Angel food cake

From Burden's Landing

Angel Food Cake

Named "the best" by Chicago Metallic, the source of this recipe.

  • 1 cup cake flour, sifted
  • 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar, sifted
  • 12 large egg whites
  • 1 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1/4 tsp table salt
  • 1-1/2 tsps vanilla extract
  • 1-1/2 tsps lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. (DO NOT GREASE PAN!)

2. In a small bowl, combine flour with 3/4 cup sugar. Use a whisk to completely combine and aerate flour/sugar mixture.

3. In a large, grease-free mixing bowl, 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 remaining 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 mixture over egg whites about 3 tablespoons at a time, and gently fold each addition in, using a large spatula or a large, flat whisk.

5. Gently scrape batter into 16-cup capacity tube pan; smooth the top; and give pan a couple of raps on the counter to release any large air bubbles.

6. Bake in lower third of oven for 60 to 65 minutes until cake is golden brown and the top springs back when pressed firmly.

7. Invert pan on the feet of pan (if your pan has feet; otherwise, invert pan onto a bottle with a long, skinny neck). Allow to cool completely for 2 to 3 hours before removing from pan.

8. To de-pan, run a plastic knife around edges, being careful not to dislodge the golden crust. Pull cake out of pan and cut the same way around removable bottom to release.

9. Cool cake completely, bottom side up. When completely cold, cut slices by sawing gently with a serrated knife or pulling with a taut thread through the cake. Serve cake the same day or freeze overnight if serving the next day. (Cake may be frozen for up to 2 weeks but will compress slightly.)