Angel Food Cake
Total Time
1 hour
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
50 minutes
Rating
5 out of 5 stars
(1)
Ingredients
6 servings
- 1 cup sifted cake flour
- 1 1/2 cups sifted sugar
- 12 large egg whites (about 1 3/4 cups), room temperature
- 1 tsp. cream of tartar
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice (or orange juice)
- 1/2 tsp. almond extract
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Preparation
Step 1
Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 325 F degrees. Prepare an ungreased large 9-inch tube pan, preferably with a removable bottom. If the pan bottom is not removable, line it with parchment or waxed paper.
Step 2
Whisk together the flour and 3/4 cup of the sugar in a small bowl. Place the remaining 3/4 cup sugar in another small bowl.
Step 3
Using a whisk attachment, 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, one tablespoon at a time, until all the sugar is added and the whites are shiny and form soft peaks. (If you lift the beater up from the batter, the top of the peaks will droop down slightly.) Add in the vanilla, lemon (or orange) juice, and almond extract and beat until just blended.
Step 4
Sift about 3 tablespoons of the flour-sugar mixture into the egg white mixture, then gently folding it in, using a large rubber spatula. Repeat until all of the flour-sugar mixture is incorporated (this will take about 6-8 batches).
Step 5
Gently scrape the batter into the tube pan, smooth the top with a spatula, removing any large air bubbles. Bake until the cake is golden brown and the top springs back when pressed firmly, 50-60 minutes.
Step 6
If the cake pan has prongs around the rim, invert the pan onto them once it is removed from the oven. If the pan does not have prongs, invert the pan onto the neck of a bottle. Let the cake cool completely, 2-3 hours.
Step 7
To remove the cake, gently run a knife around the edge 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 off the parchment or waxed paper, if using. Place the cake bottom-side up on a serving platter or pedestal. Cut the slices by sawing gently with a long serrated knife. Serve cake immediately or cover.
Step 8
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