Carolyne Roehm

Mother’s Day, May 2006 >> Angel Food Cake

23-Minute Angel
Food Cake
A wave of nostalgia washes over me whenever I make this cake. I have fond memories of my grandmother Beaty serving this to me every year on my birthday. She always hid a small vase in the center and filled it with a bouquet of pansies or narcissus or whatever was thriving in her garden in May. I love to carry on this tradition for my family and friends.

The light and airy angel cake is gussied up a bit with fluffy royal icing to create a treat for all occasions.

23-Minute Angel Food Cake
Serves 8

1 1/2 cups egg whites
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 cup sifted Swansdown cake flour
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 425° F. Heat a 10-inch ungreased tube pan in the oven while making the batter.
Beat egg whites with salt and cream of tartar until stiff but not dry. Sift in granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time.
Sift flour and confectioners’ sugar together 5 times. Fold the flour and confectioners’ sugar by tablespoons into the egg-sugar mixture. Fold in flavoring extracts.
Pour batter into the hot tube pan. Bake for 23 minutes, no longer. Cool in inverted pan.

Icing
1 cup sugar
1 egg white
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon boiling water

Put sugar, egg white, salt, cream of tartar, and almond extract in a mixing bowl. Start mixer and add the boiling water. Beat until spreading consistency.