Chocolate Angel Food Cake
This chocolate version of Angel Food Cake from my mother's recipe collection is pillowy soft and moist with the sugary, crusty top you expect. Pair a slice with whipped cream and strawberries for an elegant dessert.
Prep: 25 minutes Bake: 25 minutes at 375° & 18-19 minutes at 350° Makes: 12-14 servings Pan: 10-inch (16 cup) tube pan with removable bottom Difficulty: intermediate
Ingredients:
Cake Batter:
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (120g) cake flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (178g) sugar
1 1/2 cups room temperature egg whites (about 12 unbeaten egg whites)
3/4 cup (152g) sugar (used separately from sugar measurement above)
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Serve With:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon sugar
Sliced strawberries to taste
Directions:
Bring egg whites to room temperature.
Wipe down mixer bowl, beaters, and tube pan with white vinegar to remove any grease from surfaces.
Pre-heat the oven to 375°.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, and 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar; sift twice. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer and beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, salt, and vanilla until foamy. Add 3/4 cup sugar to the beaten egg whites, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating a few seconds after each addition. Continue beating egg white mixture until stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes more.
Fold the flour/sugar mixture into the egg white mixture about a third at a time until almost incorporated. Scrape down sides of bowl and fold 8-10 more strokes. Carefully push the batter into an ungreased tube pan. Level the top with a rubber scraper and make sure batter is touching sides of pan.
Bake at 375° for 25 minutes. Lower the heat to 350° and bake 18-19 minutes more. Remove from oven and immediately invert pan to cool upside down on counter for 1 hour. If your tube pan does not have legs, you can invert it over a bottle. To remove from pan, run a sharp knife around outer and inner edges. Lift out removable base with cake and run the knife around the base. Remove cake to wire cooling rack. When completely cool, slice cake with a long, serrated bread knife. Use a light sawing motion and do not press down.
Use an electric mixer to beat heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add 1 teaspoon sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Slice strawberries to taste.
Serve slices of cake with a dollop of whipped cream and strawberries.
Wrap and store cake for 4 days. Cake slices can be wrapped and frozen for up to 2 weeks.
Tips:
- To make white Angel Food Cake, omit cocoa powder and add 2 tablespoons (17g) cake flour.
- To successfully make Angel Food Cake, egg whites must never contact grease.
- When you make a recipe with egg yolks, freeze the whites in a carton to use later for Angel Food Cake. Egg whites will freeze for up to a year.