Angel Food Baking Tips

Recipe By     :
Serving Size  : 1    Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Cakes

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
*****  NONE  *****

1. DO NOT GREASE PAN.

2. WASH AND RINSE ALL UTENSILS AND  HANDS COMPLETELY
( Do not use a plastic bowl or plastic utensils).

3. BEAT EGG WHITES UNTIL STIFF ( Do not underbeat or overbeat).

4. MEASURE WATER ACCURATELY.

5. BAKE CAKE AT 375 DEG F FOR 30-40 MINUTES OR UNTIL
TOP CRUST IS DEEP GOLDEN BROWN (Do not underbake).

6. COOL CAKE UPSIDE DOWN ON HEATPROOF BOTTLE.

      Brown Sugar Angel Food Cake

Recipe By     :
Serving Size  : 16   Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Cakes

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   1 1/4  cups          sifted cake flour
   1      cup           brown sugar -- firmly packed
   1 1/2  cups          egg whites -- (from 12 to 14 eggs)
   1 1/2  teaspoons     cream of tartar
   1      teaspoon      salt
   1      cup           brown sugar -- firmly packed
   2      teaspoons     vanilla

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Have an ungreased 10-inch tube pan at hand.  
Combine cake flour and 1 cup brown sugar.  
In a large bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar and salt until foamy.
Gradually add second cup of brown sugar.
Continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Add vanilla; blend well.   
Divide flour-brown sugar mixture into 4 portions.
Use a large rubber spatula to fold each portion in separately;
gently lift meringue up and roll it over onto itself.
Fold JUST until no traces of dry ingredients can be seen.   
Gently push batter into pan. With a long, sharp knife,
make 5 or 6 vertical cuts through batter to get rid of large air pockets.  

Bake 45 minutes, or until top of cake springs back after it is lightly touched with a finger.
As soon as cake is removed from the oven, IMMEDIATELY invert
pan. If pan does not have legs, place the center tube over the neck of a large, heavy bottle.
Do not remove from pan until cake is COMPLETELY cool...takes at least an hour. 
Dust with sifted powdered sugar, or frost with a favorite icing. 

                        Chocolate Angel Food Cake

Recipe By     :
Serving Size  : 14   Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Cakes                            Low-Fat

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   1      cup           cake flour
     1/4  cup           unsweetened cocoa powder
     1/3  cup           granulated sugar
  11      large         egg whites -- at room temperature
   1      teaspoon      cream of tartar
     3/4  cup           granulated sugar
   1      teaspoon      vanilla extract
     1/2  teaspoon      chocolate flavor -- optional
                        --Vanilla Glaze--
     1/2  cup           powdered sugar
     1/4  teaspoon      vanilla extract
   2      teaspoons     water -- up to 3 tsp.
                        Stir until smooth
                        and pour over cake.

Preheat oven to 350F
. Lightly grease a 10 cup pan with a removable bottom and dust with cocoa powder.
Resift the cake flour  five times with the cocoa powder and 1/3 cup granulated sugar.
Using 1/4 of the egg whites at a time, whip all the whites until foamy.
(See blow for egg white notes.) Add the cream of tartar when all 11 egg whites are foamy.
Continue to whip the egg whites, adding 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time.
Stir the vanilla extract and chocolate flavor into the beaten egg whites.
Sift 1/4 of the flour mixture into the batter and fold gently.
Repeat until finished with the flour. Pour the batter into the prepared tube pan.
Gently move a knife through the batter to remove air pockets.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Invert pan and let cool for 1 1/2 hours.
Remove from pan and drizzle with vanilla glaze.

Beating Egg Whites: Use a deep glass bowl and a thin wire wisk.
Do not use an aluminum or plastic bowl.
Since this recipes calls for cream of tartar, do not use a copper bowl.
The egg whites whould be 75F in temperature and should contain no egg yolk.
Grease of any kind on the bowl or utensils will ruin results.

Beat about 150 strokes per minute and increase as the egg whites pass the foamy stage.
Do not stop beating once you start.
You can use an electric beater but the egg whites will not be as fluffy.

