Linda's Angel Food Cake

This recipe comes from my mother-in-law, Linda. I like this cake because the texture is a bit heavier than most traditional angel food cakes. It holds up well under a pile of beautiful seasonal berries and a dollop of whipped cream. If you want to present a special cake for a special occasion, why not give this lovely dessert a try?

Bon Appetit!

Tips:

You will need an angel food cake pan for this recipe. You will also need a very large glass or stainless steel bowl when beating the egg whites.

When breaking the eggs, separate the yolks from the whites. I do this over a drinking glass in case the yolk breaks. If the yolk breaks, discard. If any egg yolk gets in your egg whites, your eggs will not reach a stiff peak result. Make sure your egg whites are room temperature!!!

Preparation time is 25 minutes. Bake time is 35 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup sifted flour
1/2 cup sifted sugar
2 cups egg whites (approximately 14 large eggs), room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/3 cup sifted sugar

Directions:

Sift flour and 1/2 cup sugar together; set aside. Combine extracts in a small bowl; set aside. In a large glass or stainless steel bowl, beat on high speed the egg whites with the cream of tartar until stiff peaks form when the beaters are lifted from the eggs. Add 1 1/3 cup sifted sugar, two tablespoons at a time (or very gradually) until blended. Add extracts and flour/sugar mixture gradually on medium to low speed until blended. With a spatula, gently fold in the batter, going around the sides and bottom of the bowl for better blending. Spoon into an angel food cake pan. Move a butter knife through the batter to remove air pockets.

Bake at 350F for about 35 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly with finger. Invert pan onto tin funnel (or pan prongs) to cool completely (approximately 2 hours). To remove the cake from the pan, run a knife around the rim of the cake pan just to get the 'crust' away from the pan. Then firmly spank the sides of your pan. If needed, use the knife to further release the cake. Invert onto your serving plate, and then take the knife to the now top (which was the bottom of your pan) and gently cut the cake away from the pan insert. Tap and/or shake downward the cake onto the plate, releasing it from the center tube. It serves sixteen. Calories 125, Fat 0.1 grams.