Honestly, I feel like angel food cakes can be kind of a pain to cook. Not because they're difficult, but mostly because they use 12 fresh egg whites, which means I end up with 12 egg yolks (Do I then end up making 2-3 batches of homemade pudding? Yes, I do. Chocolate pudding and vanilla pudding are a must). And, everything needs to be clean and grease-free or the entire cake will collapse. If you're willing to do that, then you will absolutely love this delicious angel food cake.  Wish I could zip over and make this cake for you this week, nana! Happy 94th Birthday! 

Cooled and freshly sliced. Yum!

Fresh homemade angel food cake served with sliced strawberries and fresh whipped cream

Angel Food Cake

Preheat oven to 350 F. 

Have an angel food cake pan clean and ready. These have the removeable bottoms with the center column in them. 

Whisk together, and then sift 2-3 times. Then, set aside to fold in later:
3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup brown rice flour

1/4 cup white rice flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

2 Tbsp tapioca starch

2 Tbsp potato starch

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1/4 tsp salt

In a very clean mixing bowl, with a wire whisk attachment, whisk to nice and foamy:

1 1/2 - 1 3/4 cup fresh egg whites, room temperature

plus water to equal 2 cups

2 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract or bean paste

Add slowly, and beat about 5 minutes until stiff, glossy peaks form:

3/4 cup powdered sugar

Stiff peaks - tiny flecks are from vanilla bean paste, if you use vanilla bean paste.

Gently fold 1/4 of the egg whites into  the sifted flour mixture.  There may be some lumps, but you don't want to over-mix or you'll knock the air out of the egg whites.  Add another 1/4 of the egg whites and fold into the mixture.  Add the flour/egg white mixture into the remaining stiff egg whites and fold in carefully.  

After folding in 1/4 of the egg white into the sugar/flour mixture, then folding in another 1/4 of the egg white mixture into the sugar/flour mixture - that mixture is gently folded into the remaining egg white mixture.

Spoon into a clean, dry, unlined angel food cake pan. 

Batter scooped into clean, unlined angel food cake pan.

Bake at 350 F for 30-35 minutes, until browned on top.  Remove from the oven and turn the cake "upside-down" to fully cool.  It is VERY important to cool an angel food cake upside down, or you will end up with a cake that sinks in the center.  You can balance it on a bottle, or just on the counter (I usually go for that), or sometimes the pans have little feet it can sit on once turned upside down. 

Just out of the oven and ready to immediately place upside-down to FULLY cool. 

Balanced carefully upside down on the middle post. You can see how this is a pan where the bottom is removeable. This is important because you'll need to slice carefully along edges with a butter knife to remove. 

Once cool, carefully slice around the inside and outside edges. I like to slice carefully with a butter knife.  Pull the cake up, slice along the bottom of the pan, and then flip the angel food cake onto a plate to serve.

Sliced carefully and flipped onto a serving platter. 

My favorite way to eat angel food cake is with freshly sliced strawberries and cream.  (I whip up fresh whipped cream with just a spoonful of sugar. I prefer it not too sweet, since the cake light and sweet.) 

Orange glaze icing:  I grew up having angel food cake served with "orange sludge" frosting. I often just make a simple glaze from 2-3 Tbsp orange juice, orange zest, enough powdered sugar to make a thin, spreadable glaze.  But, to make the orange glaze/orange sludge icing like my sister does do the following: 

Mix together:  

1 Tbsp butter, melted 

zest of 1 orange

1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

Stir in gradually until desired consistency: 

~2 cups powdered sugar  

This is then spread on the top and sides of the cake or drizzle over when serving. 

Enjoy!

Angel Food Cake Recipe by Successfully Gluten Free!