Posts tagged ‘angel food cake’

Mar 20

Happy First Day Of Spring An Angel Food Cake To Celebrate

Angel Food Cake

It’s the first day of Spring and guess what, in NYC we are waiting for a snow storm, kind of dismal so to cheer myself up I made an Angel Food Cake, which is one of my all time favorites, I love how light it is, that it’s fat free and so moist. I usually serve it simply with berries and whipped cream or if I make cupcakes I will sometimes frost with a chocolate swiss meringue buttercream. This cake is perfect for spring and summer when berries are in season and plentiful. It’s a little early for berries at the farmers market but the berries I got in the supermarket weren’t bad. I have been making this cake recipe for years, It’s from James McNair’s “Cakes”. I love his cookbook the angel food and chiffon cakes are the best and always consistently good. I made a raspberry whipped cream frosting and decorated with fresh berries.

I am bringing this cake to Fiesta Friday #111 this week. A super light cake with loads of assorted berries and gently sweetened whipped cream makes a lovely dessert. This week Angies wonderful co hosts are Naina @ Spice in the City and Julianna @ Foodie On Board.

Angel Food Cake

Recipe by James McNair from his book “Cakes”

1 cup cake flour

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar divided

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups egg whites at room temperature (approximately 16 large eggs)

2 tsp cream of tartar

zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp vanilla extract

Pre heat oven to 325 degrees. No need to prep your pan all you need is a 10 inch tube pan with removable bottom and feet (so you can invert while cake cools). Sift flour, salt, and 3/4 cup sugar and set aside. In stand mixer with whisk attachment start whipping the egg whites, when they are frothy add the cream of tartar increase speed to medium high and whip until the egg whites are billowy and form soft peaks. Add the remaining 3/4 cup sugar a little at a time (about a tbs) whip until the egg whites form stiff peaks being careful not to overwhip. It takes about 5-6 minutes, now add the lemon zest and vanilla. Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold in the dry ingredients with either a spatula or balloon whisk in 3 increments making sure that all the dry ingredients are incorporated. Spoon into tube pan, smooth the top and bake for approximately 50 minutes. Cake will be golden brown and springy when touched.

Invert cake pan so it is standing on the feet, if your tube pan does not have feet you can invert onto a wine bottle. Let cool completely approximately 1 1/2 -2 hours. To remove cake run flexible offset spatula around the edge of the pan and around the tube. Gently remove the cake by pushing the tube part. When the cake is out of the pan you can free it from the tub by running a spatula or butter knife along the bottom of the tube, the cake will come off and you can place on serving dish.

Frosted Cake

Raspberry Whipped Cream Frosting

2 cups heavy cream very cold and divided

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 tsp corn starch

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 pint fresh raspberries mashed.

Place 1/2 cup of the heavy cream in a small saucepan, add the cornstarch and powdered sugar and whisk so there are no lumps. On medium heat stirring constantly stir or whisk the cream mixture until it thickens, it is like pudding, spoon into a bowl and let cool to room temperature stirring occasionally.

While the stabilizer is cooling place whisk attachment and bowl of mixer in the freezer to get cold. When it’s sufficiently cold add the cold cream, stabilizer, and the vanilla. Whip until thick and spreading consistency. Gently fold in the raspberries and frost the cake immediately.

Mar 22

135 Comments

Orange Angel Food Cake, Whipped Cream Frosting And Berries For Fiesta Friday #60

This is a very special Fiesta Friday, we have new digs, I mean this is exciting our own space for the party, check it out!! Angie@The Novice Gardener has surprised us all with this gorgeous new home for our party. Thanks so much Angie!!! This weeks co hosts are Tracy @Scratch It Cook and Nancy @Feasting With Friends.

For this special party in our new home I am bringing cake, a light as a feather angel food cake flavored with the zest of a mandarin orange, I frosted the cake with an orange scented whipped cream frosting and loaded the top of the cake with fresh berries sprinkled with some orange scented sugar. Can you tell I am a fan of orange.

