A Cake That Will Take You to the Heavens

This is the kind of feedback this recipe has received from fans over at King Arthur Flour:

This was the first angel food cake recipe I ever used – and I will never use another one! Light, fluffy and perfectly soft, I’ve made the cake multiple times – as written with strawberries, once with an addition of lemon zest in to the cake and blueberries in the filling (and topped with some limoncello macerated blueberries for serving), and once just plain. All 3 cakes came out perfect and were met with rave reviews. I love this recipe.

It goes to show when you have a great recipe, you can make alterations and it’s still going to be delicious!

Ingredients

CAKE

• 1 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 12 large egg whites
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Original Bakewell Cream or cream of tartar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

FILLING

• 2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, mashed
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin (e.g., Knox)
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 to 4 drops strawberry flavor, optional

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Get out a 10″ angel food pan; do NOT grease the pan.
2. In a small bowl, sift together the flour and confectioners’ sugar. Set aside.
3. Place the egg whites and Bakewell Cream (or cream of tartar) in a large bowl. Whip until foamy at medium speed.
4. When nice and foamy, slowly add the granulated sugar. Increase the mixer speed to high, and beat for 4 to 5 minutes, until the whites are stiff but not dry.
5. Remove the bowl from the mixer and sift 1/3 of the flour/sugar mixture over the meringue. Add the vanilla and salt; fold everything in gently. Repeat with the rest of the flour/sugar mixture, in two more additions.
6. Scrape the batter into the pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and springs back when lightly touched.
7. Cool the cake UPSIDE DOWN over a bottle for 2 hours, or until completely cool. Remove from the pan carefully, and place in the freezer for an additional 2 hours.
8. While the cake is cooling and chilling, prepare the filling. Place the mashed strawberries, sugar and gelatin in a microwave-safe bowl. Stir together, then microwave for 1 minute. This will melt and “bloom” the gelatin.
9. Remove the mixture from the microwave, and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 to 60 minutes, or until thickened.
10. Place the strawberry mixture in the clean bowl of your mixer and pour in the cream, vanilla, and strawberry flavor, if using. Whip until thick.
11. Turn the cake bottom-side up and cut a channel in the cooled cake with a serrated blade. Think of it as digging a moat through the center of the cake, leaving inner and outer walls for support. Be careful not to cut through the bottom of the cake.
12. Dollop the filling in evenly, spreading it over the entire “moat.” Fill to the top, then use the remaining filling to cover the entire cake, like frosting. Place the cake back in the freezer for 2 to 3 hours, or up to overnight.
13. Serve with strawberry sauce or crushed strawberries mixed with sugar, if desired. Store any leftovers, well wrapped, in the freezer or refrigerator.

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