Angel Food Cake

I had my first baby in June of 1999. I was home all that Summer watching a lot of TV. One of my favorite shows that Summer was Martha Stewart. I would watch and dream of day when I would have the time, energy and money to live that kind of beautiful life. My life has never looked like Martha Stewart’s, but it IS beautiful!

One episode she made this Angel Food Cake from scratch, then made homemade marshmallows and they ended the episode with her roasting her homemade marshmallow over a fire to eat with chocolate and her homemade graham crackers. I have never made the marshmallows or graham crackers, but I wrote down the Angel Food Cake recipe and instructions, and that card still sits in my recipe box. I have NEVER written down a recipe from a show like that before or since. This is the only time I have ever done this!

It has been worth it! Everyone loves this cake, and it comes off as impressive! It is beautiful and delicious! It is important to have a 2 piece cake tube pan with prongs around the top edge allowing you to cool the cake inverted. I was fortunate enough to find mine in a second hand shop for $1 in the late 90’s. I’ve been using it for decades, and it remains one of the best purchases EVER! If you don’t have one buy this CAKE PAN today!

First, preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Then, using a stand mixer with whisk attachment or an electric hand mixer, whip the egg whites. When they are foamy then add the salt and cream of tartar. Continue whipping till they are stiffer and have doubled in size.

While the mixer or beaters are on low, slowly add the sugar. Whip till the egg whites have tripled in size and are stiff and glossy. Next whip in the vanilla and almond extracts.

Sift the flour at least once. VERY carefully fold the flour into the egg whites. Whipped egg whites are very fragile and will easily collapse, so be very gentle while folding in the flour to keep as much of the volume as possible.

Carefully spoon the batter into the 2 piece tube cake pan, and spread evenly.

Use a butter knife moving back and forth through the batter to remove all the air bubbles, and evenly distribute the batter.

Bake in the 275 degree oven for 30 minutes. Without opening the oven, turn the temperature up to 325 degrees and bake for another 30 minutes.

When it is done immediately remove from oven and turn upside down to cool. Cooling inverted is very important to keep it from collapsing. We want to keep it as light and fluffy as possible. Cool inverted for 1 hour. If your pan does not have the prongs up around the edge to hold it up while inverted, then place upside down on a cooling rack so the air will flow underneath while cooling.

Use a butter knife around the edges to remove the cake on the inside piece, then use the knife underneath around the bottom of the insert to remove. Place upside down on a cake plate or stand for cutting and serving.

I most often serve this with berries and whipped cream. I have also cut it in half to fill with lemon curd or other fruit.