Angel Food Cake

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

Show: Good EatsEpisode: Let them Eat Foam (Angel Food Cake)

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (126)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(126)

Cook Time:
35 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
10 to 12 servings

Times:

Prep: 20 min
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 35 min
Total:: 55 min

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Ingredients

1 3/4 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup cake flour, sifted
12 egg whites (the closer to room temperature the better)
1/3 cup warm water
1 teaspoon orange extract, or extract of your choice
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a food processor spin sugar about 2 minutes until it is superfine. Sift half of the sugar with the salt the cake flour, setting the remaining sugar aside.

In a large bowl, use a balloon whisk to thoroughly combine egg whites, water, orange extract, and cream of tartar. After 2 minutes, switch to a hand mixer. Slowly sift the reserved sugar, beating continuously at medium speed. Once you have achieved medium peaks, sift enough of the flour mixture in to dust the top of the foam. Using a spatula fold in gently. Continue until all of the flour mixture is incorporated.

Carefully spoon mixture into an ungreased tube pan. Bake for 35 minutes before checking for doneness with a wooden skewer. (When inserted halfway between the inner and outer wall, the skewer should come out dry).

Cool upside down on cooling rack for at least an hour before removing from pan.

Cook's Note: Since they're easier to separate use the freshest eggs you can get.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Angel Food Cake
Linda Cocoa, FL 09-28-2009
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Awesome Angel Food Cake, Alton!!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

My daughter wanted me to make her a birthday cake since she would be visiting me on her 33rd birthday down here in Florida. ... I watched the video and followed the recipe to a "T" except that I made it with almond extract. When my daughter was little, she liked her cake with cool whip and strawberries. So, that was what we had. I have to say that this cake was THE best Angel Food I've ever eaten. It reminded me of the angel food cake that my Mother made back in the 50's, but this one was truly better. It melted in your mouth! AND, it's just beautiful! Alton, you are so blessed to teach so many people such joy in cooking! Can't wait to make another! People will think I'm amazing when they taste this wonderful Angel Food cake, but it's only what you've taught me. Thank you!! Read more
recipe Angel Food Cake
Daniel Ogden, UT 08-28-2009
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What you did wrong the second time.
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I can tell you what you did wrong. You didn't bake it long enough. You saw the cake rising above the rim and panicked. Egg... white foams are not stable unless they have set fully. This is why you should always test an Angel food cake with the skewer like he does in the show. when it comes out basically clean then it is done and can be cooled. If it comes out sticky at all then it needs to bake more. Do not be afraid of darkness in the top of the cake you can cut it off later if need be. The most important this is making sure the egg whites are completely set before you cool it. Otherwise it will fall out of the pan. Any cake recipe will be affected by the air pressure this one especially. On a day with the mercury dropping this cake will rise more. On a Humid day this will take longer to set and be safe to cool. Angel food cakes are the most important cake to test before you call them done. Don't forget the skewer test and you will usually have the cake come out fine. Read more
recipe Angel Food Cake
Ramon Culver City, CA 08-23-2009
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Dude!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Dude! I've made this cake twice now - each time watching the episode on youtube (Good Eats S4E6) very carefully and it has... come out great! I used almond extract (because that's what we had in the cupboard). Yummy!Read more
recipe Angel Food Cake
Kathleen Melville, NY 08-19-2009
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Excellent
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Was wonderful... so easy, whipped it up in no time. Great with fruit & whip cream .. I bake all the time so I like to... make a cake every so often that is not as fattening but gives you that wonderful feeling of having dessert ..without the guilt.. Thank you Alton ..well done..I always like your reciprs, they are always like the homemade of old... Kathleen Read more
recipe Angel Food Cake
Jerilyn Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08-14-2009
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A little too sweet... but still yummy!
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I have made this cake several times and made a couple of adjustments. I do not use the water at all; I find it pointless. I... also used just 1 cup of sugar. I was at my sisters and she did not have an angel food cake pan, so I used a 9" springform pan (like one you would use for cheesecake). I baked it for about 25 minutes and it came out beautifully. Right when I took it out, I flipped it over onto a cooling rack, since there was no hole in the middle. I will definately keep making this cake!Read more
recipe Angel Food Cake
carl new yorkn, AL 07-18-2009
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Did not like this at all
Rated: 1 stars out of 5

I made this cake yesterday after watching the video carefully. The cake looked great in the oven and rose nicely up to the... top, even slightly above the tube pan. When I took it out it fell back slightly but that seemed ok. But after leaving it for a while upside down on a bottle most of it fell out. I didn't butter the pan or do anything that would have made it fall. But it didn't matter anyway because when I tasted it I thought it was awful, way too sweet, poor texture, just a sugary blob. I don't think I will try any more Alton recipes, this is not the first time his recipes have disappointed me with too much flavoring, too sweet or too much spice. The only one I will still use is his no-baste turkey-cooking method which works very well.Read more