                      Classic Basic Angel Food Cake

Recipe By     :
Serving Size  : 1    Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Cakes

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   1      cup           cake flour
   1 1/2  cups          sugar
   2      cups          egg whites
                        (About 13) *
   1 1/2  teaspoons     cream of tartar
   1      teaspoon      vanilla extract
     1/4  teaspoon      salt

   * Note: If you have a fraction more or less than 2 cups, it doesn't matter.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Adjust oven rack so it is 1/3 of the way up from the bottom.
To measure the cake flour:
Dip a 1-cup measure into the cake flour container, scoop up the flour,
and sweep off the excess with a knife.
Combine the measured flour with half the sugar (3/4 cup) in a small bowl,
stirring them together with a for or wire whisk. Sift them together 3 times.
Place the remaining sugar (3/4 cup) in a small cup. 
A standing electric mixer is the easiest way to make an angel food cake.
Put the egg whites in the largest bowl.
Turn to the LOWEST speed. After about a minute, when the whites are broken up,
and resemble a foamy syrup, stop beating, and add
the cream of tartar, vanilla and salt.  
Take about 30 seconds to gradually turn to MEDIUM speed, then, holding the
reserved 3/4 cup sugar at the edge of the bowl, gradually let sprinkles of it drift into the whites.
Stop beating when all the sugar is added, and scrape around the sides and
bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Resume beating at MEDIUM speed until the whires are "stiff but moist".  
The next step is folding in the light, beaten egg whites with the heavier flour mixture,
without deflating the egg whites.
The easiest method, and it's almost foolproof: Sift about1/3
of the flour/sugar mixture over the top of the egg whites,
and using the same beaters, turn the machine to the
LOWEST speed for a few seconds...until blended, and there are no drifts of flour visible.
Stop and scrape all around the bowl with a rubber spatula. Sift on half the remaining flour
mixture, and beat at the LOWEST speed, until just blended, then scrape all around again.
Fold in the last of the mixture the same way.

FILLING THE CAKE PAN: The batter will lose volume if it stands around.
Fill the 10" ungreased tube
pan immediately.
Hold the bowl over the pan as you pour, so the batter is even.
Scrape out the bowl with a rubber spatula or your hand.
With a long knife, cut through the batter several times, to pop any air bubbles.
Smooth the top with a rubber spatula.   
Place the cake in the preheated oven, on the middle rack.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes.
The cake will probably rise to the top of the pan, or a little above it.
Make the first test for doneness after 30 minutes:
insert a long broom straw or thin wooden skewer into the middle of the cake.
If it comes out clean, the cake is done.
The cake will be lightly browned, and will spring back when you press it gently with your finger.
Remove the cake from the oven, and immediately invert the pan.
Let the cake cool upside down until the pan no longer feels warm.
(Overnight is okay.)   Remove the cake, and frost

                        Lemon-Lime Angel Food Cake

Recipe By     :
Serving Size  : 24   Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Cakes                            Desserts

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   1      cup           Cake Flour
  12      large         Egg Whites
     1/2  teaspoon      Salt
   2      teaspoons     Fresh Lime Juice
   1 1/4  teaspoons     Grated Lime Peel
   1 2/3  cups          Superfine Sugar
   1      teaspoon      Cream of Tartar
   2      teaspoons     Fresh Lemon Juice
   1 1/4  teaspoons     Grated Lemon Peel

Position Rack in lowest third of oven at 350 degrees Sift flour with 1/3 cup sugar. 
Beat egg, lemon & lime juice.  Gradually beat in remaining 1 cup sugar. 
Continue beating until stiff.  Mix lemon and lime peel. Sift 1/4 cup of flour into whites.
Continue until flour is gone. Spoon into 10" tube pan.
Bake for 42 minutes. Invert pan and place it on a bottle and allow to cool.
Pour Lemon-Lime Glaze over Cake. (see related recipe).

                          No Peeking Angel Cake

Recipe By     :
Serving Size  : 8    Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Cakes

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   5                    Egg whites
     1/4  teaspoon      Salt
     1/2  teaspoon      Cream of tartar
   1      cup           Sugar
   1      teaspoon      Vanilla
   1 1/4  cups          Cake flour
   1      cup           Whipping cream
   2      tablespoons   Powdered sugar -- sifted
     1/4  teaspoon      Vanilla
   1 1/2  cups          Fresh raspberries -- OR
                        strawberries

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Butter an 8-inch square baking pan.
In a large bowl, beat egg whites with salt and cream of tartar until foamy. 
Gradually beat in 1 cup sugar; continue to beat 15 minutes.
Add 1 teaspoon vanilla; blend thoroughly. Use a rubber spatula to fold in flour in FOUR parts. 
After last addition, continue to fold gently until flour is completely moistened.
Gently ease batter into prepared pan, and into the oven.

