A classic, light, and airy angel food cake made from scratch. This recipe uses a precise method of separating sugars for a perfect, fluffy meringue.
Author
Unknown
Recipe
| Measurements | Ingredients |
|---|---|
| 1 1/2 C. | Egg Whites (room temperature) |
| 1 C. | Flour |
| 3/4 C. | Sugar (for flour mixture) |
| 1/4 t. | Salt |
| 1 1/2 t. | Cream of Tartar |
| 1 1/2 t. | Flavoring (e.g., Vanilla) |
| 3/4 C. | Sugar (for egg white mixture) |
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 375°F. Sift the 1 C. flour and the first 3/4 C. sugar together 4 times. Set this mixture aside.
- Start Meringue: In a large, clean bowl, pour the egg whites. Add the cream of tartar, salt, and flavoring.
- Beat the egg white mixture until it is stiff enough to hold in soft peaks, but remains moist & glossy.
- Add Sugar: Gradually add the remaining 3/4 C. sugar to the egg whites, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Fold in Flour: Sift about 1/4 of the flour-sugar mixture over the egg whites. Fold in gently, or beat on the lowest mixer speed. Repeat this step until all the flour-sugar mixture is incorporated.
- Pour: Pour the batter into an ungreased 10” tube pan.
- Bake: Bake at 375°F for 40-45 minutes, or until the cake springs back when lightly touched.
- Cool: Immediately invert the pan (placing the center tube over a bottle or on the pan’s feet) and let it cool completely upside down for 1-2 hours. This is critical to prevent the cake from collapsing.
- Once cool, run a knife around the edges to release the cake.
Note
The recipe card’s instructions for separating eggs (draining each white into a saucer first) is a classic technique to ensure no yolk contaminates the batch, as any fat will prevent the egg whites from whipping properly.
