The Best Angel Food Cake

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 1 cup sifted cake flour (3.5 oz.)
• 1 1/2 cups sifted granulated sugar
• 12 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Recipe

• 1 heat oven to 325 degrees.
• 2 have ready an ungreased 9 3/4-inch angelfood cake pan, preferably with a removable bottom, or use parchment or wax paper to line bottom of pan with nonremovable bottom.
• 3 in a small bowl, combine flour with 3/4 cup sugar.
• 4 place remaining 3/4 cup sugar next to the mixer.
• 5 use a whisk to completely combine and aerate flour/sugar mixture.
• 6 in a large, grease-free mixing bowl, beat egg whites at low speed until just broken up and beginning to froth.
• 7 add cream of tartar and salt and beat at medium speed until whites form very soft, billowy mounds.
• 8 with the mixer still at medium speed, beat in 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until all sugar is added and whites are shiny and form soft peaks.
• 9 add vanilla, lemon juice, and almond extract and beat until just blended.
• 10 place flour/sugar mixture in a sifter set over waxed paper.
• 11 sift flour mixture over egg whites about 3 tablespoons at a time, and gently fold it in, using a large rubber spatula, a large flat whisk, or your hand.
• 12 gently scrape batter into pan, smooth the top, and give pan a couple of raps on the counter to release any large air bubbles.
• 13 bake in lower third of oven for 50 to 60 minutes until cake is golden brown and the top springs back when pressed firmly.
• 14 if cake pan has feet, invert pan onto them.
• 15 if not, invert pan over the neck of a bottle so that air can circulate all around it.
• 16 allow to cool completely for 2 to 3 hours before removing from pan.
• 17 to unmold, run a knife or thin spatula around edges, being careful not to dislodge the golden crust.
• 18 pull cake out of pan and cut the same way around removable bottom under the cake to release, or peel off parchment or wax paper, if used.
• 19 cool cake completely, bottom side up.
• 20 when completely cold, cut slices by sawing gently with a serrated knife or pulling with a taut thread through the cake.
• 21 serve cake the same day or freeze overnight if serving the next day.
• 22 (cake may be frozen for up to 2 weeks, but will compress slightly.).