Holiday Angel Cake

Just for fun: A festive angel food cake that's easy to make, with flavors of hazelnut, almond and cherry.


Holiday baking can sometimes result in leftover ingredients and excess egg whites; my Panettone project resulted in quite a few.  This cake is my solution, and it turned out to be absolutely delicious, and pretty, too! Flavored with toasted hazelnuts, almond and vanilla, the cake is a nice backdrop for red and green candied cherries.

Holiday Angel Cake

Preheat oven to 325F

Ingredients

12 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 and 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup cake flour (or 7/8 cup all purpose flour and 2 Tablespoons corn starch)
7/8 cup sugar

1/2 cup maraschino cherries, rinsed and chopped
1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped (or other nuts)

Process

1.  In electric mixer bowl with whisk attached, combine egg whites, salt, vanilla, cream of tartar and almond extract.  Beat until very foamy.
   
2. Beat in the 3/4 cup of sugar and continue beating until firm, and stiff peaks occur.
   
   
   
   
   
3. In a separate small bowl, combine the cake flour and 7/8 cup of sugar, then fold this into the egg white mixture.
   
4. When about half folded in, add the chopped fruit and nuts.  Finish folding all in until well-combined.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Place batter in an ungreased tube pan with removable bottom.  Tap sharply on the counter twice to remove air bubbles.
   
   
   
   
   
6. Bake at 325F for 40 minutes, then invert the pan over a bottle for an hour.  Loosen from the pan with a knife, then place on serving plate.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
7. Serve and enjoy!

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