Conventional thinking tells us a tube pan is essential for angel food cake, but this beautiful Angel Food Cake proves that cast iron can handle just about anything.
Angel Food Cake
Makes 1 (10-inch) cake
Ingredients
- 1½ cups cake flour*
- 2 cups sugar, divided
- 1½ cups egg whites, room temperature (about 11 large)
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Sweetened whipped cream and fresh berries, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Cut a circle of parchment paper to fit in bottom of a 4-quart straight-sided cast-iron Dutch oven. Lightly spray paper with cooking spray; press paper, spray side down, in bottom of pot, being careful not to get spray on sides of pot.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and1 cup sugar.
- In a large bowl, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt with a mixer at medium-high speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase mixer speed to high; gradually add remaining1 cup sugar. Add vanilla, and beat until stiff, shiny peaks form.
- Sift one-third of flour mixture onto egg white mixture; gently fold together with a large rubber spatula until just combined. Repeat procedure twice. Gently spread batter into prepared pot, spreading batter slightly higher in center of pot.
- Bake until top of cake is golden brown and springs back when gently touched in the center, about 1 hour. Immediately invert cake in pot onto a wire rack. Let cool completely.
- Using a long, thin flexible spatula, run spatula around sides of pot to loosen cake. Invert onto serving platter; gently peel off parchment. Serve with whipped cream and berries.
Notes
• KITCHEN TIP •[br]This recipe works with both enameled and traditional seasoned cast-iron Dutch ovens. Once the cake is cooled, you might notice that it has slightly settled in the center; this is normal. We like to spread the whipped cream on the cake, reminiscent of a pavlova.[br][br][i]*We used Swans Down.[/i]
