Angel Food Cake with Strawberries
This angel food cake with strawberries is as light as a cloud! It feels elegant, but couldn’t be simpler to make. Serve it with juicy strawberries and freshly whipped cream for a showstopping dessert.
Servings: 12 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Angel Food Cake
- 12 large egg whites at room temperature
- 1¾ cups sugar
- 1 cup cake flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons cream of tartar
- ⅓ cup warm water
- 2 teaspoons real lemon or orange extract
Optional Toppings
- freshly whipped and sweetened cream
- sliced strawberries or fruit of choice; or strawberry coulis
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Pulse the sugar in a food processor for about 2 minutes, or until it has a superfine texture.
- In a bowl, sift together half of the sugar with cake flour and salt. Set aside. Keep remaining sugar separate.
- In a stand mixer with whisk attachment, combine egg whites, warm water, extract, and cream of tartar. Beat on medium speed until foamy.
- Gradually add the remaining sugar, a little at a time. Continue beating until medium-stiff peaks form; they should be glossy and holding their shape, but should not be dry.
- Sift the flour mixture over the egg whites in small additions. Using a spatula, gently fold after each addition. Take your time here; don’t deflate the batter.
- Pour batter into an ungreased angel food cake pan. Smooth the top lightly.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, until lightly golden and springy to the touch.
- Invert the pan immediately and cool completely on a wire rack for at least 1 hour. Cooling it upside down keeps the cake tall and airy.
- Run a knife around the edges to release. Slice with a serrated knife and serve with whipped cream and fresh strawberries or strawberry coulis.
Notes
- Separate the eggs when cold, otherwise the yolk breaks easily. (Be sure no streaks of egg yolk get into the whites!) Then, let the egg whites get to room temperature before beating; let them sit for about 30 minutes out of the fridge.
- Beat egg whites in a very clean glass or metal bowl without a touch of grease or oil, as fat keeps the whites from getting as fluffy. (Don't use a plastic bowl, as it will retain a bit of oil from previous dishes no matter how well you have washed it.)
- Do not grease the angel food cake pan, as the batter “clings” to the side of the pan as it rises. If you grease it, the batter will slip down the pan instead of rising.
- I generally cut down the sugar content of my desserts drastically; however, in angel food cake, it will not rise as well without the extra sugar. You can cut it down some, but the cake may be denser.
- Do not make this on a rainy or humid day! Moisture in the air can prevent the meringue from whipping properly and affect the rise and texture of the cake.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 166kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.03g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 99mg | Potassium: 122mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 0.2IU | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.1mg
