Description
A light and airy Angel Food Cake made with egg whites, powdered sugar, and cake flour, delicately flavored with vanilla and almond extracts. This classic dessert is baked to perfection and cooled upside down to maintain its fluffy texture, perfect for serving with whipped cream and fresh berries.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
Instructions
- Prepare Oven and Dry Ingredients: Move the oven rack to the lowest position and preheat the oven to 375° F. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and cake flour until combined, then set aside.
- Beat Egg Whites: Using the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until foamy. Ensure the mixing bowl and beaters are completely clean and dry, and no egg yolks are present to achieve proper aeration.
- Add Sugar and Flavorings: Gradually add granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating on high speed. With the final addition of sugar, add vanilla extract, almond extract, and kosher salt. Continue beating until the meringue forms soft peaks that are slightly stiffened and glossy.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Sprinkle the powdered sugar-flour mixture gently over the meringue, about ¼ cup at a time. Fold the mixture in gently each time until the flour mixture disappears. Avoid over-folding to maintain the airy texture of the batter.
- Transfer to Pan: Pour the batter into an ungreased 10″ x 4″ tube pan. Use a butter knife to gently cut through the batter to even it out, ensuring no air pockets remain.
- Bake the Cake: Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until cracks in the cake look dry and the top springs back when lightly touched.
- Cool Upside Down: Immediately invert the pan onto a bottle neck or metal funnel on the countertop and let it hang for about 2 hours or until completely cool. This prevents the cake from collapsing and keeps it fluffy.
- Remove from Pan and Serve: Turn the pan right-side up and run a thin knife around the edges to loosen the cake. Remove the cake gently from the pan. Serve with whipped cream and your choice of raspberry sauce, rhubarb sauce, or fresh berries.
Notes
- Ensure the mixing bowl and beaters are very clean and dry to allow the egg whites to whip properly.
- Do not grease the tube pan; the batter needs to cling to the sides to rise properly.
- Over-folding the batter can deflate the egg whites, leading to a dense cake.
- Cooling the cake upside down prevents it from collapsing and maintains the airy texture.
- This recipe is slightly adapted from Betty Crocker’s 40th Anniversary Edition Cookbook.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/16 of cake)
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 70mg
- Fat: 0.5g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
