Week 23 :: Father's Day Angel Food Cake

So it was Father's Day and my Dad's favorite cake is Angel Food Cake....so of course that's what I tried....again....from scratch.  When my Dad said "really, my favorite is this box mix," I should have listened....but, no.  I just had to make Dad a cake from scratch.  I am just that stupid sweet.


Angel food cake is a royal pain in the rear good time!  So here is a step by step walk through for those of you that want to give it a go!

Angel Food Cake
Adapted from Alton Brown
::Ingredients::

• 1 3/4 cups white sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup cake flour, sifted
• 12 egg whites, room temperature (can buy egg whites in a carton)
• 1/3 cup warm water
• 1 tsp. extract of choosing (I used vanilla)
• 1 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

::Directions::

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (do NOT grease the tube pan you will use.
2. In a food processor, spin the sugar until it is super fine, about 2-4 minutes.
3. Sift half of the sugar into the flour and add the salt., set remainder of sugar aside.
4. In a LARGE bowl (I mean large) whisk together egg whites, water, extract and cream of tartar.
5. Use an electric mixer and beat on medium speed, slowly adding in the sugar until a medium peak forms (flops a little at the top when you try to make a peak). 
6. Sift enough of the flour mixture to cover the top of the foam and fold in with a spatula.  Repeat this until all the flour mixture has been added.
7. Spoon mixture into UNGREASED tub pan.
8. Bake for 40-50 minutes.  Test to see if it is done by inserting a wooden dowel in the middle of the cake, it should come out dry.
9. Cool the cake UPSIDE DOWN for at least one hour.

WHEW!  I am tired just thinking about making this cake again!

*Note: I garnished it with fresh whip cream and strawberries soaked in sugar (it makes them a bit syrup-y), but you can cut it in half and fill it which chocolate mousse, or any other combo you like!


Happy Baking!

Week 22 :: Fondaments!

What are fondaments you ask?  Well it's a new term made up by accident to describe this week's sweet.  This week was a very special week as it was my sweetheart's birthday!  He is quite a fan of his iPhone and iPad so that's the theme I went for.  After some researching I came up with this as my final design....

And fondaments were born.  Fondaments: pre-made fondant decorations that are attached later when needed.  I was puzzled as to how to make this because I had a little time every evening over the past week but not one single night where I could sit down and make the perfect cake. So, I made the fondaments in advance and the day of I made his favorite brownies and stuck the decorations on with a little bit of chocolate frosting.  Parfait!

I have a set of Wilton tools that came in SO handy with this project.  I use them with every cake but I think I used every tool with these decorations.  I highly recommend getting this set, or one like it, for even the most beginning cake decorator. 

Happy baking!