Chocolate Angel Food Cake

Spring time here in the country means eggs – lots of eggs. Our free-range chickens really put their production into high gear as soon as the days start to lengthen.

Extra eggs, of course, means lots of extra baking! I have amassed quite a collection of recipes that use many eggs – the more eggs the better!

This recipe is one of our all-time favorites. Once you have tasted homemade angel food cake, you will never want to go back to the boxed version!

Adding chocolate only makes it better!

Chocolate Angel Food Cake

1 cup cake flour
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup baking cocoa

1 1/2 cup egg whites (about 12)
1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup granulated sugar

Sift flour, powdered sugar, and baking cocoa 3 times. (I put two sheets of waxed paper on the counter and sift from sheet to the other.)

Beat the egg whites with cream of tartar, salt, vanilla, and almond extract until soft peaks form. Slowly add the granulated sug, 2 tablespoons at a time. Keep beating until stiff peaks form.

Sift about 1/4 of the chocolate/flour mixture over the whites and fold in lightly using a down – up – over motion.

Fold in the remaining flour by fourths.

Bake in an ungreased 10 inch tube pan in 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes.

Immediately invert the cake pan and cool completely.

Remove from the pan and serve with ice cream and fruit, or whipped cream. You can even eat it just by itself! It’s light and fluffy, yet so rich .

Enjoy!