{things i made} angel food cake

There isn't a lot to hate about angel food cake. Light, airy, and sweet, the name plays on its dreamy qualities. Science explains how the sponge cake bakes so perfectly–the eggs whites get stabilized with cream of tartar and they climb the steep pan slowly as they bake. Cool it upside down to prevent collapsing and cut with a serrated knife so as not to compress the slice, and with some freshly made whipped cream and macerated fruit the cake will be a little slice of heaven.

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1 cup flour with ​2 ​-​1/2 tablespoons cornstarch​, ​sifted after measuring
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. table salt
1 1/2 cups egg whites (from about 9-10 large eggs), room temperature
1 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Clean your mixing bowl, beaters, and utensils thoroughly. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Spin sugar in a food processor for 60 seconds, or until finely ground but not powdered. Add half of the sugar to the flour, and set the other half aside.
3. Sift together the flour, half of the sugar, and salt at least 2-3 times to ensure it is evenly mixed.
4. Begin whipping egg whites at medium speed. Once they become frothy, add the cream of tartar and increase the speed of mixer to high.
5. Once the egg whites start to look fluffy and white, sprinkle in the reserved sugar two tablespoons at a time while mixing. When all of the sugar is added, the meringue should look glossy and billowy. Continue to whip until medium peaks form. In the last couple minutes of whipping, add extract.
6. Sift about third of the flour mixture over the top of the meringue, and fold gently with a flexible rubber spatula so as not to deflate the meringue. Once the flour is just barely incorporated, stop folding. Repeat two more times with the remaining flour, folding until just barely incorporated.
7. Gently pour batter into ungreased angel food or tube pan. Gently twist the pan back and forth to settle the batter to ensure that the batter contacts the sides of the pan. Do not drop the pan against the counter.
8. Bake on the middle-lower rack for about 35 minutes, or until the top is evenly golden brown. Do not open the oven door during the first 30 minutes of baking, as it may deflate the cake.
9. Once done, immediately invert the entire pan over a bottle (some pans come with metal feet and can be flipped on the counter). Let the cake cool completely while suspended.
10. Once cool, use a thin knife to cut around the edges of the pan. Remove the cake from the sides of the pan, then cut underneath to separate it from the bottom/tube part. Slice the cake with a serrated knife, and serve as is or with fruit and whipped cream.