The Best Angel Food Cake Recipe

Preheat the oven to 325°.

Whisk together the flour and ¾ cup of the sugar in a small bowl. Put the remaining ¾ cup sugar in another small bowl.

With your stand mixer, beat the egg whites on low speed until they begin to froth.

Add the cream of tartar and salt and beat at medium speed until the whites form very soft, fluffy mounds.

With the mixer still at medium speed, beat in the remaining ¾ cup sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until all the sugar is added and the whites become shiny and form soft peaks.

Add in the vanilla, lemon juice, and almond extract and mix until just blended.

Sift about 3 tablespoons of the flour-sugar mixture into the egg white mixture, then gently fold it in, using a large rubber spatula. Repeat until all of the flour-sugar mixture is incorporated.

Gently scrape the batter into a 9-inch tube pan with a removable bottom, and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Bake until the cake is golden brown and the top springs back when pressed firmly, about 50-60 minutes.

If the cake pan has feet around the rim, invert the pan onto them once it is removed from the oven. If the pan does not have feet, invert the pan onto the neck of a bottle. Let the cake cool completely, for 2-3 hours.

To remove the cake, gently run a knife around the edge of the pan. Slide the cake out of the pan and cut the same way around the removable bottom to release. To slice, saw gently with a long serrated knife. Serve cake immediately or cover loosely with plastic wrap.