Description
Ina Garten’s lemon angel food cake brings delightful citrus notes to a classic dessert. Light, airy layers infused with zesty lemon create a refreshing twist on traditional angel food cake perfect for summer gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml) egg whites, at room temperature (10 to 12 eggs)
- 2 cups (400 g) superfine sugar
- 1 ⅓ cups (160 g) cake flour (not self-rising)
- 1 ½ tsp grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
- 1 ½ tsp cream of tartar
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- ¾ tsp (3.7 ml) pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Preparation: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C) and position an ungreased 10-inch tube pan, ensuring ideal baking conditions for the delicate angel food cake.
- Dry Ingredient Fusion: Meticulously sift cake flour and superfine sugar four times, creating an ultra-fine, lump-free powder that will contribute to the cake’s signature ethereal texture.
- Egg White Transformation: In a stand mixer, whip egg whites with salt and cream of tartar, advancing from gentle whisking to high-speed aeration until medium-firm peaks form, approximately 2-3 minutes of continuous blending.
- Sugar Integration: Gradually stream remaining sugar into the egg white mixture at medium speed, developing a glossy, voluminous mixture that captures the essential structure of the cake.
- Aromatic Enhancement: Introduce vanilla extract and lemon zest, gently incorporating these flavor boosters to infuse the batter with vibrant, citrusy undertones.
- Flour Incorporation: Delicately fold flour mixture into the aerated egg whites, using a soft rubber spatula and sifting in small portions to preserve the batter’s delicate air pockets and ensure a light, tender crumb.
- Baking and Structural Development: Pour batter into the tube pan with minimal manipulation, creating a smooth surface, then bake for 35-40 minutes until the top springs back when gently touched, indicating perfect doneness.
- Cooling Technique: Immediately invert the pan onto a cooling rack, allowing the cake to suspend and cool completely, which prevents structural collapse and maintains the cake’s signature height and airiness.
- Finishing Touch: Once completely cooled, carefully release the cake from the pan’s edges using a thin knife, presenting an elegant dessert that can be elegantly dusted with powdered sugar or paired with freshly whipped cream.
Notes
- Sift with Precision: Sifting flour four times is crucial for achieving an ultra-light, cloudlike texture without any lumps that could weigh down the delicate angel food cake.
- Egg White Technique: Whip egg whites to medium-firm peaks, ensuring they’re stiff enough to hold shape but not dry, which is the secret to the cake’s signature airy structure.
- Gentle Folding Matters: Use a rubber spatula and fold flour gently in quarter portions, maintaining the batter’s volume by cutting through the center and scooping around the edges to preserve air bubbles.
- Cooling Upside Down: Immediately invert the pan after baking and let the cake hang completely cool to prevent deflation, allowing gravity to stretch the cake’s delicate structure and maintain its remarkable height.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 162
- Sugar: 32 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 0.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 3.2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg