Angel Food Cake (uses egg whites, no yolks)
from Betty Crocker's Picture Cookbook, 1950s edition

"Light as air. . . fluffy as a cloud."

Angel food cake is a type of cake that became popular in the U.S. in the late 19th century (perhaps of Pennsylvania-Dutch heritage), about the same time as mass-produced bakeware hit the popular market. It is sometimes referred to as Angel Cake and named because of its airy lightness is said to be the "food of the angels." Angel food cake is made with egg whites only, no yolks, and requires that the egg whites be whipped until they are stiff, and gently folded into the other ingredients. For this method of leavening to work well, it is useful to have flour that has been made of softer wheat. This — and the lack of fat — causes angel food cake to have a very light texture and taste. Cream of tartar makes the mixture more acidic, forming a favorable environment for the egg white protein bonds.

If the idea of 12 egg whites overwhelms you, remember they freeze well. Stockpile them in your freezer when preparing recipes that call for egg yolks only. . . Work quickly and gently when making angel food cake. If the batter is overmixed, it will lose volume and the final product will be tough. Remember that the cake must cool upside down to maintain its volume and prevent collapsing.

Angel food cake needs to be baked in a tube pan, not a regular bundt or cake pan. Angel food cake batter, being light and airy, relies on the pan's sides to cling to and support its rise. The tube pan's design, with its tall sides and inner tube, allows the cake to "climb" and cling to the pan while baking. Bundt pans have crevices that can cause the cake to stick and make it difficult to remove, and they may not allow for proper rise. It's crucial not to grease the tube pan, as the batter needs to cling to the sides for proper rising and structure.

Angel food cake should be cut with a serrated knife, as a solid blade tends to compress the cake rather than slice it.

For a light summer dessert, accompany cake slices with fruit sauce or sliced fresh fruit (see suggestions below). If you have leftovers, slices of angel food cake make delicious French Toast.

Loaf Pans: King Arthur Flour has a similar recipe, just a little more sugar in theirs, and they bake it in two 8x4" loaf pans. Do not forget: do not butter the pans and turn the pans upside down to cool so they do not collapse on themselves.

King Arthur Flours Nutrition: 1 slice: 227 calories, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 416mg sodium, 28g carbohydrate (22g sugars, 0 fiber), 26g protein. Eight slices in each loaf.

1 cup cake flour (I substituted 3/4 cup flour + 2 Tbsp. flour + 2 Tbsp. corn starch)
7/8 cup granulated sugar
12 (1 1/2 cup) egg whites
1 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract, if desired
3/4 cup more sugar

Preheat oven to 375° F. Get out but do NOT grease 10" tube pan, 4" deep. The pans are not greased, so the delicate structure can grab onto the pan sides as the steam forms and the air bubbles increase.

Bring your egg whites to room temperature for the best volume; the protein bonds will be more relaxed and the foam higher. This is important: the bowl and all utensils which come in contact with egg whites must be totally clean and free of grease. Fat will destroy the foam by interfering with the protein bonds of the egg white.

Measure the cake flour and 7/8 cup sugar and sift together 3 times.

Measure the egg whites, cream of tartar, salt, vanilla and almond extract into a large mixing bowl; beat with a wire whip [or use electric mixer] until almost stiff. Start beating egg whites slowly, then gradually increase the speed of the mixer.

Gradually add the 3/4 cup sugar, 2 Tbsp. at a time. Continue beating until merinque holds stiff peaks. Sift the flour and sugar mixture over gradually, and fold in gently with a spatula just until the flour-sugar mixture disappears each time. Do not overmix.

Push batter into ungreased tube pan and smooth top. Gently cut through batter with a knife in widening circle, to break up air bubbles. Angel Food cakes must be baked as soon as the batter is finished.

Bake until cake is a pale, creamy brown color, top springs back when gently touched with finger (no imprint will remain), and a wooden skewer in the center comes out clean (30 - 35 minutes).

Cool upside down in pan. This stretches the protein bonds as they cool so the cake doesn't collapse. Don't worry - the cake won't fall out of the pan as it cools. If pan does not have its own feet, invert pan over the neck of a bottle or balance on 4 small ramekins.

To serve, gently remove from pan, releasing sides with a knife. Slice with a serrated knife. Good eaten plain, or decorate and serve as desired. Macerated Strawberries and Fresh Raspberry Sauce are great toppings in spring and summer, when fresh strawberries and raspberries are at their best, with a little whipped cream. In the summer, top with Maine Blueberry Sauce and a little whipped cream.

Serves 10 - 12

Variations:

Filled Angel Food Cake

To fill an angel food cake, cut 1 inch off top of cake using a serrated knife; set top of cake aside. Hollow out bottom of cake using a small knife, leaving a 1-inch-thick shell; reserve torn cake for another use. Fill with whipped cream and berries, or other filling. Chocolate whipped cream would be good. Replace top layer of cake. Frost if desired or sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.

Chocolate Marble Angel Food

Follow recipe above except omit almond extract. Divide batter into 2 parts. To one half the batter, fold in 2 Tbsp. sifted cocoa. Drop by spoonfuls into pan, alternating white and chocolate batter. Cut through batter several times.

Chocolate Angel Food

Follow recipe above except substitute 1/4 cup cocoa for 1/4 cup of the flour (sift 3 times). Omit almond.

Gold-Silver Angel Food (marbled)

Follow the recipe above, but omit flavoring. Divide batter into 2 parts. Fold into 1 part, 4 well beaten egg yolks and 1 tsp. lemon extract. Fold 1 tsp. vanilla into the other part. Drop by spoonfuls into pan, alternating white and yellow batter. Cut through batter with knife going around 5 or 6 times.

Peppermint Angel Food

Follow the recipe above, and add 1 tsp. peppermint extract for a few drops of peppermint oil as flavoring. Add few drops of red or green food coloring.

Cherry Angel Food Cake

Follow the recipe above, except at the last, fold in 1/2 cup maraschino cherries drained on paper towel (or pineappe or other fruit). Add 1/2 cup chopped nuts, if desired.

Chocolate Chip Angel Food Cake

Fold in 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips at the last, or other chopped chocolate.