Remember angel food cake? As a kid, I thought it was the most magical dessert — delicious and fluffy, like a lightly sweetened cloud. It had a big moment in the ‘90s, when it was unfortunately popularized as a miracle diet food thanks to its fat-free content (“fat free” also had a big moment in ‘90s diet culture). Then everyone turned on carbs in the 2000s, and poor old angel food got kicked to the curb. But today, I want to remind you that this cake exists and it deserves a comeback. Here’s why…
1. It’s fool-proof. Angel food is a one-bowl wonder that’s impossible to mess up. Unless you seriously overbake it, you’re going to wind up with a big, poofy, moist-but-light-as-air cake. And even if you do forget it in the oven (I’m not sure how you would, because it makes your entire house smell like a divine confectionary), you can wash out the pan and stick another one in there in 10 minutes. Why?
2. Box is best. Or, rather, box is indistinguishable from scratch. I learned this from my mom, a chef: Most of the time, homemade is better, but sometimes it makes no difference. In those cases, you’re better off saving the time and fuss for another part of the meal. Angel food cake is basically just sugar and a ton of egg whites (which come powered in the box so you just add water). It’s a personal call, but if I’m going to separate 15 eggs, I want everyone to know I made the effort, thankyouverymuch. I also want something to do with all those yolks. Eggs aren’t cheap, as you may have heard!
3. It’s good, not fancy. There’s no perfect bake where the finished product comes out evenly browned and smooth. Instead, it comes out like a toasted marshmallow, with little crags and crunchy edges and a super soft middle. There’s no way around it because, with angel food cake, the #1 rule is you cannot grease the pan. The batter has to stick to the pan in order to rise, which means that when it’s baked and cooled you have to beat it up a bit to get it out — running a butter knife around the sides and shaking it around until the cake plops out in all its toasty, uneven glory.
4. You can dress it easily. You’re not going to frost angel food cake with buttercream or ganache. It’s too soft and too sweet for anything heavy on top. This lightweight, no-fuss cake wants a lightweight, no-fuss topping. Defrost frozen cherries and pour them on top, juice and all — done. Dust with powdered sugar at the table — ta da. Dollop on whipped cream and add some fun sprinkles — how cute is that? On the other hand, if you do want to get more creative, angel food is one of the most “hackable” cakes out there. Cut it into thirds and layer with strawberries and cream. Stuff the middle with ice cream for a surprise ice-cream cake. Or rip it into pieces and turn it into single-serve trifles (with whipped cream and berries). I made this messy one for my five-year-old, who said it was the best thing she’d ever had in her life. Just sayin’!
5. It’s a pleasant surprise. Angel food cake is not the kind of dessert that makes people knit their brows and murmur, “Oh, wow, do I taste cardamom in here?” But it is the kind of dessert that makes people smile and say, “Angel food cake?! I haven’t had this in forever!” And, sometimes, that’s all you want.
Are you an angel food fan, too? What other throwback classics should I revisit?
P.S. More yummy recipes, including soup with turkey meatballs, and eight spooky Halloween snacks.
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