Angel Food Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Nate and I went the entire month of April with no sugar!! We avoided sweets and most refined sugars (we still ate fruit). It was a long 30 days.

The first thing I made was this beauty.

  I love making angel food cake because the mixer does all of the work! The key is to beat the eggs, beat 'em again, and beat 'em some more! You want those egg whites to stand up by themselves! This gives you that light, fluffy, and sponge-like cake.

This was my first time making an angel food cake with a chocolate frosting. It was so simple! A light, fluffy cake with a light, fluffy frosting. Perfect. 

Nate grated semi-sweet baking chocolate squares on my box grater into fine shavings. He did such a good job. :)

Okay let's get to the recipe! This recipe is from the 4-H Baking Project Book. 

Angel Food Cake Recipe

1 cup cake flour

1 1/2 cups sugar, divided

1 2/3 cup egg whites, about 12 large eggs

1 tsp. cream of tartar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. almond extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Adjust oven rack to lowest position.

In a small bowl, whisk flour with 3/4 cup sugar. Place egg whites in the electric mixer's bowl and beat at a low speed until beginning to froth. Add cream of tartar and salt. Beat on medium speed until egg whites form soft mounds. Add remaining 3/4 cup sugar, 1 Tbsp. at a time, until all sugar is added and whites are shiny and form soft peaks. Add vanilla, lemon juice, and almond; beat until just blended. 

Sift flour over egg whites about 3 Tbsp. at a time, and gently fold in. Gently scrape batter into a 10-inch tube pan and smooth the top. Give the pan a couple raps on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake until the cake is golden brown and the top springs back when pressed, about 50-60 minutes.

If the cake pan has prongs around the rim, invert pan on prongs over a cooling rack. If no prongs, invert pan over a bottle or funnel so air can circulate. Let cake cool completely, 2-3 hours.

Remove the cake by running a metal knife around the edges of the pan, being careful not to separate the crust from the cake. Slide out of the pan and cut the same way around removable bottom to release. Place the cake, bottom side up on a plate. Cut slices by gently sawing with a serrated knife. 

Chocolate Frosting Recipe

1 small container cool whip, 8 oz.

3 oz. semi sweet baking chocolate, extra for garnish

berries for decoration

In a small bowl mix chocolate into cool whip. Using a serrated knife slice the cake in half longways. Spread some of the frosting on the bottom layer and put the top layer back on. Ice the top and sides. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings and top with fruit. 

Keep in refrigerator. 

A lovely light treat that everyone is sure to love!

What's your favorite angel food topping?

Megan