When was the last time you went to a tea party? I mean, for real, does anyone do those things anymore? Actually, hard truth comin’ at you- I’m a party junkie. By that, I mean that I love throwing unique parties. Examples? Murder mystery party, handcrafted and NOT from a kit- check. Done that. A literary party where I made my friends collect pieces of literature that spoke to them and we sat in a circle and recited said literature. Check. It was a great party! How about this? A tea party with three kinds of sandwiches, scones with all the fixings, over 5 kinds of tea, AND VEGAN CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES? Check. It was FANTASTIC, I highly recommend it.
So when I ask who has tea parties anymore, the honest answer is me. I do. I have tea parties. But I’ve never had a tea party with such a delicate and superb treat as angel food cake complete with whipped cream and strawberries. Now, if you’ve been with me long, you’ll know I almost universally hate sponge cake. However, angel food cake is the rare exception. It’s incredibly fluffy, moist, and pairs well with my favorite combination ever- strawberries and whipped cream. So, when I saw Sakura eating this at her friend Akiho’s house, I knew I had to try it.
Ya know, Sakura knows what’s up- go over to your rich friend’s house, take advantage of their butler’s astounding cooking skills, and then go ‘splorin to find a new Clear Card. This cake is a great accompaniment- it’s light enough to please, but is also surprisingly sweet and filling, supplying the consumer with copious amounts of energy for any magical doings yet to come. Better yet, if you can get past the semi-terrifying cake pan, it’s a really easy cake to make. This was the first time I ever made it, and let me just brag a little here when I say: it came out PERFECTLY.
This cake is called an angel food cake because it’s lightened and leavened with egg whites, making it pillowy soft and incredibly fluffy. As a result, the final flavor is driven strongly by the kind of extract you put in, as well as the sugar. It results in a sweet, airy treat which pretty much perfectly describes every single Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card episode. The only time I got worried while making this cake was when it came to actually removing the fluffy treat from the pan. Before that, as long as you can hold a hand mixer for about five minutes straight, you’re pretty much in the clear. Another trip to make the perfect cake- cool this sucker upside down. Either on a rack, on the little stands that accompany some pans, or over a wine bottle (be careful it doesn’t come crashing down around you, though). This will prevent the cake from falling and will ensure its fluffiness is maintained while it cools down.
With Spring on the way, you can’t miss with this cake. Like Sakura and Tomoyo, you can enjoy it too! Maybe even hire a butler to make it for you- spice up your life a little bit. Or just do it yourself- make some for your friends, invite them over to your very own tea party, and enjoy with copious amounts of whipped cream and berries. You won’t regret it!
I really hope you can try this out! Watch the video below to get more pointers on how exactly to make this dish!
Ingredients for Yuna’s Angel Food Cake
12 egg whites, at room temperature
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 cup cake flour
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup warm water
1 tsp almond extract
1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 quart strawberries
1 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
To Make Yuna’s Angel Food Cake
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Adjust rack to be in the lower third of the oven. Separate whites from yolks. Set aside to come to room temperature.
2. Sift flour, 1 cup of sugar, and salt together twice.
3. Add water, cream of tartar, almond extract and egg whites together. Beat until it begins to froth. Sprinkle remaining granulated sugar over in increments, beating well after each addition. Beat until medium stiff peaks form.
4. Sift a thin layer of the flour mixture over the tops of the egg whites. Do NOT sift too much flour in at once- you want to avoid clumping. Fold to mix in. Repeat until all of the flour mixture is folded in.
5. Pour into an un-greased angel food cake pan. Place in the oven for about 35 minutes or until well browned. A wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean.
6. Cool upside down at least 1 hour.
7. Whip the cream by adding the cream, vanilla, and sugar together. Beat by hand or with a hand mixer until medium peaks form. Set aside to be used later.
8. Once the cake is completely cool, remove from the pan. Serve with strawberries and a dollop of cream!
I hope you enjoyed this post! Check in next week for another recipe. To check out more anime food recipes, visit my blog. If you have any questions or comments, leave them below! I recently got a Twitter, so you can follow me at @yumpenguinsnack if you would like, and DEFINITELY feel free to send me food requests! My Tumblr is yumpenguinsnacks.tumblr.com. Find me on Youtube for more video tutorials! Enjoy the food, and if you decide to recreate this dish, show me pics! 😀