For Curley’s birthday last week I offered to make any cake her little heart desired. I had emailed through a few suggestions and while her general response was one of ‘surprise me’, she suggested a few delights that were some of her favourites, one in particular, Angel Food Cake (AFC).
Now a few preliminary comments regarding AFC:
- AFC doesn’t exist in the UK, a few folks have heard of it; likely from being mentioned on an episode of 90210 or the Hills, but it’s not something you can pick up in the store or in a bakery
- AFC (for those that don’t know) is a fat-free cake make with an exorbitant amount of eggs whites, which should ideally result in a light and airy type cake. Sometimes it’s then garnished with frosting or whipped cream
- AFC was the one thing my mom always bought in a store. When I gave her a call to find out if she’d ever made AFC before she said: “Honey, I made one about 30 years ago – it stuck to the pan and I couldn’t get it out. Never again. It wasn’t worth it when the store ones were pretty good.”
Always up for a culinary challenge, I decided to go for it. I found a recipe with decent reviews that called for 9 egg whites (many others listing up to a dozen). I figured if nothing else it would be a bit of an adventure to make.
So with not much to go on I did a bit of research. Apparently AFC requires a special AFC pan. It looks somewhat like a Bundt pan but it has 'feet' for it to rest on. Some have removable bottoms like Springform pans. It’s critical (apparently) that you don't use a non-stick pan so the batter can grip the sides and pull itself up.
I was surprised and had a few chuckles over how many discussion boards there are on this topic.
So with no AFC pan in sight I basically had two choices – a silicone Bundt pan or a Springform pan (not non-stick). Many opinions I'd read said that you needed the hole in the middle of the pan for the cake to ‘rise up’. However, if a non-stick or silicone pan was used it would be flat and listless. Having to buckle down and make a choice, I went the Springform pan route thinking that avoiding a non-stick pan trumped using one with a hole in the middle.
And I'm happy to report that for whatever reason, it did actually work. Contrary to many naysayers who'd posted messages that said, without a AFC pan your AFC "will be a disaster."
Who knows, maybe they just didn't have the special 'touch' required?
All of that said, was it remarkably better than the store bought ones of my youth? Will I make it again anytime soon? Probably not. But once slathered in chocolate frosting, was a super crowd pleaser for Curley and her friends.
