The Best Angel Food Cake

SERVES Serves 10 to 12

TIME 1¼ hours, plus 2 to 3 hours cooling

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

To get an angel food cake recipe for a tall, perfectly shaped cake with a snowy white, tender crumb encased in a thin, delicate, golden crust, we experimented with egg whites, finding no discernable difference in volume between whites beaten at 72 degrees and those taken straight from the refrigerator. What we found key to creating a stable foam for our angel food cake recipe was the speed at which we beat the egg whites, starting at low speed just to break them up into a froth and increasing the speed to medium to form soft, billowy mounds. When large bubbles stop appearing around the edges, this is the point the sugar should be added, a tablespoon at a time. Once all the sugar is added the whites become shiny and form soft peaks when the beater is lifted. This is just right for making the perfect tall, light yet firm angel food cake. To get an angel food cake recipe for a tall, perfectly shaped cake with a snowy white, tender crumb encased in a thin, delicate, golden crust, we experimented with egg whites, finding no discernable difference in volume between whites beaten at 72 degrees and those taken straight from the refrigerator. What we found key to creating a stable foam for our angel food cake recipe was the speed at which we beat the egg whites, starting at low speed just to break them up into a froth and increasing the speed to medium to form soft, billowy mounds. When large bubbles stop appearing around the edges, this is the point the sugar should be added, a tablespoon at a time. Once all the sugar is added the whites become shiny and form soft peaks when the beater is lifted. This is just right for making the perfect tall, light yet firm angel food cake.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup (4 ounces) cake flour, sifted

1 ½ cups sifted granulated sugar (10 ½ ounces)

12 large egg whites (1 ¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons)

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

¼ teaspoon table salt

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice

½ teaspoon almond extract

note: BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Sift both the cake flour and the granulated sugar before measuring to eliminate any lumps and ensure the lightest possible texture.

Directions at americastestkitchen.com

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