Feather Light Angel Food Cake with Egg White Frosting

Angel food cake is the great trick of baking: a tall, snow-white sponge made with no butter, no oil, and no egg yolks, yet it rises into something impossibly light and springy. The lift comes entirely from properly whipped egg whites.

Cream of tartar is the quiet hero, stabilizing the whites so they hold their volume, while sugar added gradually keeps the meringue glossy and strong.

The other golden rule is folding. Cake flour and cornstarch are sifted in by hand in batches, gently, so you keep all the air you whipped in rather than knocking it out.

The frosting matches the cake’s airy spirit. A hot sugar syrup is poured over whipped egg whites and beaten into a fluffy, marshmallow-soft meringue that swirls over the cake in glossy peaks.

Bake it in an ungreased tube tin so the batter can climb the sides as it rises.

Pro Tips

• Make sure your bowl and beaters are spotless and grease-free, or the whites won’t whip.
• Fold the flour in gently with a metal spoon; aggressive mixing deflates the batter.
• Don’t grease the angel food tin, since the cake needs to grip the sides to rise tall.
• Cool the cake upside down in the tin so it doesn’t collapse under its own weight.

Variations

• Fold a little lemon or orange zest into the batter for citrus lift.
• Serve with fresh berries and whipped cream instead of frosting.
• Add a drop of almond extract alongside the vanilla.