When I was a kid, we used to buy whipped cream in a plastic tub. Once I was older and I discovered you could actually make whipped cream… well, it was an exciting moment. Since then, I’m still amazed at the results one can achieve with a simple electric mixer. Yes, I’ll admit, I’m easily amused.

Angel cake is made with a lot of eggs, a lot of sugar and a whole lot of whipping. It has a “pure” quality – light and ethereal. Hence the name, I suppose.

• 6 oz confectioner’s sugar
• 5 oz flour (Pillsbury Softasilk is wonderful)
• 12 fl oz egg whites (that’s about 10 large eggs)
• 1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 tsp almond essence
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 7 oz caster sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Sift the flour and confectioner’s sugar together. Mix and sift again. Set aside.

Use an electric mixer to mix the egg whites until soft peaks form. Remember that you are mixing 10 egg whites. It’s normal for it to take a while.  Add the vanilla and almond extracts, the cream of tartar and the salt and continue mixing to blend.

Gradually add the caster sugar one spoonful at a time while mixing; continue until stiff  peaks form.

Sprinkle 1/3 of the flour onto the egg whites and fold in with a rubber spatula. Fold thoroughly. Be gentle but check that there are no flour pockets hiding. Add the second 1/3 of the remaining flour and fold; continue with the last of the flour.

Spoon the mix gently into a bundt cake tin or angel food cake tin – any tube tin will work.  The hole in the center is to allow the heat to move evenly through the cake.

Bake for 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees until the cake has risen and is golden. It should spring back when you touch it.

Immediately invert the cake onto a cooling rack until cool. Use a knife or off-center spatula to release the sides and center and turn out onto the rack.

Plate and dust with confectioner’s sugar. Serve with Chantilly cream and berries.

If you didn’t know, Chantilly cream is just cream, whipped until stiff  with a bit of vanilla extract and confectioner’s sugar added. Aren’t you excited to know how easy that is to make? Sorry Cool Whip. Secret’s out.

Enjoy!