Strawberry Angel Food Cake

This angel food cake gets a strawberry twist from an unexpected ingredient: strawberry-flavored carbonated soda replaces the water in the cake mix. The carbonation adds extra lift to the batter, and the strawberry flavor bakes right into the crumb alongside a touch of honey for natural sweetness.

The pink glaze matches the theme. Powdered sugar, melted margarine, more strawberry soda, and a few drops of red food coloring create a smooth, drizzly glaze that sets into a sweet, glossy shell over the top of the cake.

Invert the cake immediately after baking and let it cool upside down. Angel food cake shrinks and collapses if it cools right-side up because the delicate structure can’t support its own weight while still warm.

Kitchen Tips

• Use flat soda if you want a more traditional rise. Freshly opened, fizzy soda creates more air in the batter and can make the texture slightly different from the box directions.
• Mix the glaze to a thin, drizzling consistency. Too thick and it sits in a blob on top instead of flowing down the sides.
• Wait until the cake is completely cool before glazing. Warm cake melts the glaze and it soaks in instead of setting on the surface.
• Add the food coloring one drop at a time until you reach your desired shade of pink.

Variations

• Orange creamsicle: Use orange soda instead of strawberry and add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the glaze.
• Lemon-lime: Use lemon-lime soda and tint the glaze pale green for a citrus version.
• Fresh berry topping: Skip the glaze and top with macerated fresh strawberries and whipped cream instead.