South of the Border Angel Cake Recipe Recipe

How to make it

---

• Set oven to 375
• In the work bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade or in a blender, place 1 cup sugar (reserve the rest). 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 or blender. Combine remaining 2/3 cup sugar, cake flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, cinnamon, and cloves and pepper. Process at highest speed in 3 "bursts" of 10 to 15 seconds each until fine-textured and well-mixed. Remove from processor; set aside.
• In a large clean bowl combine room temperature egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt. With sturdy, hand-held electric mixer, beat at medium speed until combined, then increase speed to high and beat until very white and foamy. Gradually, about 1 tablespoon at a time, add the processed cup of sugar, beating between each addition. With last addition of sugar, add vanilla. 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. Do not over stir. Continue sifting in additions of the sugar-cocoa-flour mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time, making certain to scrape the bowl edges and bottom frequently. When folding into the mix, be very gentle but fast. 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 over mix.
• 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. Do not open the oven door for the first 25 minutes. When done, cake will spring back if pressed lightly with a fingertip. Do not over bake. Remove cake from oven; place right side up on a cooling rack.
• As quickly as you can pick up the (hot) tube pan, you should turn upside down. Very important for the cake to cool while hanging. Cool undisturbed and out of drafts until cake has reached room temperature. While it cools, the cake will shrink a little.
• When completely cooled, and with pan right side up, use a stiff-bladed plastic spatula or knife to gently loosen cake from sides of pan and tube. Lift tube portion of pan up from sides; the cake should release easily. Carefully loosen cake from pan bottom; gently invert onto serving plate, turn right side up to serve. Take care to cut with a serrated knife slowly to avoid smashing the cake.
• In the work bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade or in a blender, place 1 cup sugar (reserve the rest).
• 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 or blender. Combine remaining 2/3 cup sugar, cake flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, cinnamon, and cloves and pepper.
• Process at highest speed in 3 "bursts" of 10 to 15 seconds each until fine-textured and well-mixed.
• Remove from processor; set aside.
• In a large clean bowl combine room temperature egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt.
• With sturdy, hand-held electric mixer, beat at medium speed until combined, then increase speed to high and beat until very white and foamy.
• Gradually, about 1 tablespoon at a time, add the processed cup of sugar, beating between each addition. With last addition of sugar, add vanilla.
• 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.
• Do not over stir.
• Continue sifting in additions of the sugar-cocoa-flour mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time, making certain to scrape the bowl edges and bottom frequently.
• When folding into the mix, be very gentle but fast.
• 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 over mix.
• 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. Do not open the oven door for the first 25 minutes. When done, cake will spring back if pressed lightly with a fingertip.
• Do not over bake.
• Remove cake from oven; place right side up on a cooling rack.
• As quickly as you can pick up the (hot) tube pan, you should turn upside down. Very important for the cake to cool while hanging. Cool undisturbed and out of drafts until cake has reached room temperature. While it cools, the cake will shrink a little.
• When completely cooled, and with pan right side up, use a stiff-bladed plastic spatula or knife to gently loosen cake from sides of pan and tube. Lift tube portion of pan up from sides; the cake should release easily. Carefully loosen cake from pan bottom; gently invert onto serving plate, turn right side up to serve. Take care to cut with a serrated knife slowly to avoid smashing the cake.