Angel Food Cake
1 cup sifted cake flour
1 1/2 cups sifted sugar, divided
1 1/2 cups (about 12 large) egg whites
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat the oven
to325 degrees. Have ready an ungreased large tube pan (9-inch diameter and
16-cup capacity), preferably with a removable bottom. If pan bottom is not
removable, you must line it with parchment or waxed paper, but DO NOT
GREASE or the batter won't be able to climb the sides of the pan and you
will have a very flat angel food cake.
Whisk together the flour and half the sugar in a small bowl. Place the
remaining sugar in another small bowl near the mixer.
Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer at medium-low speed until just
broken up and beginning to froth. Add cream of tartar and salt and beat at
medium speed until whites form very soft, billowy mounds, 2 to 3 minutes.
With the mixer still at medium speed, beat in half the sugar, about 1
tablespoon at a time, until all the sugar is added and the whites are
shiny and form soft peaks, another 2 to 3 minutes.
Add vanilla extract, lemon juice and almond extract and beat for about 30
seconds at highest speed.
Resift the flour/sugar mixture and spoon it over the egg whites, about 3
tablespoons at a time, folding in gently with a large spatula.
Gently scrape batter into pan, smooth top with spatula, and give the pan a
couple of gentle raps on the counter to release any large air bubbles in
the batter.
Bake on lower-middle rack at 325 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes, until cake
is golden brown and top springs back when pressed firmly.
If cake pan has feet, invert pan onto them. If not, invert tube of pan
over neck of bottle (or two stacked wire cookie cooling racks) so air can
circulate all around it. Allow cake to cool completely for 2 to 3 hours.
To unmold, run a thin serrated knife around the edges, being careful to
dislodge as little of the crust as possible. Pull cake out of pan and use
the same technique on the bottom, or peel off parchment or waxed paper if
using. Place cake, bottom side up, on a platter. Cut slices by sawing
gently with a serrated knife. Serves 10 to 12.
Linda
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