Dark Chocolate Angel Food Cake
Note: I call for "room temperature" egg whites because they incorporate air better and make a better meringue (which is basically what we're doing when we beat them with the sugar). Letting the whites sit in the mixing bowl for 20-30 minutes will get them to room temp.
3/4 cup cake flour
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
1/4 cup unsweetened dark cocoa (such as Hershey's Special)
1 1/2 cups room temperature egg whites (about 10-11 large eggs)
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Optional: powdered sugar for sifting over finished cake
Sift together the flour, 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the sugar and the cocoa TWO times (yes, sift them once, and then sift them again).
Place the egg whites in a large mixing bowl and add the cream of tartar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on medium-high until foamy and soft peaks form. Increase the speed to high and gradually beat in the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar (I mean grad-u-a-lly...). You want the sugar to dissolve, so take your time. Fold in the flour mixture in 3 batches (meaning about 1/2 cup at a time so you don't deflate the egg whites).
Spoon the batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Run a knife through the batter to remove any air pockets and smooth the top.
Bake on the lowest oven rack for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top springs back when you gently touch it. The cake will also look dry, not wet in the cracks.
Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour.
Run a knife around the side and center tube and invert the cake onto a serving plate or cake stand. If desired, sift powdered sugar over top before serving (I cut out heart shapes and arranged them on top of the cake before sifting the sugar over top).
Serves 10-12 (unless you're in my house, where it serves 3)
Comments
Post a Comment