CLOSE OVEN DOOR, and IMMEDIATELY turn off the heat.
NO PEEKING for at least 8 hours, or until the next morning.
At serving time, use a small chilled bowl and beater to whip cream until frothy. 
Gradually beat in powdered sugar until cream is thick and of spreading consistency.
Stir in 1/4 teaspoon vanilla. Top cake with whipped cream and fresh fruit.

The "NO PEEK" rule must be obeyed

                        Raspberry Angel Food Cake

Recipe By     :
Serving Size  : 10   Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Cakes                            Fruits

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  10                    Egg whites -- room temperature
   1 1/4  teaspoons     Cream of tartar
     1/4  teaspoon      Salt
   1      teaspoon      Vanilla
   1 1/4  cups          Sugar
   1      cup           Cake flour
   1      cup           Fresh raspberries OR
   1      cup           Frozen raspberries -- thaw/drai

Preheat the oven to 350F. Beat the egg whites, cream of tartar and
salt in a large bowl until they form soft peaks.
Add the vanilla.
Gradually add the sugar, beating until the whites are stiff and shiny, but not dry.
Sift the flour onto the egg whites and sprinkle the raspberries over the top.
Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the flour and berries.
Spoon the mixture into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan and bake until a toothpick inserted
in the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
Invert the pan onto a cake rack and let it cool completely
without removing the cake from the pan.
When the cake is cool, carefully remove the pan.
Serve with more raspberries and whipped cream.

                        Swans Down Angel Food Cake

Recipe By     :
Serving Size  : 1    Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Cakes

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   1      cup           cake flour -- Swans Down
   1      cup           egg whites -- (8-10 eggs) *
     1/4  teaspoon      salt
   1      teaspoon      cream of tartar
   1 1/4  cups          granulated sugar -- sifted
     3/4  teaspoon      vanilla extract
     1/4  teaspoon      almond extract

   * Remove eggs from refrigerator several hours before using.
They beat up lighter and more easily when at room temperature,
and give increased fineness of grain and delicacy of texture to angel food cakes.   
Sift flour once, measure, and sift four more times.
Beat egg whites and salt with flat wire whisk.
When foamy, add cream of tartar and continue beating until eggs are stiff
enough to hold up in peaks, but not dry.
Fold in sugar carefully, 2 tablespoons at a time, until all is used.
Fold in flavoring.
Then sift small quantity of flour over mixture and fold in carefully;
continue until all is used. 
Turn into ungreased angel food pan and bake in slow oven at least one hour.
Begin at 275 degrees F. and after 30 minutes increase heat slightly (325 degrees F.)
and bake 30 minutes longer.
Remove from oven and invert pan for 1 hour, or until cold

                      Twenty-Three Minute Angel Cake

Recipe By     :
Serving Size  : 8    Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Dessert                          Cake

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   1 1/2   c            Egg whites at room tempera-
                        -ture (approximately 1
                        -dozen eggs)
   1       t            Cream of tartar
     1/4   ts           Salt
   1       c            Sifted, granulated sugar
   1       t            Vanilla
     1/2   ts           Almond extract
   1       c            Cake flour
   1       c            Powdered sugar

  "Here is a recipe for the simplest angel cake I have
  ever had the pleasure of making.  It is practically foolproof,
  fallproof and very delicious."

  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place an ungreased angel food pan
  in the oven while it is preheating.  The preheating of the pan is
  vitally important to the success and high-rise nature of this cake.

  Beat the egg whites with a rotary beater, whisk or electric beater at
  slow speed.  When the whites just begin to turn glossy and bubbly,
  add the cream of tartar and salt.  Continue to beat for a second or
  two to mix well.  Continue beating and sprinkle in a tablespoon of
  the sifted granulated sugar at a time.  As you beat and add the
  sugar, the whites will begin to stand in peaks.  Before adding the
  last two tablespoons of sugar, add the vanilla and the almond
  extract.  Then continue to beat until the whites stand in glossy
  peaks.

  Sift the cake flour and the powdered sugar together six times and
  start adding this mixture, two tablespoons at a time, to the egg
  white mixture, beating constantly.

