Angel Food Cake

Who doesn't love angel food cake? I think it is one of the best desserts out there when you top it with whipping cream and fresh strawberries. This recipe is so easy, and tastes so delicious. I am craving some right now! :)

Ingredients
1 cup Cake Flour
1 1/2 cups White Sugar
12 Egg Whites
1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 teaspoons Cream of Tartar
1/2 teaspoon Salt

Special Equipment
Angel Food Cake pan (see here)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Be sure that your 10 inch tube pan is clean and dry. Any amount of oil or residue could deflate the egg whites.

Sift together the flour, and 3/4 cup of the sugar, set aside. In a large bowl, whip the egg whites along with the vanilla, cream of tartar and salt, to medium stiff peaks. (It will take a few minutes of electric beating to get to that point. Everything will be white and look like whipping cream, and when you touch it with the back of a spoon and hurry and take it out, it should leave peaks without falling back down) Gradually add the remaining sugar while continuing to whip to stiff peaks. When the egg white mixture has reached its maximum volume, fold in the sifted ingredients gradually, one third at a time. Do not overmix.

Put the batter into the non-greased pan.

Bake for about 40 minutes in the preheated oven, until the cake springs back when touched. Turn the tube pan upside down on top of a cooling rack, to prevent decompression while cooling. When cool, run a knife around the edge of the pan and invert onto a plate.