Angel Food Cake

I had heard from a lot of different people that angel food cake was one of the harder cakes to make. It sticks, it falls, it doesn't taste right. There were a myriad of reasons why buying angel food cake was the better options. And, me being who I am, didn't accept this. Buying is NEVER better. Nonetheless, I was nervous to try.

I had to get over it though. My boss asked me to make a cake for her son's birthday and all that he was able to eat because of specific health problems was angel food cake. So, I tried it. It went great! This was a few months ago, but since then I have made it again and was able to take pictures.

I don't know what I was worried about! It was a fairly simple cake. I'll post my recipe and then I'll show the final product. :)

Angel Food Cake Recipe:

1 3/4 cups sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup cake flour (This is important. Don't try using anything else.)
12 egg whites
1/3 cup water
1 tsp flavored extract (I've tried almond and vanilla. The next one I want to experiment with is lemon.)
1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Put sugar in blender and blend for about two minutes until very fine.
3. Sift flour, half of the sugar, and salt together in a bowl.
4. Beat egg whites, water, extract, and cream of tartar in separate bowl until medium stiff peaks form. Add the half of sugar not with flour. Beat again so that peaks appear.
5. Sift a fine layer of flour mixture on top of eggs. Fold gently in until completely mixed.
6. Repeat step 5 until all the flour is incorporated into the batter.
7. Pour batter into an UN-GREASED tube or bundt pan.
8. Cook for about 45 and check with a wooden skewer. When inserted in the middle it should come out clean and just a little damp.
9. Cool upside down elevated (I used an old glass bottle for this part.) until the pan is cool to the touch.
10. Gentle scrap edges and remove cake. Eat and enjoy!

Strawberries
1 lb strawberries
1 lemon
1 1/2 cup sugar

Slice the strawberries. Juice the lemon into the bowl with the strawberries. Add sugar to desired taste. Let sit for a while. The sugar brings out the juices in the strawberries, so the longer you let it sit, the more sauce you will have.

Serve over angel food cake or shortcake.


And here's the picture of mine:

 
I will NEVER buy angel food cake again. This cake homemade is about a billion times better! It's moist, delicious and every other word you can use to describe good food. :)