oven door frequently, as this can cause the cake to deflate.
Terri Gilson
This Lemon Daffodil Cake is such a cheerful addition to any spring celebration. I love how the yellow color comes naturally from separating the eggs, giving it that light and airy texture. It's amazing that something so delicious can be low-fat and Weight Watchers friendly, too!