The secrets to heavenly angel food cake.
One of angel food cake’s many miracles is how its impressive volume is achieved minus the benefit of an all-important leavening agent such as baking powder or baking soda.
Instead, it’s just the egg whites — and air, and heat — that do the work of making the batter ascend in the pan, creating that delicate crumb that sets angel food apart from its leavened cake brethren.
Although humidity is not its friend (when dew points go high, this is a cake that should be made and enjoyed on the same day), angel food truly shines when the weather turns warm. Anyone who shows up at a picnic armed with an angel food cake earns automatic star status.
TIPS:
Superfine is essential: Plain-old granulated sugar can result in a heavy-ish cake. Superfine sugar is the way to go because it dissolves much more quickly, which helps keep the egg whites from deflating. It’s easy to make. Using a food processor fitted with a metal blade, process granulated sugar, a cup or two at a time. Give it a few pulses until it’s powdery, and, ta da: homemade superfine sugar.
Separate carefully: Don’t allow even a shred of egg yolk to sneak into the egg whites; yolks impede and can downright prevent whites from forming the peaks essential to angel food cake success. Separate the whites and yolks while the eggs are well chilled, then allow the whites to warm to room temperature.
Keep it clean: All bowls (metal are best), whisks, spatulas and other kitchen tools that come into contact with egg whites must be completely fat-free. Best to wipe all equipment with a white-vinegar-dampened paper towel.
Flip it: Skip the cooling-upside-down portion of the recipe at your peril. The cake’s weight can pull it down, reducing its showy height and compressing its impressively spongy texture.
Be patient: Yes, the sugar-flour mixture must be carefully incorporated into the egg whites, in stages. If done at all once, the weight will cause the egg whites to deflate.
Don’t toss the yolks: Save them for a lemon curd, or ice cream, or custard, or pudding; just use them within two days. Or freeze them; just whisk a small amount of salt or sugar (1/8 teaspoon salt, for savory uses, or 1 ½ teaspoons sugar, for sweet uses, per ¼ cup yolks) before freezing.
Classic Angel Food Cake
2 cups superfine sugar, divided use 1 1/3 cups cake flour 1 ½ cups egg whites (about 12 large eggs), at room temperature
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest (from about 2 lemons) Confectioners’ sugar glaze, fresh berries and/or whipped cream, for serving, optional
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine ½ cup sugar with flour, and sift 4 times. Reserve.
In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine egg whites and salt. Add cream of tartar by sifting it over the egg whites. Whisk on low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase to mediumhigh speed and whisk until eggs begin to form soft peaks, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Reduce speed to medium and gradually add remaining 1 ½ cups sugar (sprinkling it over egg whites, 2 tablespoons at a time) and continue whisking until egg whites are thick, fluffy and glossy but not dry, about 2 to 4 minutes. Add vanilla extract and lemon zest and continue to whisk until very thick, about 30 additional seconds.
Transfer mixture to a large, shallow bowl. Evenly sift about ¼ of the reserved sugar-flour mixture over the egg whites and, using a rubber spatula, gently fold it into the batter. Repeat with remaining sugar flour mixture, adding and folding in fourths until all is incorporated.
Gently transfer batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan with a removable bottom. Run a thin-bladed knife through the batter (to release any air bubbles) and, using a rubber spatula, smooth the top. Bake until cake is lightly browned and springs back from a light touch, 35 to 40 minutes.
Remove from the oven, and immediately turn pan upside down on a wire rack (if pan doesn’t have legs, invert it over the neck of a wine or other long-necked bottle). Cool cake, upside down, for at least 2 hours.
When ready to serve, turn pan right side up and run a long, sharp, thin-bladed knife along the edges and the center tube. Give cake a gentle shake to loosen it from the pan, and invert to a plate or rack. Using a small metal spatula, separate the cake from the pan’s bottom and center core, then invert again so cake is right side up. Slice, using a serrated knife, and serve with fresh berries (or a fruit compote) and freshly whipped cream. The cake can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.