I recently tired making one of these to pass (yet another) day in self-isolation. I knew of it’s reputation for being a difficult and finicky cake to master. I’ve got to be honest- as long as you have the correct Angel Food/ Tube cake pan it’s a breeze. The recipe is a classic standard and sure it can be found with ease on Google. I’m posting it here for convenience as I’ve had a number of people inquiring about it.

A final parting word. Despite it’s fabled complication in the kitchen the cake itself is quite easy and well worth the effort. In my opinion it hands down beats any Japanese Souffle Cheesecake.

Angel Food Cake Checklist

• Always use Cake Flour (see note below)
• Always use room temperature egg whites
• Always whisk/ sift the flour to aerate it
• Always leave the cake pan ungreased
• Always FOLD the mixtures together, do not beat
• Always invert the baked cake straight out of the oven
• Always allow to fully cool before removing from tin
• Always use a serrated knife to cut cake slices to avoid squashing the crust

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups Cake flour*
• 2 cups sugar, divided
• 14 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Special Equipment

• 10″ Angel Food/ Tube cake pan

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and 1 cup sugar. Set aside until later
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites at medium speed until foamy
4. Add remaining 1 cup sugar. Increase mixer speed to high and immediately add cream of tartar and salt. Add vanilla extract, and beat until peaks form
5. Transfer egg white mixture to a clean and dry large bowl. Gently fold in flour mixture in 4 additions just until combined. Transfer the batter to an ungreased 10-inch removable-bottom tube pan. Run a sharp knife through batter to remove any hidden air pockets, and smooth the top level
6. Bake until cake is firm to the touch and an instant-read thermometer inserted near center registers 205°F (96°C) to 210°F (99°C), about 40 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and immediately invert pan** and let cool completely.
8. When cool turn cake-side up and using an offset spatula, loosen cake from sides and remove bottom/ cake insert from pan surround. Loosen cake from bottom and tube by same method. Invert onto a cake plate and serve, cut using a serrated knife
   

   Served with blueberry & gin compote and peaches

   *When I was making this I discovered I didn’t have cake flour to hand. A frustration-saving substitution for cake flour is as follows

   For 1 cup of cake flour- 1 cup of All Purpose flour but remove 2 tablespoons of it. Add in 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and sift the mixture twice. Remeasure 1 cup of the resulting mix as 1 cup of cake flour. DO NOT use All purpose flour on it’s on in this recipe – your cake will have a texture verging on bread!

**Some Angel Food/ Tube cake pans come with pronged feet attached which allow for inverted cooling. If yours doesn’t have them (like mine) then invert the baked cake tin tube onto a narrow wine bottle neck or spirits miniature bottle (some balancing or leaning against something may be required)