  When all of the powdered sugar and flour have been incorporated into
  the egg white mixture, spoon the mixture into the hot, preheated
  angel food pan with a rubber spoon.  Use the rubber spoon to gently
  smooth out the top of the cake.

  Place the pan back in the 425 degree F. oven and bake for exactly 23
  minutes.  Do not open the oven door during this period.

  At the end of the baking period, remove the cake from the oven and
  invert immediately.  If you do not have an angel food pan with legs
  for suspension, invert the cake over a large soda bottle (wine
  bottle?) by sticking the neck of the bottle in the center tube.

  Allow the cake to cool to room temperature.  Loosen the outer edge
  with a sharp pointed knife and turn out on a suitable cake plate.

  This cake may be frosted with a simple white 7-minute frosting, a
  glaze or may be topped with strawberries and whipped cream.  This
  cake is also delicious with a simple dusting of powdered sugar.

                     Yellow and White Angel Food Cake

Recipe By     :
Serving Size  : 1    Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Cakes

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
                        White part:
   6      each          Eggs whites
     1/2  cup           Sugar
     1/2  cup           Cake flour
   1      teaspoon      Cream tartar
                        Almond extract
                        Salt
                        Yellow part:
   6      each          Egg yolks
     3/4  cup           Sugar
     3/4  cup           Cake flour
     1/4  cup           Water -- boiling
   1      teaspoon      Baking powder
                        Vanilla
                        Salt -- a pinch

Put in angel food cake pan, then stir up the yellow part.
Beat egg yolks, sugar together 3 minutes, add boiling water, vanilla, flour,
baking powder, salt, sifted 3 times or more.
Pour over white part and bake like and angel food cake.

Note: Directions for white portion should instruct to whip egg whites until frothy,
add cream tartar & salt, whip until stiff.
Fold in sugar and flour which has been sifted together.
Lastly add almond extract.
No time or temperature given.
Put in warm oven, increase temperature every 15 minutes.
Bake about 60 minutes.

Angel Food Cake with Orange Pineapple Filling

1 prepared angel food cake
1 can mandarin oranges
1 large pkg. instant vanilla pudding (sugar-free will work)
1/4 c. orange juice
1/2 c. crushed pineapple
1 medium-size carton fat-free Cool Whip
1/2 c. finely grated coconut

Split the cake in half horizontally. Combine remaining ingredients, except coconut, to make filling.

Spread the bottom portion of the cake with half of the filling. Cover with the top half of the cake.

Top with the remaining filling and sprinkle with coconut. Chill the cake in the refrigerator before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

Lemon Meringue Angel Food Cake
This is a bit of work to put all together but worth it. Easter dessert will create new memories for many years to come.

1 1/2 cups (11 to 12) large egg whites
1 Tbs. cold water
1 cup sifted cake flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp. Cream of Tartar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

Place egg whites and cold water in the bowl of a heavy duty mixer. Set aside until they are 60 degrees, or slightly below room temperature.

Pour flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and salt into a triple sifter or sieve. Sift onto a sheet of waxed paper, set aside. Adjust rack in lower third of
oven, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Set nearby a dry, ungreased 10 inch tube pan. Such a pan allows the batter to cling to the sides and rise to its full height. Place a long neck bottle or large metal funnel nearby for inverting the baked cake.

Whip egg whites, preferably with a whisk attachment until frothy. Add cream of tartar and whip on medium speed until soft peaks form. Continue whipping and gradually add the 1 cup granulated sugar until whites have thickened and form soft droopy white peaks. Add the vanilla and lemon zest in the final moments of whipping. Sprinkle one quarter of the flour mixture over the whites and with a rubber spatula, fold in the whites.

Repeat this process with the remaining flour mixture, folding in only one quarter of the flour mixture at a time. Gently pour the batter into an ungreased tube pan. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the top is light golden, the cake feels spongy and springs back when touched, and a wooden toothpick inserted in the middle comes out free of cake. Invert cake onto the neck of a bottle or funnel. Cool completely before removing from pan. To remove cake from pan, slip just the tip of a small metal spatula between the cake and the pan. Slowly trace the perimeter to release any cake sticking to the pan. Tilt the cake pan on its side, gently tap the bottom against the counter to loosen the cake. Rotate the cake pan tapping as you turn it a few more times, until it appears free. Cover the cake with a rack or a cardboard round, and at the same time that you invert the cake onto the work surface, tap it firmly onto the surface. Life the pan from the cake.

