Light Angel Food Cake

Thumb_sfs_am06_ambrosiacakewhole

(from Bethany’s recipe box)

Serves 12
The best tool to remove an angel food cake from the pan is a thin, flexible, non-serrated knife that is at least 5 inches long. Present the cake sitting on its wide, crustier top, with the delicate and more easily sliced bottom crust facing up. To cut the cake, use a long, serrated knife, and pull it back and forth with a gentle sawing motion.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
To get an angel food cake recipe for a tall, perfectly shaped cake with a snowy white, tender crumb encased in a thin, delicate, golden crust, we experimented with egg whites. We found the key was the speed at which we beat the egg whites, starting at low speed just to break them up into a froth and increasing the speed to medium to form soft, billowy mounds. When large bubbles stop appearing around the edges, this is the point the sugar should be added. Once all the sugar is added the whites become shiny and form soft peaks when the beater is lifted. This is just right for making the perfect tall, light yet firm angel food cake.

Source: Cook's Country April​/May 2006

Categories: Desserts

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sifted cake flour (3 ounces)
  • 1 1/2 cups sifted granulated sugar (10 1/2 ounces)
  • 12 large egg whites (1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons), at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/4 teaspoon table salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

  1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Have ready an ungreased large tube pan (9-inch diameter, 16-cup capacity), preferably with a removable bottom. If the pan bottom is not removable, line it with parchment or wax paper.

  2. In a small bowl, whisk the flour with 3/4 cup sugar. Place remaining 3/4 cup sugar in another small bowl next to the mixer.

  3. In the bowl of a standing mixer, or with a handheld mixer, beat egg whites at low speed until just broken up and beginning to froth. Add cream of tartar and salt and beat at medium speed until whites form very soft, billowy mounds. With the mixer still at medium speed, beat in 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until all sugar is added and whites are shiny and form soft peaks. Add vanilla, lemon juice, and almond extract and beat until just blended.

  4. Place flour-sugar mixture in a sifter set over waxed paper. Sift flour-sugar mixture over egg whites about 3 tablespoons at a time, and gently fold it in, using a large rubber spatula. Sift any flour-sugar mixture that falls onto the paper back into the bowl with the whites.

  5. Gently scrape batter into pan, smooth the top, and give pan a couple of raps on the counter to release any large air bubbles.

  6. Bake until the cake is golden brown and the top springs back when pressed firmly, 50 to 60 minutes.

  7. If cake pan has prongs around the rim for elevating the cake, invert pan onto them. If not, invert pan over the neck of a bottle or funnel so that air can circulate all around it. Let the cake cool completely, 2 to 3 hours.

  8. To unmold, run a knife around edges, being careful not to separate the golden crust from the cake. Slide cake out of pan and cut the same way around removable bottom to release, or peel off parchment or wax paper, if used.

  9. Place the cake, bottom-side up, on a platter. Cut slices by sawing gently with a serrated knife. Serve the cake the day it is made.

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