Angel Food Cake with Fruit and Whipped Cream

This cake always reminds of one of the jokes that my brother used to tell as a kid.  It goes something like this:

Question:  Why are cooks so mean?
Answer:  Because they beat the eggs and whip the cream.

Insert laughter.

This recipe allows you to be a mean cook (in the best sense), because you get to beat eggs and whip cream.  Why wouldn't you be interested in getting to use your whisk attachment twice in one day?  Sign me up!

I made this cake last week because my cousin was coming over for dinner, and I had recently bought a square angel food cake pan at a tag sale.  I already had a round tube pan, but the bottom of this new pan lifts out for easy serving and, well, it is square.  I hadn't seen a square tube pan before.  All of the ladies running the tag sale, and there seemed to be one in every room, kept telling me that they were wondering who was going to buy that cake pan.  Maybe they were having a moment of tag sale envy?  Anyway, I got the pan home, scrubbed it well, and was ready to bake this cake.  If you haven't tried making an angel food cake from scratch before, I highly recommend that you give it a try.  The hardest part is having the patience to separate the eggs.

You may notice that the picture below of the final product is with mangos instead of berries and whipped cream.  We did eat the cake with berries, whipped cream, and mangos, but I was so busy eating that I forgot to take a picture at the time. 

 

Notes:
Ok, I know the notes section is huge this time, but these tiny details will help your cake to come together more easily. 

Fat/yolks are the enemy of fluffy egg whites.  Make sure that your mixer bowl and whisk are super clean, and grease-free, otherwise, your egg whites may never form peaks.  If you have doubts about whether your bowl and whisk are grease-free, carefully rinse them with some boiling water and wipe them dry.  Also (this is the KEY to working with egg whites) separate your eggs by putting the white into a small bowl, and then the yolk in a separate bowl.  Carefully check the white to make sure that there are no drops of yolk and/or shell pieces in it (you don't want any crunchy surprises in your cake!), and then transfer the whites to the mixer bowl.  Any traces of yolk can prevent the whites from forming peaks, so if you get a drop of yolk in the whites, it is better to just use a new egg (and a new small bowl) than to risk having to start all over again because they won't form peaks due to the yolk contamination.  If you separate the egg whites into a smaller bowl and then transfer them instead of separating them into one larger bowl, it will keep you from having to throw out all of your separated egg whites if you accidentally break the yolk of the 12th egg into your 11 separated egg whites.  If I get some yolk in my small bowl, I put a lid on the bowl, put it in the fridge, and scramble the egg for breakfast the next day. 

It is important to cool angel food cakes upside down so the cake stays airy and doesn't sink back on itself.  If your tube pan doesn't have feet, just flip the cake pan upside down (with the baked cake still in it!), and put a bottle with a longer neck (wine bottles work well) through the hole in the tube pan so that the cake can cool upside down, resting on the bottle, without touching the table.

I like to use frozen (unsweetened) blackberries for the topping, but fresh or frozen strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries would also work.  I serve the cake with just a small dollop of whipped cream and the berry topping.  Or, if I have another ripe fruit in the house (like mangoes or kiwis), I will dice them up and serve them on the side as well.  Also, I like to make the whipped cream in the few minutes before I serve the cake.  For best results, chill the mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer prior to whipping the cream. 

Adapted from Baking at Home with The Culinary Institute of America

Cake Ingredients:
1 cup cake flour
1¼ cups sugar (divided use)
½ teaspoon salt
12 large egg whites
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla extra
1 teaspoon almond extract
zest of half a lemon

Berry Topping:
2 cups frozen (unsweetened) or fresh berries
1 teaspoon lemon juice
zest of half a lemon
1 tablespoon of sugar

Whipped Cream:
½ cup heavy whipping cream
¼ teaspoon vanilla
1-2 tablespoons of sugar

Additional Needs:  UNGREASED footed tube pan or a tube pan plus a long-necked, sturdy bottle.

Make the Cake:
Place a rack at the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350°F.   Sift the cake flour, ¼-cup of sugar, and salt onto a flexible cutting board or a piece of wax or parchment paper.

Place the egg whites with the water in a large mixing bowl (see the notes section for some pointers on separating eggs).  Make sure that there are no traces of shell or yolk in the whites.  Whip the egg whites with the water on low speed until they are foamy.  This will take about 2 minutes.  Add the cream of tartar and continue to whip until the egg whites form medium-soft peaks (2-4 minutes).  Add the vanilla, almond extract, and lemon zest, then slowly add the remaining 1 cup of sugar while whipping.  Continue until the egg whites become glossy and the peaks are medium-firm (about 3-4 minutes).

Using a spatula, carefully fold the sifted flour and sugar mixture into the whipped egg whites.  Transfer the batter into an ungreased angel food/tube pan.  Smooth out the top and drag a butter knife through the batter to remove any air pockets.  Smooth the top again, if desired.  Bake until the top is golden brown, about 40-45 minutes.

Turn the cake upside down and let it cool completely.  Once cool, run a spatula or thin knife around the edges to release the sides of the cake from the pan and gently turn out the cake.  Slice with a serrated knife and serve with fruit and whipped cream.

Prepare the berries:
While the cake cools, mix together the berries, lemon juice and zest, and sugar.  Stir to combine and place, covered, in the refrigerator until serving time.  If you're serving any additional fruit, cut it up and also place it in its own container the fridge until serving time.

Make the Whipped Cream:
Place the heavy whipping cream in a mixing bowl.  Using a whisk attachment, whip the cream at medium speed until it begins to thicken.  Add the vanilla, and the sugar.  Increase the speed, and whip until it forms a medium or firm peak.  Be careful not to over whip, or you will end up with butter. Pin It