Heavenly Angel Food Cake

Next on our list, Angel food cake—this is something that I feel most people have been deprived of.  People are either scared of trying to make it or they have had a bad experience In the past with it so they have sworn it off.  I will say that there are a few tricks to making this cake and both my mother and grandmother let me in on; I will share them as we continue.  I will say that this cake takes patients and it was a good thing for me because that is something that I do not have much of.

Heavenly Angel Food Cake—Betty Crocker

Prep Time: 20 min
Total Time: 2 hours 55 min
Makes: 16 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cups cake flour
• 1 1/2 cups egg whites (12)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Move oven rack to lowest position. Heat oven to 375ºF. Make sure that your eggs are at room temperature, this will make separating the egg whites easier.
2. Mix powdered sugar and flour; set aside. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until foamy. Beat in granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, on high speed, adding vanilla, almond extract and salt with the last addition of sugar. Continue beating until stiff and glossy meringue forms. Do not under beat. *According to my mom and grandma you should sift the powdered sugar and flour together three times.  This makes really soft and fluffy.
3. Sprinkle sugar-flour mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, over meringue, folding in just until sugar-flour mixture disappears. Push batter into ungreased angel food cake pan (tube pan), 10x4 inches. Cut gently through batter with metal spatula.
4. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until cracks feel dry and top springs back when touched lightly.
5. Immediately turn pan upside down onto heatproof funnel or bottle. Let hang about 2 hours or until cake is completely cool.
6. Loosen side of the cake with a knife or long, metal spatula; remove from pan.

During this weekend, we ran out of sugar and I volunteered to run to the grocery store because you get to go into town…but oh no.  Guess what my mom had down in the basement, that’s right, a 25-pound bag of sugar.  I mean really, who has this besides a bakery.  I told my mom we should put stock in sugar and flower as much as we use the two.

In the end, this weekend was a fun experience, I am glad I didn’t go to the lake after all.  I might need to do a few extra crunches or swim some laps, but homemade dessert is something that I will never pass up.