Raspberry Swirl Angel Food Cake
A subtle swirl of fresh raspberries infuses this homemade angel food cake with light fruit flavor. Like all angel food cakes, it has no fat or cholesterol.
Ingredients
Directions
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In an extra-large mixing bowl, allow the egg whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
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Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, sift powdered sugar and flour together three times; set aside.
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Add cream of tartar and vanilla to egg whites in mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl). Gradually add granulated sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight).
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Sift about one-fourth of the flour mixture over beaten egg whites; fold in gently using a large balloon wire whisk or a slotted skimmer. If using a whisk, periodically shake out the batter which collects on the inside. (If bowl is too full, transfer to a larger bowl.) Repeat, gently folding in remaining flour mixture by fourths.
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In a small bowl, use a fork to crush 3/4 cup raspberries. Strain berries through a fine-mesh wire sieve to measure 1/4 cup; discard seeds. Gently spoon one third of the batter evenly into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the berries over the batter, keeping away from the edges. Spoon another one-third of the batter into the pan; repeat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of berries. Top with the remaining batter. Using a narrow spatula or table knife, gently swirl the battters to marble and remove air pockets. Leave the top very textured with peaks in the meringue; do not smooth.
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Bake in a 350°F oven on the lowest rack for 40 to 45 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert cake (leave in pan) onto the pan's legs; cool thoroughly in the inverted pan. Using a narrow metal spatula, loosen cake from pan. Remove cake from pan and let stand 1 hour. Serve at room temperature or lightly chilled. Cut into slices using a serrated knife. If you like, top with fresh raspberries and/or sliced mango.
Tips
*Test Kitchen Tip: Angel food cake should be high, light and fluffy. Use an egg separator to separate eggs quickly. Place egg separator over a small bowl, and crack an egg into it. The white slips through the slots into the bowl, leaving the yolk behind. For perfect results, it is important that egg whites are beaten stiff enough. Bowl and beaters must be absolutely free from grease or any specks of egg yolk, which contains fat, or egg whites cannot be beaten stiff.
Angel Food Marble Cake:
Follow Step 1 and 2 as directed above. Measure 1 cup of the powdered sugar mixture; sift together with 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon instant espresso coffee powder or coffee powder and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Set plain powdered sugar and cocoa powder mixture aside. Follow Step 3 as above. Transfer about one-third of the egg whites mixture to another bowl. Sift about one-third of the plain powdered sugar mixture over the larger portion of the egg whites mixture; gently fold in. Fold in the remaining plain powdered sugar mixture one-third at a time. Sift cocoa powder mixture, one-third at a time, over smaller portion of egg whites mixture, folding in as before. Gently spoon half of the white batter evenly into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Spoon half of the chocolate batter evenly over white batter in pan. Repeat with the remaining batters. Using a narrow metal spatula, gently swirl the batters to marble and to remove air pockets. Follow Step 6 as above. Continue as directed. Serve with a scoop of coffee or chocolate ice cream. Garnish with chocolate curls and/or dark chocolate-covered espresso beans.
Angel Food Berry Swirl Cake:
Follow Steps 1 through 4 as directed above. In a small bowl, use a fork to crush 3/4 cup raspberries or chopped strawberries. Strain berries through a wire sieve to measure 1/4 cup; discard seeds. Gently spoon one-third of the batter evenly into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the berries over the egg whites, keeping away from the edges. Spoon another one-third of the batter into the pan; repeat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of berries. Top with the remaining batter. Using a narrow metal spatula, gently swirl the batters to marble and to remove air pockets. Follow Step 6 as above, except let cake stand 1 hour after removing from the pan. Continue as directed. Serve with raspberries or sliced or whole strawberries. Garnish with mint sprigs.Nutrition analysis per serving: 178 calories, 4 g protein, 40 g carbohydrate, 0 g total fat (0 g sat. fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 30 g total sugar, 0% Vitamin A, 5% Vitamin C, 51 mg sodium, 1% calcium, 6% iron
Angel Food Lemon Cake:
Prepare as above, except stir 1 tablespoon finely shredded lemon or lime peel into the flour mixture. Continue as directed. Serve cake with raspberries and lemon or lime curd.