Angel Cake Recipes

ANGEL FOOD CAKE I

Steps:

• Beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks, and then add cream of tartar, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
• Sift together flour, sugar, and salt. Repeat five times.
• Gently combine the egg whites with the dry ingredients, and then pour into an ungreased 10 inch tube pan.
• Place cake pan in a cold oven. Turn the oven on; set it to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Cook for about one hour, or until cake is golden brown.
• Invert cake, and allow it to cool in the pan. When thoroughly cooled, remove from pan.

ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Adjust the oven rack to the lower middle position and preheat oven to 325°F (163°C).
• In a food processor or blender, pulse the sugar until fine and powdery. Remove 1 cup and set aside to use in step 3; keep the rest inside the food processor. Add the cake flour and salt to the food processor. Pulse 5-10 times until sugar/flour/salt mixture is aerated and light.
• In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip egg whites and cream of tartar together on medium-low until foamy, about 1 minute. Switch to medium-high and slowly add the 1 cup of sugar you set aside. Whip until soft peaks form, about 5-6 minutes. See photo and video above for a visual. Add the vanilla extract, then beat just until incorporated.
• In 3 additions, slowly sift the flour mixture into the egg white mixture using a fine mesh strainer, gently folding with a rubber spatula after each addition. To avoid deflating or a dense cake, don't add the flour mixture all at once. Sift and very slowly fold in several additions. This is important! Pour and spread batter into an ungreased 9 or 10 inch tube pan. Shimmy the pan on the counter to smooth down the surface.
• Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 40-45 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through baking. The cake will rise up very tall while baking. Remove from the oven, then cool the cake completely upside-down set on a wire rack, about 3 hours. (Upside-down so the bottom of the tube pan is right-side up, see photo and video above.) Once cooled, run a thin knife around the edges and gently tap the pan on the counter until the cake releases.
• If desired, dust with confectioners' sugar. Slice the cake with a sharp serrated knife. Regular knives can easily squish the cake. Serve with whipped cream and fresh berries.
• Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

THE BEST ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Whisk the sugar, cream of tartar and salt together in a medium bowl.
• Add the egg whites and 2 tablespoons water to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment. Beat on low speed until the whites are foamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and slowly sprinkle in the sugar mixture (this should take about 3 minutes). Watching closely, continue beating until medium-soft peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes longer. (You want the mixture to droop when lifted out of the bowl. If the peaks stand straight up, you have taken it too far and the cake will sink during baking). Add the vanilla and mix until just combined.
• Remove the mixing bowl from the stand and working in three additions, very gently fold the flour into the egg whites until just incorporated. Spoon the batter into an ungreased 10-inch footed angel food cake pan and smooth the top.
• Bake until the top is golden and springs back when touched and a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and place the cake upside-down on a wire rack to cool completely in the pan, about 3 hours.
• Run a knife or a small offset spatula around the edges of the pan and gently tap it on the counter until it releases from the pan. Use a sharp serrated knife to slice the cake -- a regular knife will smash it. Serve with berries and whipped cream.

ANGEL CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Butter a 25 x 20cm baking tin, and line the base with baking parchment. Stack a sheet of baking parchment over a sheet of foil, then fold in half so the parchment is facing out. Use this to divide the tin into three sections crosswise, each about 8cm wide.
• Melt the butter, remove from the heat and set aside. Put the sugar and eggs in a large heatproof bowl over a pan of just simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water. Beat using an electric whisk until really thick and pale, about 4-5 mins.
• Add a fifth of the mixture to the melted butter and mix to combine. Pour the butter mixture into the egg mixture, and carefully fold in along with the flour. Divide the mixture between three bowls. Leave one bowl of batter plain, then fold a drop each of pink food colouring and raspberry extract into the second bowl, and a drop each of yellow food colouring and lemon extract into the third bowl.
• Carefully pour one of the batters into each of the three sections in the prepared tin. Bake for 12-15 mins until cooked through, or a skewer inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean. Leave to cool slightly in the tin, then carefully transfer the three cakes to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
• To make the buttercream, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla and milk together for 5 mins with an electric whisk until pale and creamy. To assemble the cake, put the plain sponge on a board and spread with half the buttercream. Top with the raspberry sponge, then spread with the remaining buttercream and top with the lemon sponge. Trim the sides so they're straight, even and neat.
• To make the fondant icing, sift the sugar into a bowl and mix with 1½-3 tbsp water until you have a thick, droppable icing. Transfer a quarter of the icing to a second bowl, and mix in a drop of pink food colouring. Transfer the pink icing to a piping bag.
• Spread the plain fondant icing over the top of the lemon sponge, making sure it doesn't drip down the sides. Pipe thin lines of pink icing on top across the width of the cake, space apart. Drag a cocktail stick through the lines lengthways to create a marbled effect. Leave to set slightly, then slice the cake into six even rectangles.

ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees, with rack in lower third but not on bottom shelf. Prepare a 10-inch angel-food-cake pan: Using the pan as your guide, cut a circle from a piece of parchment paper; use it to line bottom of pan. Using a sieve, sift flour and 1/2 cup sugar onto another piece of parchment.
• Set sieve over a bowl, and return mixture to sieve; sift again and set aside.
• Place egg whites in a large mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed until frothy, about 1 minute. Add the cream of tartar, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt; continue beating until soft peaks form, about 2 1/2 minutes. With mixer running, add remaining cup sugar a little at a time, beating no longer than 1 minute.
• Raise speed to medium-high; continue beating until firm, but not stiff, peaks form (when beater is lifted, only the tip of the peak should fall over slightly). Gently transfer egg-white mixture to a large, wide bowl. Sprinkle a third of the reserved flour mixture over the whites. Using a whisk, gently combine in a folding motion, allowing batter to fall through the whisk as you fold. Sprinkle remaining flour mixture over whites in two more batches; fold until just combined. Be careful not to overmix because the egg whites will deflate.
• Using a large rubber spatula, transfer batter to prepared pan. Run a knife gently through the center of the batter to remove any large air bubbles. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean and cake is springy to the touch, 45 to 50 minutes.
• Remove pan from oven and invert onto its legs, making sure cake clears the surface of the counter. (If using a tube pan, invert it and hang over the neck of a bottle.) Let cool completely, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. To remove cake, reinvert pan, top side up. Run a knife around the inner and outer edges of the cake before releasing the bottom. Cake will keep up to 2 days at room temperature in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic. To serve, slice with a serrated knife.

EASY ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Sift flour and 1/2 cup sugar together four times; set aside. In a bowl, combine egg whites, cream of tartar, extracts and salt; beat on high until soft peaks form but mixture is still moist and glossy. Add remaining sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour mixture, a fourth at a time, over the egg white mixture; fold in gently, using about 15 strokes for each addition. Spoon batter into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan (pan will be very full). Bake at 375° for 35-40 minutes or until top crust is golden brown and cracks feel dry. Immediately invert cake in pan to cool completely. Loosen sides of cake from pan and remove.

BEST ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Sift 1/2 cup sugar and flour together twice; set aside. , Place oven rack in the lowest position. Preheat oven to 350°. Add cream of tartar, extracts and salt to egg whites; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, beating on high until stiff peaks form. Gradually fold in flour mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time., Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake until lightly browned and entire top appears dry, 35-40 minutes. Immediately invert pan; cool completely, about 1 hour. , Run a knife around side and center tube of pan. Remove cake to a serving plate.

ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Sift confectioners' sugar and flour together twice; set aside. , Add the cream of tartar, extracts and salt to egg whites; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add granulated sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, beating on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Gradually fold in flour mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time., Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through the batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake on the lowest oven rack at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned and entire top appears dry. Immediately invert pan; cool completely, about 1 hour. , Run a knife around side and center tube of pan. Remove cake to a serving plate.

HOMEMADE ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift cake flour and confectioners sugar together 5 times and set aside.
• In a large clean bowl, whip egg whites with a pinch of salt until foamy. Add cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar while beating, and continue to beat until very stiff. Add vanilla.
• Quickly fold in flour mixture. Pour into a 10 inch tube pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes.

ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• About 30 minutes before making the cake, place an egg separator over a small bowl. Crack each egg over the egg separator to separate the whites from the yolk. (save the yolks for another recipe.) Transfer egg whites to a 2-cup measuring cup until there are 1 1/2 cups of egg whites.
• Place the egg whites in a clean large bowl, and let stand at room temperature up to 30 minutes.*
• Move the oven rack to the lowest position; remove other oven rack. Heat the oven to 375°F. In a medium bowl, mix the powdered sugar and flour; set aside.
• Add the cream of tartar to the egg whites; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until mixture looks foamy. On high speed, beat in the granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time; add the vanilla, almond extract and salt with the last addition of sugar. Continue beating until meringue is stiff and glossy. Do not underbeat.
• Sprinkle the powdered sugar-flour mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, over the meringue; to fold in, use a rubber spatula to cut down vertically through the batter, then slide the spatula across the bottom of the bowl and up the side just until sugar-flour mixture disappears. When all sugar-flour mixture has been folded in, spoon the batter into an ungreased 10x4-inch angel food (tube) cake pan. Using a metal spatula or knife, gently cut through the batter, spreading batter gently against side of pan and tube, to break large air pockets.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until cracks in cake feel dry and top springs back when touched lightly. Immediately turn pan upside down onto a heatproof funnel or bottle. Let cake hang about 2 hours or until completely cool.
• Remove pan from funnel. Loosen the cake by running a knife or long metal spatula between the cake and side of pan. Place a serving plate upside down on pan; turn plate and pan over together and remove pan. (If pan has a removable bottom, remove side of pan, then carefully run a knife or long metal spatula between cake and pan bottom. Carefully remove bottom.) To cut cake, use a long serrated knife in a sawing motion, or use an electric knife.

LOAF PAN ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the bottom of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with aluminum foil, allowing the foil to hang over the long sides by at least 1 inch. Do not grease the pans.
• Whisk together the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• Whisk the egg whites in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment at medium speed just until they start to look foamy, for 30 seconds. Add the lemon juice and cream of tartar and beat on high speed until soft peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Gradually add the sugar in a slow, steady stream and beat until thickened and shiny, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the orange extract and vanilla bean seeds, then decrease to the lowest speed. Add the flour and salt mixture in a steady stream and beat until just combined.
• Turn off the mixer as soon as all the flour is added. Fold the mixture with a rubber spatula once or twice to make sure the flour is fully incorporated. Divide the mixture evenly between the two prepared pans.
• Bake on the bottom rack of the oven until puffed and slightly golden brown on top, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool the cakes upside down by balancing the edges of each pan on two cans or jars, 15 to 20 minutes. Once completely cooled, remove the cakes from the pan, peel off the foil and serve.