Angel Food Cake

When it comes to relatively guilt free cake, Angel Food has got to be a number one contender. It’s fat-free and very versatile. My mother used to make a version with chocolate whipped cream and almonds, which I loved. But health’s sake I generally just use it as a base for fruit and maybe top it off with a bit of whipped cream. It’s surprisingly easy to make and keeps well for several days.

Ingredients

• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 9 room temperature egg whites (from large eggs)

Instructions

1. Place one oven rack the lowest it will go, and the other the highest (or remove it altogether). Preheat the oven to 350f and have a 10-inch tube pan ready (do NOT grease!).
2. Add the cream of tartar, salt, vanilla, and egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment -OR- to a deep mixing bowl and use a hand mixer.
3. Beat the egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Then, gradually add the sugar about a tablespoon at a time. Beat on high until the egg whites are thick, stiff, and shiny.
4. Very gently fold the flour into the whipped egg whites.
5. Spoon the batter into the ungreased tube pan, then run a knife through to remove any air pockets.
6. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until lightly brown and the top looks dry.
7. Remove from the oven and immediately invert the pan. Leave to cool for one hour.
8. Run a knife around the side and center of the pan to release the cake.

Makes 10 Servings

Notes

• Don’t use (or buy) a non-stick tube pan. It totally defeats the purpose!
• No, you can’t use a bundt cake pan. you’ll never get the cake to release.
• You could use a conventional 8-inch or 9-inch cake pan, as long as it’s NOT non-stick, and it has a loose bottom. You’ll want to shorten the baking time though.
• I did not take the photo for this cake, I “borrowed” it from a freebie graphics site.