Angel Food Cake

James McNair

2 cups egg whites at room temperature
1 1/2 cup sugar divided
2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup cake flour
zest of 1 orange (I used a mandarin)

Pre heat oven to 325 degree’s. Place egg whites in a scrupulously clean bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Beat the eggs until frothy and add the cream of tartar. Continue beating on medium high until egg whites are billowy, now add 3/4 cup sugar a tabelespoon at a time beating continuously. Beat the whites until they are somewhat stiff and hold shape when you lift the whisk, add the zest and vanilla and beat just until combined.

Place a sieve over a bowl and add the flour, sugar and salt and sieve twice. Sift over the beaten egg whites and gently fold in. Make sure all the dry ingredients are mixed into the whites. Place in your 10 inch tube pan with removable bottom. Bake for approximately 50 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and tester comes out clean. Cool the cake upside down the angel food cake pan has feet that it rests on. Let cake cool completely. Run a small flexible offset spatula around the cake the outer edges and around the tube. Gently push the bottom up and then turn cake upside down and run the spatula or a knife around the edges of the bottom of the bottom to release the cake. Store in air tight container until ready to use.

Whipped Cream Frosting

James McNair

generously frosts a 9 in cake

1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 cups Heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
orange liquor like Grand Marnier or orange extract to taste

Place metal bowl and wire whisk beater or beaters in freezer to chill.
In a small saucepan combine the powdered sugar and cornstarch whisk until mixed. Slowly whisk in 1/2 cup heavy cream whisk until smooth. Place on medium heat and stir constantly to prevent scorching at the bottom stir constantly until mixture thickens and almost comes to a boil. Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl and set aside stirring occasionally until it reaches room temperature. Make sure it is completely cooled before adding to the heavy cream..Very Important!!!
In the chilled bowl combine the remaining 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream and the vanilla beat with the chilled whisk of your stand mixer or your hand held mixer until the cream begins to hold shape, it will still be rather loose. While still beating add the powdered sugar mixture a little at a time. Beat just until the mixture forms stiff peaks when the beater is raised and is spreadable, be careful not to over beat. Use immediately.

Fruit:

Blackberries

Raspberries

Strawberries Blended into a coulis.

Orange sugar- orange zest and sugar to sprinkle on fruit

The strawberries were just not good enough to put on the cake so I made a coulis by blending the strawberries with a little orange sugar and 2 tbs mandarin orange juice.

Apr 19

32 Comments

Bake Together- Thai Inspired Angel Food Cake With Coconut Lime Whipped Cream

This months Bake Together with the always fabulous Abby Dodge is angel food cake. This cake is inspired by the flavors of Thailand using thai basil, coconut, lemongrass and lime. I used Abby’s cake recipe as the base and added my own touches. For the cake I infused the sugar with lemon grass, and add the lime zest and thai basil to the batter, the cake has lovely green flecks from the basil and lime and a subtle lemongrass flavor. The whipped cream is also inspired by many of the same flavors, in the food processor I ground confectioners sugar and coconut flakes and let the sugar infuse with the coconut, I then sifted it before adding to the whipped cream so it would be smooth and creamy (you don’t have to sift if you want a little texture) and whipped in some coconut cream and a little lime zest. I put the can of coconut milk in the refrigerator the night before making the cake, when you open the can use the thick coconut cream on the top don’t mix it with the liquid beneath.

The Cake:

1 cup (4 ounces)cake flour

1 1/4 cup (5 ounces) confectioners’sugar

1/4 teaspoon table salt

11 large (1 1/3 cups) egg whites, at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 cup (7 ounces) sugar

1 1/2 tsp lime zest

2 tsp tender inner stalk of lemongrass (chopped)

4 stalks thai basil, leaves removed and very finely chopped

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Add 1 cup sugar to food processor with the lemongrass, process until fully combined and there are no large pieces of the lemongrass. Sift before adding to the egg whites.
Sift flour, confectioners sugar and salt three times and set aside.
Using either a stand or hand held mixer fitted with whisk attachment beat egg whites on med/low until they become foamy. Add the cream of tartar and increase speed to medium speed. Beat until the egg whites form soft peaks, now sift (to remove any pieces of the lemongrass) and add the infused sugar a tbs at a time, add the lime zest and increase speed to med/high and beat until the whites are thick and shiny and form medium firm peaks (Be careful not to over beat)

