Description
This delightful Homemade Angel Food Cake is a light and airy dessert perfect for any occasion. Made with simple ingredients like cake flour, egg whites, and a touch of vanilla and almond extracts, this cake is baked to perfection in a tube pan, resulting in a fluffy texture and a subtle sweet flavor. Its low-fat composition and sugar incorporated into the meringue make it a classic treat that melts in your mouth.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups cake flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar (for flour mixture)
- 1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar (for egg whites)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
Wet Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups egg whites (about 12 large eggs)
- ¼ teaspoon clear vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare it for baking the angel food cake.
- Prepare the Flour Mixture: Sift together the cake flour and ½ cup of granulated sugar four times to ensure they are well combined and aerated.
- Beat the Egg Whites: In a large metal bowl, combine the egg whites, salt, cream of tartar, vanilla, and almond extract. Using a wire whip, beat until soft peaks form, indicating the right consistency.
- Add Sugar Gradually: Gradually add the remaining 1 ⅓ cups of granulated sugar in four additions (approximately ⅓ cup each time), beating well after each addition until the mixture is glossy and smooth. Avoid scraping the sides to maintain the structure.
- Fold in the Flour Mixture: Add the sifted flour mixture in four additions, folding gently with a large metal spoon to maintain the airiness. Rotate the bowl often to evenly incorporate the flour.
- Transfer to Tube Pan: Pour the batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan, using a metal spoon and cutting through the batter with a metal spatula to remove air bubbles. Do not scrape the bowl’s sides.
- Bake the Cake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until the cake is golden and springs back to the touch.
- Cool the Cake: Remove the cake from the oven and invert the pan to cool completely upside down. This prevents the cake from collapsing and keeps it fluffy.
Notes
- Be sure not to grease the tube pan to allow the cake to cling to the sides and rise properly.
- Do not scrape the sides of the bowl when beating the egg whites to keep the air incorporated.
- Cooling the cake upside down is crucial for maintaining its structure and height.
- Sifting the flour multiple times helps to lighten the mixture and keep the cake tender.
- Use room temperature egg whites for best volume when whipping.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: angel food cake, light cake, egg white cake, fluffy cake, low fat dessert, homemade cake
