Angel Food Cake

Angel Food Cake is a very soft and light dessert characterized by its airy consistency, which is obtained thanks to the egg whites whipped to stiff peaks. Here’s how to prepare it.

Ingredients

• 12 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar (or lemon juice as an alternative)
• 300 g of granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 160 g of cake flour (or 00 flour sifted with a pinch of baking powder and cornstarch)
• A pinch of salt

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. In a large bowl, whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar and a pinch of salt until soft peaks form.
3. Gradually add 200 g of sugar, continuing to whip until stiff and glossy peaks form. Incorporate the vanilla extract.
4. In another bowl, sift the flour with the remaining 100 g of sugar.
5. Gently fold the flour and sugar mixture into the whipped egg whites, one spoonful at a time, being careful not to deflate the mixture.
6. Pour the batter into an angel food cake pan (or a pan with a central hole) that is not greased.
7. Bake in the oven for about 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
8. Invert the pan immediately after removing it from the oven and let it cool completely upside down before unmolding the cake. This step helps the cake not to collapse during cooling.
9. When the cake is cold, gently run a spatula along the edges of the pan to release the cake and then unmold it gently.

Fun Facts

The Angel Food Cake takes its name from its light texture like “the clouds of paradise”. It is often contrasted with Devil’s Food Cake, which is a very dense and moist chocolate dessert. You can serve it with a dusting of powdered sugar, perhaps accompanied by fresh fruit or a chocolate sauce to contrast its ethereal sweetness with an extra touch of flavor.