Coffee Angel Cake

The Coffee Angel Cake is a variant of the classic American dessert known for its lightness and delicate coffee aroma. Here’s how to prepare it:

Ingredients

• 10 egg whites
• 300 g of granulated sugar
• 100 g of cake flour
• 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons of instant coffee powder (or as needed to obtain the desired flavor)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F) and place the rack in the lower third of the oven.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they start to become frothy.
3. Add the cream of tartar and continue to whip until they form soft peaks.
4. Gradually, add the sugar a little at a time, continuing to whisk until the mixture is glossy and forms stiff peaks.
5. Add the vanilla extract and instant coffee, then sift the flour over the mixture, a little at a time, and fold it in gently with a spatula using bottom-up movements to avoid deflating the egg whites.
6. Pour the mixture into an ungreased angel cake pan (with a central tube). Gently level the surface with a spatula.
7. Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
8. Once baked, remove it from the oven and invert the pan onto a bottle or a wire rack to cool the cake completely upside down. This will help maintain its volume.
9. After it has cooled, run a knife along the edges of the pan to help release the angel cake and flip it onto a serving plate.

Curiosity

The Angel Cake owes its softness especially to the high amount of whipped egg whites; it is called “angel food cake” precisely because of its light texture like a cloud. The coffee version is enriched with the intense taste of coffee, often appreciated in various Italian desserts.

If you want an Italian pairing for this dessert, you could serve it with a bit of mascarpone cream on top or accompanied by a small glass of coffee liqueur to enhance the aroma.