Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (120g) cake flour, sifted (plus extra for dusting the angel food cake pan if not using a non-stick version)
  • 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cups (360ml) egg whites (about 12 large eggs), at room temperature
  • 1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the angel food cake pan: Do NOT grease a plain aluminum pan. Lightly grease a non-stick pan. Dust an aluminum pan with cake flour.
  2. Sift together cake flour, half of the sugar (3/4 cup), and salt. Sift several times.
  3. In a clean, grease-free bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer until foamy. Add cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form.
  4. Gradually add the remaining sugar (3/4 cup) while continuing to beat until stiff, glossy peaks form. Do not overbeat.
  5. Gently fold the sifted dry ingredients into the egg white mixture using a rubber spatula in batches to avoid deflating the egg whites.
  6. Pour the batter into the angel food cake pan. Do not level the batter; it should be uneven.
  7. Bake in a preheated oven until the cake is golden brown and springs back lightly when touched.
  8. Immediately invert the pan onto a wire rack or bottle. Let the cake cool completely upside down in the pan.
  9. Once completely cool, run a thin knife or spatula around the sides and tube of the pan to release the cake.