Angel Food Cake with Strawberries

You know those blogs who post a TON of pictures of one stupid cake?

Seriously, who do they think they are?

 

The queen of the universe?

I mean, one picture is all it takes. Maybe two.

I would never...

 

 Until I made this cake. 

My 2 lbs (for under $2 this week - I love Spring!) of strawberries were ripening much faster than I anticipated. It drove me nuts. You see, I wasn't planning on using them until a few days later, and I already had a dessert on the fridge destroying my afternoon snack on a daily basis. 

Oh wait, did I say destroying?

I meant rocking.

If you run your miles, you can enjoy every morsel, my friends.

Anyway, off to the store I went for the DOZEN eggs needed to make this blessed dessert. After I came home, and started the cake, I thought things were going pretty well. Unfortunately, my blonde ways came to the forefront, and I got halfway through medium-peaking my egg whites before I noticed I didn't have enough cream of tartar. I wanted to slam my head against the fridge - I had JUST been at the store a half hour before. 

Even happen to you? No? Please tell me yes.

Thankfully, a dear friend was clutch, providing me with enough cream of tartar to continue with my very first attempt at making angel food cake. (Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!) 

For the recipe, I turned to one of the Food Network Lords: THE Mr. Alton Brown. I've honestly never made a recipe of his that hasn't turned out perfectly. The man's a genius. 

Making this cake, oh man - it was an art, really. It has the most beautiful consistency, and the batter is light as a feather. I sliced up my strawberries, made a quick frosting (I know this cake is typically dolloped with whipped cream, but play pretend with me just this once? I had no heavy whipping cream lying around), and heated up some strawberry jam to pour over the slices.

It was divine.  

 

Angel Food Cake 

makes one bundt, serves a thousand toddlers

Ingredients:

1 3/4 C sugar

1/4 t salt

1 C cake flour, sifted

12 egg whites (room temperature) 

1/3 C warm water

1 t almond extract

1 1/2 t cream of tartar

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. 

2. In a food processor, spin sugar about 2 minutes until a powder forms. Split the sugar powder in half, and mix one half with the salt and cake flour. Set the other half aside for later. 

 3. In a large bowl, use a large whisk to thoroughly combine (until foamy) egg whites, water, almond extract, and cream of tartar. After a couple minutes, switch to mixer fitted with whisk attachment. 

4. Slowly sift the reserved sugar onto egg mixture, beat continuously at medium speed until you reach medium peaks. 

5. Once you have reached medium peaks, sift enough flour mixture on the surface of egg mixture to cover (small layer). Fold in with spatula. Repeat again with remaining flour mixture. Continue until all is incorporated.

6. Carefully spoon mixture into an ungreased tube/bundt pan. Bake for 35 minutes - check with toothpick for doneness. Yes, that's a word now. Cool in pan, cake-side up for an hour before moving from pan. 

7. Serve with fresh strawberries, whipping cream or vanilla frosting, and warm jam for dripping. 

Recipe source: Alton Brown, Food Network