Angel food cake is one of my favorite desserts. To make a great angel food cake, the instructions must be followed exactly, and the egg whites must be at room temperature. This recipe comes from Flo Braker of The Baker’s Dozen.
1 ½ c. (11 to 12 large) egg whites (at room temp)
1 ½ c. sifted (150 grams) confectioners’ sugar
1 c. (100 grams) sifted cake flour
¼ t. table salt
1 ½ t. cream of tartar
1 c. (200 grams) granulated sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
- About 1 hour before baking the cake, place the cold egg whites in the bowl of a heavy duty mixer (This will bring them to room temp.) Be organized. This batter goes together very quickly.
- Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Have an ungreased 10-inch tube pan with a removable bottom (and without a nonstick surface) ready.
- Pour the sifted confectioners’ sugar, sifted cake flour and salt into a triple sifter (or sift 3 times in a single strainer), ending the last sifting on a sheet of wax paper.
- Using the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites on low speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and increase the speed to medium. Whip just until soft peaks form. Continue whipping and gradually add the granulated sugar in a slow, steady stream, until the whites thicken and form soft, white peaks. (Do not beat until they are stiff and dry.) Add vanilla in the final moments of whipping.
- Carefully transfer egg white mixture to very large mixing bowl with a spatula.
- Sprinkle ¼ of the flour mixture over the whites and with a rubber spatula, fold into the whites. Repeat this process with the remaining flour mixture, folding in 1/4 at a time.
- Gently pour the batter into the tube pan.
- Bake until the top is golden and springs back when gently pressed with your fingers, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40-45 minutes. (Try not to under-bake, a common mistake.)
- Turn cake pan upside down, and set on the neck of a bottle. If the cake tilts a little, that’s fine.
- Cool completely in the pan, about 2-3 hours.
- To remove the cake from the pan, slip a flexible, thin metal knife carefully down the side of the pan. Slowly trace around the outside to release the cake. When the sides are free, push up the removable bottom of the pan to remove the cake. Gently run the knife around the bottom of the cake, and lift off the pan.
- Cool completely. To serve, slice gently with a serrated knife, using a sawing motion.
- This cake is great toasted, with strawberries, cherries, or blueberry toppings.
- Do not store in an airtight container. Put a spoon under the lid. (If stored in an airtight container, it will get soggy.)