Sift 1/4 of the flour mixture over the beaten whites. Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the whites. Repeat with remaining flour mixture, one quarter at a time. With the last installment of flour add the chopped basil.
Using the spatula to gently coax the batter, pour evenly into the prepared pan. Smooth the top. Bake until the cake is light golden brown and the cake is springy when touched, about 40 minutes. Immediately invert the pan onto the counter if the pan has feet or if it doesn’t, invert the pan sliding the center tube onto the neck of the bottle. Let cool completely.
To remove the cake, rotate the pan, gently tapping the bottom edge of the cake pan on the counter as you turn it until the cake loosens from the pan. If necessary, run a long, thin knife between the cake and the pan and around the inside of the tube to loosen the cake. Slip the cake from the pan and gently lift it up from the center of the pan and arrange on a flat serving plate.

Coconut Lime Whipped Cream

1/2 tsp lime zest

1/4 cup sweetened or unsweetened (your choice) coconut flakes

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

1 1/2 cups very cold heavy cream

3 tbs full fat cold coconut cream (skimmed from the can of milk)

Chilled bowl and beaters

While the cake is cooling infuse the sugar with the coconut. Add 1/2 cup confectioners sugar to bowl of food processor, and 1/4 cup coconut flakes and pulse until combined and very fine. Place in covered container and let sit until you are ready to whip the cream.

Sift the confectioners sugar to removed any pieces of coconut. In mixing bowl pour the very cold heavy cream into a chilled bowl, Using either hand held mixer or stand mixer whip until it starts to thicken, add the cold coconut milk (NOTE: Scoop the cream from the top don’t mix it up), lime zest and infused confectioners sugar (taste to test for sweetness you may not need to use all of the infused sugar) and whip until billowy and soft peaks form. Serve with the cake.

Jan 18

3 Comments

Orange Angel Food Cupcakes With Chocolate Orange Buttercream

Chocolate and Orange Delicious

Orange scented angel food cake with a creamy chocolate orange buttercream pairs perfectly. I submitted this to a food52 recipe contest the theme is citrus and these cupcakes deliver citrus in every bite. I adapted Grace Parisi’s angel food cupcake recipe to include the orange zest and I adapted Martha Stewarts Chocolate Buttercream recipe.

Cupcakes:

1 1/4 cup egg whites at room temperature

1 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp orange zest

1 cup cake flour

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 325°. Set 12 jumbo foil muffin cups on a rimmed baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine the cake flour with the confectioners’ sugar. In a large bowl, combine the egg whites with the salt, orange zest and cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the whites are firm and glossy. Sift the flour mixture over the egg whites in 2 additions, folding gently until incorporated.
Spoon the batter into the muffin cups filling to the top. Bake for 15 minutes (checking on them starting at 13 minutes), shifting the pan from front to back, until the cupcakes are springy and golden. Transfer the cupcakes to a rack to cool.

The Buttercream:

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (70%) broken into small pieces

1 tsp orange zest

4 egg whites from large eggs

1/2 cup +2 tbs granulated sugar

8 ounces unsalted butter cut into pieces at room temperature

Place chocolate and orange zest in microwave safe bowl, microwave for 30 seconds, stir and microwave another 30 seconds, it may need another 30 seconds to melt. Stir until all the chocolate is melted set aside to cool.

Combine sugar and egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water; whisk until the mixture feels hot to touch and the sugar is completely dissolved, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer the bowl to the mixer stand. Using the whisk attachment, beat the mixture on medium-high until cooled, about 15 minutes.

Add the butter a piece at a time beating continuously until its all added, now add the cooled chocolate and beat until combined. Use immediately.

Spread a thin layer of the marmalade on top of the cupcake, pipe some of the chocolate buttercream in the middle. Enjoy!