Eating angel food cake is like eating sweet, billowy, spongy air that you just can’t get enough of. I love turning angel food cake into a strawberry shortcake type of deal with whipped cream and strawberries on top. But, admittedly, I’m a sucker for a boozy dessert so I thought instead of macerating the strawberries the old-fashioned way, why not embellish them with a little orange-flavored liqueur (Grand Marnier). It’s light, airy, summery and perfectly boozy.
What to Notice
- Egg whites transform magically when whipped with air. To know they’re where you want them to be, look for them to be glossy, not dry-looking. Also look at their peaks, after whipping them, remove your whisk attachment and see what hangs from it. Are they holding their shape with a slight droop? Perfect—that’s what you want!
- It takes a lot of work to whip air into egg whites and give angel food cake the texture its famous for. Instead of whipping in the flour, we fold it in. To do this, cut down the center with your spatula and move it to the edge to basically make a half-circle. Do this very gently like you’re trying to not wake up the batter.
- For the strawberries, taste the syrup before serving. It should be juicy, bright, and lightly boozy, not too sharp. The berries should soften and gloss over while still holding their shape. Spoon them over the cake just before serving so every bite stays airy.
Servings: 12 Servings
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cups cake flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups large egg whites about 9-10 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- I teaspoon orange zest
For the Strawberries:
- 1 pint of strawberries hulled and sliced
- 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier
- I tablespoon sugar
For the Whipped Cream:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- I teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and set a 9 or 10-inch tube pan aside. Be sure not to grease it as you would an ordinary cake recipe.
- Add your sugar to a food processor and blend for a few seconds. This will create superfine sugar which helps dissolve easier into the egg whites. Sift the sugar into a medium bowl and aside.
- In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add your egg whites and cream of tartar. Mix on medium-low speed until they become slightly frothy, this will take about 1-2 minutes. Once this happens, use a measuring cup to extract one cup of sifted sugar and from that add about a tablespoon of sugar at a time into the egg whites while mixing on medium speed. Once the full cup of sugar is incorporated, continue to beat until soft, glossy peaks form. On low speed, add the vanilla and orange zest.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the remaining sugar and cake flour. From this, sift 1/3 of the mixture into the egg white mixture, using a rubber spatula to carefully incorporate. Do this until everything is combined.
- Carefully spoon your batter into the ungreased tube pan, using an offset spatula to level the batter. Lightly tap the pan on the counter to release any trapped air bubbles.
- Bake the cake for 30-35 minutes until the top is golden brown. Invert the pan on the counter or a cooling rack for at least an hour. After it has cooled completely, loosen the cake from the pan using a small spatula or a knife around the edges and center. Remove the bottom and place on a cake stand.
Prepare the Strawberries:
- While the cake is baking, prepare your strawberries. Place cut strawberries in a small bowl and sprinkle sugar overtop and drizzle in your Grand Marnier. Let them sit in the fridge and macerate while the cake cools.
Make the Whipped Cream:
- Place all the ingredients for the whipped cream into a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whip on medium low. Gradually increase the speed and mix on high until a soft texture forms.
Assemble the Cake:
- Top the cake with a layer of whipped cream and arrange the strawberries overtop. Drizzle over some of the syrup produced by the berries and serve.
