B is for Baking © 2011 by Susan McQuillan
Light, fluffy, and entirely fat-free, angel food cake is the secret weapon of healthy eaters the world over, not to mention a perfect vessel for whipped cream and berries. This version by Sesame Street’s Abby Cadabby, from B is for Baking (Wiley, 2011), cuts back a little bit on the sugar, for a more wholesome treat. Serve it for your grandchild’s next special occasion.
Ingredients:
Cake:
10 large egg whites (1 1/4 cups)
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup cake flour
Topping:
Chopped fresh fruit or mixed berries
Whipped cream (optional)
Directions:
1. Set an oven rack to the lowest position, removing other racks, if necessary. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until frothy. Add cream of tartar and salt. Beat until soft peaks form when the mixer is turned off and beater is lifted. (Soft peaks fold over rather than standing up stiff.)
3. Gradually beat in the sugar, then the vanilla, beating after each addition until blended.
4. Add the flour, 1/4 cup at a time. With the help of an adult, use a rubber spatula to very gently fold in each addition, just until mixed.
5. Turn the batter into an ungreased, 9-inch-diameter angel food tube pan.
6. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Turn the cake upside down on a cooling rack or heatproof counter until cooled completely. Run a thin metal spatula or knife around the outer edge and inner tube to loosen the cake from the pan. Gently ease the cake out of the pan.
7. To serve, slice the cake with a serrated knife.
8. Just before serving, combine the chopped fruit or berries in a medium bowl. Spoon the fruit over the cake. Top with a dollop of whipped cream, if you like.
Tip:
If your angel cake pan has “feet,” turn the pan upside down onto a rack or counter and let cool completely, about 2 hours. If it does not have feet, invert the pan over the neck of a filled bottle with a protruding top that fits in the center opening of the pan.
Serves 12
Excerpted from B is for Baking © 2011. Reprinted with permission of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Photographs courtesy of Lucy Schaeffer.
Check out the Grandparents.com Bookstore for more Sesame Street recipes in places like Elmo's Magic Cookbook DVD.
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