Berry Sweet!

Angel food cake amazes me! It's mostly whipped egg whites and sugar. The last time I bought it at a store it was really dry and bread-like. This recipe is from Baking Illustrated and I don't know if I'll ever buy it from a store again :)

This is my lean, green (well yellow) whipping machine. The whipped egg whites are the most important part of angel food cake.

Here are the eggs whipped to soft peaks.

I just love the look and texture of angel food cake. And it's soooo spongy :)

Slice it and serve it with your favorite toppings!


Angel Food Cake- Baking Illustrated
Sift both the cake flour and the granulated sugar before measuring to eliminate any lumps and ensure the lightest possible texture.

• 1 cup (3 ounces) sifted plain cake flour
• 1 1/2 cups ( 10.5 ounces) sifted sugar
• 12 large egg whites ( 1 3/4 cups plus 2 T.) at room temperature
• 1 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tsp. juice from 1 lemon
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract (optional)

1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the 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 paper or waxed paper.
2. Whisk the flour and 3/4 cup of the sugar in a small bowl. Place the remaining 3/4 cup sugar in another small bowl next to the mixer.
3. Beat the egg whites in the bowl of a standing mixer at low speed until just broken up and beginning to froth. Add the cream of tartar and salt and beat at medium speed until the whites form very soft, billowy mounds. With the mixer still at medium speed, beat in the remaining 3/4 cup sugar, 1 T. at a time, until all the sugar is added and the whites are shiny and form soft peaks. Add the vanilla, lemon juice, and almond extract and beat until just blended.
4. Place the flour-sugar mixture in a sifter set over waxed paper. Sift the flour-sugar mixture over the whites, about 3 T. at a time, and gently fold in, using a large spatula. Sift any flour-sugar mixture that falls onto the paper back into the bowl with the whites.
5. Gently scrape the batter into the pan, smooth the top with a spatula, and give the 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 -60 minutes.
7. I f the cake pan has prongs around the rim for elevating the cake, invert the pan onto them. I just let in cool upside down on a cooling rack. Let cool completely, 2-3 hours.
8. To unmold, run a knife around the edges of the pan, being careful not to separate the golden crust from the cake. Slide the cake out of the pan and cut the same way around the removable bottom to release or peel of the parchment or waxed paper, if using. Place the cake, bottom-side up, on a platter. Cut slices by sawing gently with a large, serrated knife.