sifting flour and sugar for gluten free angel food cake
whipped egg whites with glossy peaks
angel food cake batter
Gluten free angel food cake. Note how it pulls away from the side when done.
Invert angel food cake on a mug to cool.
Gluten free angel food cake.
Loosely cover angel food cake for best results.
Angel food cake melts in your mouth like cotton candy and has a light spongy texture. Made with a dozen whipped egg whites, calorie counters appreciate this scrumptious low fat dessert. Delicious served as is or accompanied with berries. This recipe is gluten free.
Ingredients: 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons sifted gluten free flour* 1 ½ cup sifted sugar, divided 1 cup and ½ cup 1 ½ cup egg whites (10 to 12 large eggs) 2 ½ tablespoons lemon juice 1 ½ teaspoon cream of tartar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon almond extract ½ teaspoon salt
* Use a gluten free all-purpose flour that does not include leavening agents such as baking powder or baking soda. Gluten free baking mixes for pancakes are not the right product. Removing the two tablespoons from the cup of flour and sifting many times creates the equivalent of cake flour.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
Separate the egg whites right out of the fridge, then set aside to warm to room temperature. Egg whites whip up to the desired consistency easier when they are warm, while separating from the yolk is easier when cold. Save the egg yolks and make custard pudding.
Sift the flour two times. Use two bowls and transfer it back and forth. Add the ½ cup sifted sugar and sift together four more times. Set aside the 1 cup sifted sugar.
Mix the egg whites with a cake mixer on high speed for a couple of minutes.
Add the lemon juice, cream of tarter, vanilla, almond extract and salt and continue mixing until glossy and peaks form.
Turn mixer to slow speed and gradually add the 1 cup sifted sugar a tablespoon at a time. Gently fold in the flour/sugar mixture last.
Fill an un-greased angel food cake pan with the batter. Run a table knife through it to break up any air bubbles.
Bake for 40 minutes at 375 degrees. The cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean, the top is browned and the edges begin to pull away from the pan. Do not open the oven for the first 30 minutes or the cake may fall (collapse).
Remove the cake from the oven and invert over a ceramic coffee mug. Leave it for several hours until completely cooled.
Run a table knife around the sides and center post of the angel food cake pan. Gently place the cake with the bottom pan on top onto your cake plate and lift off the outer pan. Slide the knife around the bottom piece and remove. Frost or glaze the cake if desired.
Store angel food cake loosely covered. Balance a spoon under a cake plate lid to allow a little airflow. Gently cut angel food cake with a serrated bread knife.
Variations: Spiced angel food cake: add 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice or 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg and ½ teaspoon clove.
Chocolate angle food cake: Add ¼ cup cocoa. Leave out the almond extract.
Orange angel food cake: Substitute orange juice for the lemon juice and almond extract along with finely grated orange zest from one orange.
Nut angel food cake: Add ¾ cup of finely chopped nuts: almonds or walnuts.
Marble angel food cake: make two batches and bake in two pans. Fill the pans with spoonfuls of chocolate batter and vanilla (recipe above). Swirl the batters together with a table knife before baking.
