Homemade angel food cake
We just celebrated my grandma’s 81st birthday the other day. My grandma is an amazing woman. She raised three children, then later in life, my sister and I. I really admire her strength, devotion and perseverance. Her whole life she’s been a health nut. Never will she put something artificial in her body, it has to be all-natural, even down to her skin care products (check out Sweet Apple Facial mask). The only cake she likes and has ever eaten is homemade angel food cake, so this year I took it upon myself to bake her one. My grandma loves her angel cake with fresh strawberries and whip cream, so naturally, that’s how it was served. Besides the ridiculous amount of egg whites, this recipe is pretty straight forward and basic. This is a no fuss cake and it turns out nicely golden and fluffy.
My beautiful and wonderful grandma
After the egg whites are beat to stiff peaks, genlty fold in the flour
Pour batter into angel food cake pan and bake for 40-45 minutes
Serve angel food cake with strawberries and whip cream
Ingredients – I’ve used whole-wheat pastry flour in the past for this recipe and have had nice results, as well.
- 12 egg whites
- 1 cup cake flour (regular all-purpose flour will work, also)
- 1 cup organic evaporated cane sugar (regular white sugar can be used, as well)
- 3/4 cup powder sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of cream of tarter
- 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place the egg whites into a mixer, and let stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Add cream of tartar, vanilla, almond extract, and salt. Beat egg whites until medium stiff peaks form, then, gradually add 1 cup of sugar. Beat until egg white form stiff peaks. Meanwhile, sift together the flour and powder sugar. Once eggs whites are nice and stiff, gently fold in sifted flour and powdered sugar 1/3 at a time, try not to over mix. Pour batter into dry un-greased angel food cake pan and evenly spread out (use a knife or rubber spatula to cut through dough to release air pockets). Bake for 40-45 minutes until lightly golden brown – cake should bounce back when touched. Once out of the oven, remove from cake pan and let it cool. Best served with fresh strawberries and freshly whipped cream!
7 Comments
Hi Eliza,
I’m going to make this for Elizabeth’s 33rd birthday party (her request). What can I substitute for the evaporated cane sugar? I was unable to find any.
Thanks, Janet
Hi Janet!
You can use all powdered sugar if you want, or just use regular white sugar.
A third option; use raw sugar, just put it into a food processor until it is really fine and powdery. I’m sure it will turn out delicious with what ever sugar you choose. I hope Liz likes it!
Just remember to slowly fold in the flour and also cut batter with a knife or spatula to release the air pockets once poured into the cake pan, otherwise the cake could deflate while baking (it happened to me once, but it still tasted good). Besides that, it is pretty easy cake. Let me know it you have any other questions and thanks for making it Janet!
Hi Eliza,
I just found you through searching the burning issue of why one would add flour to a cake batter after you’ve folded in the egg whites. Obviously, an angel food cake is different, because the whites ARE the batter, but any ideas? Giada made these lovely cupcakes – yolks, sugar, chocolate, oil and she added cake flour AFTER she folded in the whites.
Lovely blog by the way.
Sue – Thank you! The whole flour thing can be tricky, If you mix it too much, then the cake tends to not be as fluffy and light, and more tough and not as yummy. That’s why a lot of cake recipes will say not to over mix your batter once you fold in the flour. I’ve also learned this by trial and error, and find this to be true with cookies, cakes and scones. I hope this answer helps you out:)
Love this! Thanks so much! I’ll be making it tonight :)
I did not see a temperature for the oven. Could you let me know what it is?
Thanks,
Making my daughter a bday cake and she is trying to lose weight so thought I would try this one.
Hi Lisa, Bake this cake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Hope you like it!
Eliza