Lemon Curd Filling
2 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
6 Tbs. (2 lemons) strained lemon juice
1 Tbs. finely grated lemon zest
3 oz (6 Tbs) sweet butter, chilled and cut into 6 pieces

In a 1 1/2 quart heavy bottomed saucepan, whisk briefly to combine eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest. Add the pieces of butter, and place the saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly over the entire bottom. Cook the mixture without boiling until it begins to develop body and thicken. Remove from heat and pour through a stainless steel sieve into a bowl. Cover the surface with plastic wrap, poke a few small slits in the plastic with the tip of a paring blade, allowing steam to escape while cooling. Refrigerate (curd will thicken)

Italian Meringue Frosting
1/4 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup (about 3) large egg whites
1/8 tsp. Cream of tartar
2 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

In a 3 cup saucepan, combine the water and 2/3 cup sugar. Place over low heat to dissolve the sugar, then increase the heat to medium high and boil, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 235 degrees. (wash down any sugar crystals clinging to the sides of the pan with a brush dipped in cold water). Near the end of the boiling time, whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Add the 2 tablespoons sugar, and continue to whip until the whites are still but not dry. With the mixer running, pour the syrup onto the whipped whites. Continue to whip on medium speed, about 3 minutes or more. Mixture will thicken, cool and form glossy stiff peaks. Add the vanilla. Cool to room temperature, about 8 to 10 minutes, then frost cake right away.

Assembling the Dessert
Cut cake into three layers. Spread the lemon filling equally between the two layers, top with remaining layer. Frost top and sides of cake with Italian Meringue Frosting.

Yield 12 to 14 servings

Pineapple Angel Food Trifle

15 ounces canned pineapple tidbits -- undrained

2 packages vanilla instant pudding mix

3 cups milk

8 ounces sour cream

1 10" angel food cake -- cut into 1" cubes

8 ounces frozen whipped topping -- thawed

Drain pineapple tidbits, reserving 1 cup juice; set aside. Combine instant pudding mix, 1/2 cup reserved juice, and milk in a large mixing bowl; beat at low speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until thickened. Fold in sour cream and pineapple tidbits.

Place one-third of cake cubes in bottom of a 16-cup glass bowl; drizzle with 2 to 3 tablespoons remaining reserved pineapple juice. Spoon one-third of pudding mixture over cake. Repeat procedure twice, ending with pudding mixture. Cover and chill at least 3 hours. Just before serving, spread top with whipped topping. Garnish with mint leaves and/or pineapple slices.

Yield: 12 servings.

South-of-the-Border Angel Food Cake 

Most holiday desserts are rich and very filling. If you ever long for something on the lighter side, or if you are watching your fat intake, this delightfully different angel food cake is for you. It has a base flavor of Dutch process cocoa, enlivened by the good tastes of cinnamon, espresso, and cloves. You won't notice the pepper in this recipe; it just adds to the overall flavor. Please be sure to use Dutch process cocoa here; I have not tried this recipe with regular nonalkalized cocoa powder, so I do not know if it will work. I use a food processor instead of the multiple siftings of dry ingredients usually called for, and the processing seems to work very well.

This is a wonderful way to use up leftover egg whites, and you can use those that have been frozen and thawed. You'll need a large bowl in which to mix the cake; my largest mixer bowl is 4-1/2 quarts, which isn't big enough, so I use a 6 quart pot and a hand-held electric mixer to beat the egg whites. Whatever you use, both bowl and beaters must be spotlessly clean and grease-free, or the egg whites will not achieve a good volume. Also, make sure the whites are at room temperature when you beat them, as they will not reach full volume if they are cold.

Everything I have ever read about angel food cakes emphasizes getting the completed batter into the oven as quickly as possible, because if beaten whites are left standing for any length of time they will begin to deflate. The last time I made this, however, I got distracted by a phone call and forgot to preheat the oven. The completed batter stood in the pan on a counter for some 10 minutes until my oven got to what I judged was a temperature close enough to what it was supposed to be. The resulting cake was just fine. I'm not sure if there's a lesson in there, but at least if you forget to preheat your oven while making this, all will probably not be lost!

