Lemon Angel Food Cake
Inspired by techniques from America's Test Kitchen, NYT Cooking and King Arthur Baking.
This follows the classic angel food cake method, tin and bake, with lemon zest and juice whisked into the finished meringue and a little less vanilla. Light as air, fat-free in the sponge and served with fresh berries.
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Method
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Equipment
- 25 cm two-piece tube (angel food) tin, ungreased and unlined
- fine grater
- fine sieve
- stand mixer or electric hand whisk
- large spatula
- wire rack or glass bottle for cooling upside down
- serrated knife
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 163 kcal |
| Protein | 4.7 g |
| Carbohydrate | 36 g |
| of which sugars | 26.2 g |
| of which free sugars | 25 g |
| Fat | 0.3 g |
| of which saturates | 0 g |
| Fibre | 1.6 g |
| Salt | 0.26 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
2.9 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
Metric · 12 servings
Dry mix
- 120 g cake flour (or plain flour; see note) plain flour works with a slightly firmer crumb
- 150 g caster sugar
Meringue
- 12 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1½ tsp cream of tartar
- 1.5 g fine sea salt or table salt, or table salt about ¼ tsp
- 150 g caster sugar
- 2 unwaxed lemons, finely grated zest
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp vanilla
To serve
- 250 g raspberries or blueberries, to serve
- 1
Heat oven, leave tin bare. Position a shelf in the lower-middle of the oven and give it at least 20 minutes to reach 175°C (155°C fan). Do not grease the tube tin; the batter needs to grip the sides as it climbs, which is what lets it rise tall.
- 2
Sift the flour. Sift the flour with the first 150 g caster sugar three times. Repeated sifting aerates the mixture and makes it easier to fold into the meringue without knocking out air.
- 3
Whisk the meringue. In a spotless, grease-free bowl, whisk the egg whites on medium-low until frothy, then add the cream of tartar and salt and whisk on medium-high to soft peaks. Add the remaining 150 g sugar a spoonful at a time and whisk to glossy peaks that bend at the tip. Even a trace of fat or yolk stops whites foaming, so the clean bowl matters.
- 4
Add the lemon. Whisk in the lemon zest, juice and vanilla for a few seconds only. The cream of tartar keeps the foam stable despite the extra acid from the lemon.
- 5
Fold in the flour. Sift a quarter of the flour mixture over the meringue and fold it in with a few broad strokes of the spatula. Repeat until just combined, with no pockets of flour left. Gentle folding preserves the air bubbles that give the cake its height.
- 6
Fill and bake. Spoon the batter into the tin, run a knife through it to remove air pockets and smooth the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden, the cracks look dry and a skewer comes out clean.
- 7
Cool upside down. Turn the tin upside down at once, resting it on its feet or over the neck of a glass bottle, and cool completely, about 2-3 hours. Hanging upside down stops the delicate sponge collapsing under its own weight while it sets.
- 8
Release and slice. Run a thin knife round the sides and the tube to release the cake. Slice with the serrated knife using a gentle sawing action and serve with the berries.
Storage
Keep covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. Wrapped slices freeze for up to 1 month; thaw at room temperature. Add the berries just before serving.
