I just read about making angel food cake in a cast iron pot in a recent issue of Southern Cast Iron Magazine – yes, so surprising, no hole in the center! I just had to try it.
It calls for a 4 quart cast iron pot – I used my 3 quart cast iron pot I use for bread. It worked great. My pot is 9″ across, so bread and cake doesn’t spread out too much. It’s also well seasoned after so many loaves of bread.
Angel food cake was invented in St. Louis, Missouri in the 1800’s and after World War I, became a staple cake recipe found in most cookbooks.
Other than the cooking vessel, everything else about this angel food cake is typical. Due to dietary constraints, I did replace half the sugar with monk fruit, (an all natural no calorie sweetener) which didn’t seems to change it any.
A typical angel food cake sues lots of egg white, beaten to be airy and light. I often use a lot more egg yolks, with left over egg whites. If you didn’t know this already, you can freeze egg white (or leftover egg yolks for that mater) into ice cubes. I keep a silicone ice cube tray in the freezer just for this purpose. Once frozen, I turn out the whites cubes into a zip locked bag. When I get a dozen or so saved, I can make any form of sponge or angel food cake. Or for any other recipe that calls for just egg whites/yolks.
The only thing is to remember to take them out of the freezer far enough in advance so the eggs thaws. I often do this the day before and thaw in the fridge overnight.
Angel food cake doesn’t have many ingredients – cake flour (finer than regular all purpose flour), egg whites, sugar, vanilla and salt. The eggs are whipped to stiff peaks, and the flour/sugar folded in. No leavening agents like baking powder are used – just the airy egg whites give it lift.
If you choose to reduce the sugar content with monk fruit or Splenda, just use 1 for 1 for the sugar. I would suggest keeping half the sugar, which can help support the structure of the cake, as well as working with the eggs whites to assist with leavening and moisture content.
The bottom of the pot is lined with parchment paper, to help get the cake out. Do not grease the sides of the pot, as the cake needs to cling to the sides to rise up. I suggest using a stand mixer to beat the eggs whites, and they need to whip for several minutes. It could be done with a hand mixer as well if you can hold a mixer long enough!
One the eggs are whipped up, the flour and sugar combo is lightly folded in with a rubber spatula. A wooden spoon doesn’t work as well (ask me how I know). The cake takes about an hour to bake, then gets turned upside down just as you would in an angel food cake pan. No Coke bottle required! Which is how my mother used to cool down angel food cake in the so named pan.
And….MAGIC! An angel food cake with no hole in the center. I choose to take a jar of canned cherries and thicken them, as you would for cherry pie, to serve over the top. Fresh fruit, or a fruit compote would be great as well. Or warm fudge syrup! Yum! use your imagination and pick something your family or guests will like.
Angel Food Cake with No Hole
Use a cast iron pot as different way to make angel food cake if you don't have an angel food cake pan
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cake flour I prefer Swans
- 2 cups sugar can substitute half with Splenda or monk fruit
- 1 1/2 cups egg whites about 11 large whites
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- whipped cream or berries to serve optional
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350F. Cut a circle of parchment paper the size of the pot, spray the PAPER (not the pot) with cooking spray and put in sprayed side down. Do not spray or get grease on the sides of the pot.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and half the sugar 91 cup). Sifted flour will help make it lighter.
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In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, add the eggs and whisk on medium until they start to thicken and foam Add the cream of tartar, and salt, and whisk for another minute on medium, then turn up the speed to high. Slowly add the other cup of sugar, and then the vanilla. Whisk on high until shiny stiff peaks form.
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By hand, add 1/3 of the flour mix and fold with a rubber spatula until flour seems incorporated. Repeat with the remaining flour. Fold gently to keep the batter light an airy, without deflating the egg whites. Spread the batter into the prepared pot slowing and carefully. Keep the batter in the center a bit higher than the sides.
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Bake for about an hour until the cake has risen and is lightly browned. It will spring back when touched. turn upside down onto a rack and let cool completely.
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Run a knife around the side to loosen the cake, and turn out. Peel off the parchment paper. Serve with chocolate sauce,berries, whipped cream or your preference. Using a serrated knife cuts it best, with a sawing motion (not straight down).