Recipe Detail Page

1. Put egg whites into the clean large bowl of an electric mixer. Set oven rack to lower third of oven, then preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

2. Sift 1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar with flour and salt onto a sheet of waxed paper. Beat egg whites just until they become foamy. Beat in cream of tartar and continue to beat, while gradually adding remaining 1 cup (250 mL) sugar, a couple of table spoons at a time. Beat just until droopy peaks form. Using a large spatula, fold in flour-sugar mixture a quarter at a time. Fold in vanilla.

3. Immediately transfer batter to ungreased 10-inch (25-cm) angel food tube pan. Smooth the top. Run a knife two times around the batter in cake pan to eliminate any large air pockets. Smooth the top. Immediately bake on lower shelf until top of cake is golden, springs back when gently touched and a cake tester inserted in the centre comes out clean, about 35 to 45 minutes.

4. Leaving the cake in the pan, immediately invert the cake pan's tube onto the neck of a wine bottle or a sturdy bottle that tube opening will fit over. Cool cake inverted in pan until completely cool, about 1 1/2 hours.

5. To remove cake from pan, run a thin bladed knife between cake and outside edge of pan as well as tube of pan. Tilt pan on it's side, rotate and firmly tap against counter to release cake. Remove pan from cake.

Tips
It's important that your egg whites be at room temperature before beating.  (If refrigerated, leave at room temperature for about 45 minutes)  Sift the flour before measuring.  Wrap angel food cake well in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for a couple of days or freeze for up to one month. If using refrigerated egg whites in the carton, you'll need 1 1/2 cups (375 mL).