Light Airy Angel Food (Printable)

Delicately sweet, airy cake made mainly from whipped egg whites, ideal with fresh berries and cream.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1 cup cake flour, sifted
02 - 1½ cups granulated sugar, divided
03 - ¼ teaspoon fine salt

→ Egg Mixture

04 - 12 large egg whites, at room temperature
05 - 1½ teaspoons cream of tartar
06 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
07 - ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Ensure the ungreased 10-inch angel food tube pan is clean and dry.
02 - Sift together cake flour, ¾ cup granulated sugar, and salt in a bowl. Repeat sifting three times to aerate. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form.
04 - Gradually add remaining ¾ cup sugar in small increments while beating until stiff, glossy peaks form. Gently mix in vanilla and almond extracts.
05 - Sift the flour mixture over the whipped egg whites in three additions. Gently fold with a spatula after each addition until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
06 - Spoon batter evenly into the ungreased tube pan. Smooth the surface and run a knife through the batter to eliminate large air pockets.
07 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the cake is golden and springs back when lightly touched.
08 - Immediately invert the pan onto a bottle or wire rack and let it cool completely upside down for 1 to 2 hours.
09 - Run a thin knife around the edges to release and loosen the cake from the pan once fully cooled.
10 - Serve plain or accompanied by fresh berries and whipped cream as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's surprisingly forgiving once you understand the egg white magic, and you'll feel like a pastry chef every time you nail it.
  • The texture is so delicate it melts on your tongue, yet it stays moist and tender for days.
  • With almost no fat and minimal ingredients, you can enjoy a generous slice without the heaviness of traditional cakes.
02 -
  • The ungreased pan is absolutely essential—it's the only thing that gives the batter something to climb and cling to as it rises, and one forgotten swipe of butter will ruin the whole cake.
  • Room-temperature egg whites whip up faster and fuller than cold ones, but they must be completely free of yolk; even a speck of fat breaks the surface tension and prevents stiff peaks.
  • Sifting three times seems excessive until you taste the difference in the crumb—it's the difference between clouds and dense flour.
03 -
  • If you want a citrus version, add the zest of one lemon or one-quarter teaspoon of almond extract to the egg whites before beating—it transforms the whole flavor profile.
  • A stand mixer makes this easier, but a hand mixer works too; just give yourself some time and arms—the process takes about 10 minutes of beating to reach stiff peaks by hand.
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