Because foam-type cakes are so delicate, they must cool upside down, suspended over the neck of a sturdy bottle. This looks odd, but it works very well, though it does take courage to turn the freshly-baked cake over, onto the neck of a bottle! Once baked, this will keep at room temperature for a few days, if stored airtight, or refrigerated for at least a week (again, stored airtight).
 
I have always been assured that angel food cake doesn't freeze, but I froze a slice of this for several days as a test, then thawed it (still in wrappings) on my kitchen counter, and it was fine, so try it if you wish.

1-2/3 cups sifted granulated sugar, divided
3/4 cup sifted cake flour
1/2 cup sifted unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
1-1/4 tsp. instant espresso powder
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
About 6 grinds freshly, finely-ground black pepper
1-3/4 cups egg whites, at room temperature
1-1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
Pinch salt
2 tsp. vanilla

Optional Garnish:
Confectioners' sugar

Adjust rack to position 1/3 up from oven bottom; preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Assemble a 2 piece tube pan, 10 inches in diameter by 4 inches tall; do not grease the pan!

In the work bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade, place 1 cup sugar (reserve remainder). Process at highest speed in 2 or 3 "bursts" of 10 to 15 seconds each, until sugar is very fine-textured. Remove from processor; set aside.

Return the work bowl to processor. Combine remaining 2/3 cup sugar, cake flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, cinnamon, cloves, and pepper. Process at highest speed in 3 "bursts" of 10 to 15 seconds each until fine-textured and well-mixed. Remove from processor; set aside.

In an absolutely clean 6 quart pot, combine room temperature egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt. With sturdy, hand-held electric mixer, beat at medium speed until combined, then increase speed to high and beat until very white and foamy. Gradually, about 1 tablespoon at a time, add the processed cup of sugar, beating between each addition. With last addition of sugar, add vanilla. Continue beating until this meringue holds stiff peaks, but do not overbeat.

Sift in about 1/2 cup of the processed sugar-cocoa-flour mixture, then gently fold in with a large rubber spatula. Don't be too thorough at this stage. Continue sifting in additions of the sugar-cocoa-flour mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time, making certain to scrape the pot edges and bottom frequently. You want to fold in these dry ingredients gently but quickly. You'll see that this folding does deflate the meringue slightly, but the batter should still be thick. Fold in the last addition of dry ingredients just until everything is combined; do not overmix.

Carefully turn batter into assembled tube pan. Gently level with spatula. Now, using a flat knife, cut through the batter several times in a pattern of concentric circles to get rid of any large air bubbles. Place pan into preheated oven.

Bake 30 to 40 minutes. While cake bakes, make sure you have a clean, empty, sturdy, long-necked bottle for cooling. Do not open the oven door for the first 25 minutes of baking. The cake will rise above the edge of the pan and develop very deep cracks in the top surface �?OK. When done, cake will spring back if pressed lightly with a fingertip. Do not overbake. Remove cake from oven; place right side up on a cooling rack.

As quickly as possible, carefully pick up the (hot) tube pan while you insert the neck of the bottle through the tube. Gently and carefully turn the whole assembly upside down so that the baked cake, still in the pan, is suspended on the neck of the bottle. I place the whole assembly on a sturdy cooling rack; the cake should be about 1 foot above your table or work surface.

Cool undisturbed and out of drafts until cake has reached room temperature. While it cools, the cake will shrink slightly �?OK.

When completely cooled, remove cake, still in pan, from bottle. With pan right side up, use a stiff-bladed plastic spatula or knife to gently loosen cake from sides of pan and tube. Life tube portion of pan up from sides; the cake should release easily. Carefully loosen cake from pan bottom; gently invert onto serving plate (you can also invert cake gently onto a rack, then re-invert to serve it right side up). Store airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate airtight for at least a week.

To serve, use a sharp, serrated knife. Very gently saw slices from cake in order not to squash it. If desired, sift a bit of confectioners' sugar over the slices just before serving.

12 servings

Strawberry Sponge Cake

1 quart fresh strawberries, diced

1 carton strawberry glaze (13-1/2 ounces)

9 individual cream-filled sponge cakes

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

1 carton (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed

Combine the strawberries and glaze; set aside. Slice cakes in half lengthwise; place in an ungreased 13-in X 9-in X 2-in dish. In a mixing bowl beat cream cheese and milk until smooth; fold in whipped topping. Spread over cakes. Spoon strawberry mixture over top. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until ready to serve. Refrigerate any leftovers.