A light, airy sponge cake with a delicate sweet flavor and fluffy texture, ideal for serving with fresh fruit.
# What You Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 1 cup cake flour, sifted
02 - 1½ cups granulated sugar, divided
03 - ¼ teaspoon fine salt
→ Egg Mixture
04 - 12 large egg whites, at room temperature
05 - 1½ teaspoons cream of tartar
06 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
07 - ½ teaspoon almond extract
# How to Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Ensure your angel food cake pan (tube pan) is clean and completely dry. Do not grease the pan.
02 - Sift together cake flour, ¾ cup sugar, and salt in a bowl. Repeat sifting three times for optimal aeration. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form.
04 - Gradually add the remaining ¾ cup sugar in small increments while beating, until stiff, glossy peaks form. Add vanilla and almond extracts; mix gently to combine.
05 - Sift the flour mixture over the whipped egg whites in 3 additions, gently folding with a spatula after each, just until combined. Do not overmix.
06 - Spoon batter evenly into the ungreased tube pan. Smooth the top with a spatula and run a knife through the batter to remove large air pockets.
07 - Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the cake is golden and springs back when lightly touched.
08 - Immediately invert the pan onto a bottle or wire rack and let it cool completely upside down for 1–2 hours.
09 - Once cool, run a thin knife around the edges to loosen and release the cake. Serve plain or with fresh berries and whipped cream.
