South Of The Border Angel Food Cake
South of the Border Angel Food Cake
1 2/3 cups sifted granulated sugar, divided
3/4 cup sifted cake flour
1/2 cup sifted unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
1 1/4 tsps instant espresso powder
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves
About 6 grinds freshly, finely-ground black pepper
1 3/4 cups egg whites, at room temp
1 1/4 tsps cream of tartar
Pinch salt
2 tsps vanilla extract
Optional Garnish
Confectioners’ sugar
Adjust rack to position 1/3 up from oven bottom; preheat oven to 375 deg F
Assemble a 2-piece tube pan, 10 inches in diameter x 4 inches tall; do not grease the pan!
In the work bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade, place 1 cup sugar (reserve remainder)
Process at highest speed in 2 or 3 bursts of 10 to 15 seconds each, until sugar is very fine-textured
Remove from processor; set aside
Return the work bowl to processor
Combine remaining 2/3 cup sugar, cake flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, cinnamon, cloves & pepper
Process at highest speed in 3 bursts of 10 to 15 seconds each until fine-textured & well-mixed
Remove from processor; set aside
In an absolutely clean 6-quart pot, combine room temp egg whites, cream of tartar, & salt
With sturdy, h&-held electric mixer, beat at medium speed until combined, then increase speed to high & beat until very white & foamy
Gradually, about 1 tbsp at a time, add the processed cup of sugar, beating between each addition
With last addition of sugar, add vanilla extract
Continue beating until this meringue holds stiff peaks, but do not over-beat
Sift in about 1/2 cup of the processed sugar-cocoa-flour mixture, then gently fold in with a large rubber spatula
Don’t be too thorough at this stage
Continue sifting in additions of the sugar-cocoa-flour mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time, making certain to scrape the pot edges & bottom frequently
You want to fold in these dry ingredients gently but quickly
You’ll see that this folding does deflate the meringue slightly, but the batter should still be thick
Fold in the last addition of dry ingredients just until everything is combined; do not overmix
Carefully turn batter into assembled tube pan
Gently level with spatula
Now, using a flat knife, cut through the batter several times in a pattern of concentric circles to get rid of any large air bubbles
Place pan into preheated oven
Bake 30 to 40 min
While cake bakes, make sure you have a clean, empty, sturdy, long-necked bottle for cooling
Do not open the oven door for the first 25 min of baking
The cake will rise above the edge of the pan & develop very deep cracks in the top surface
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