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Lemon Angel Food Cake
Total 2 hours and 15 minutes (includes cooling time)
Active 25 mins
Makes 12 to 16 servings
TIP: You'll need a 10-inch angel food cake pan, which is an aluminum tube pan with a removable bottom. Don't grease the pan. The light texture of angel food cake depends in part on the batter climbing the ungreased sides during baking and the cake cooling upside down.
Ingredients
Cake
Whipped Cream
To Serve
Directions
- To make the cake: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Sift the flour and 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar into a medium bowl. Repeat the sifting twice more.
- In the very clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt on low speed until combined and opaque. Increase the speed to high and gradually add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar. Beat to stiff, glossy peaks.
- Add the lemon zest, vanilla, and lemon extract and beat on medium speed to combine, about 1 minute.
- Add the flour mixture in fourths, sprinkling it over the beaten whites and folding it in gently with a rubber spatula after each addition.
- Scrape the batter into a 10-inch angel food cake pan (aluminum tube pan with a removable bottom; see Cook’s Note). Smooth the top and bake until the cake is deep golden brown, pulls away from the sides of the pan, and springs back when lightly pressed, 35 to 40 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the whipped cream: In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Start on low speed, slowly turn the mixer up to high speed and continue mixing on high until the cream holds a soft peak when you pull the whisk out of the bowl, about 2 minutes.
- Invert the cake in the pan to cool to room temperature. If the pan doesn't have feet that lift the rim off the counter, invert the pan over a wine bottle (or something similar), inserting the neck of the bottle into the pan's center tube to suspend the pan above the counter.
- Run a thin knife blade around the cake to loosen the sides. Run the blade around the bottom of the cake to loosen and then release it onto a plate.
- To serve: Cut the cake into serving pieces with a serrated knife. Spoon the whipped cream on top and garnish with the fresh fruit.
- Cover any leftover cake and store at room temperature for up to 2 days.
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