Coconut Creme Angel Food Cake

Sometimes it is nice just to be able to indulge a little in the comfort of your own home, when the munchkins are asleep...

I call these, home date-nights. Relaxing, quiet (for the most part) and a bit of something yummy for dessert. Angel food cake is the perfect dessert when you want something sweet and creamy without all the calories.

There is no butter or egg yolk in the recipe and the sugar is so minimal. It's almost the cake version of a meringue or French macaron. I went a little more intense with a home made whipped cream and a sprinkle of toasted coconut, this is completely optional.

The coconut creme almost gives it a cheesecake-like texture.

You need:
(serves 10)

• 1 and 1/4 cups turbinado sugar or sugar in the raw
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 1/4 cups egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla powder
• 2 tablespoons finely shredded coconut
• 1 tablespoon coconut milk

In a large bowl combine flour, 1 cup sugar, vanilla powder and shredded coconut and set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer combine egg whites and cream of tartar. Mix on medium high speed for 3-5 minutes or until egg whites come to soft peaks...

For beginner bakers, this process is a touch complicated because the term "soft" is relative, here are some photos of the process.

These whites have been whipped for about 1-2 minutes and are considered "foamy"

After about 3-5 minutes your eggs will become like pillowy clouds, where the whisk falls right in but its still pretty solid

at this point you can add in the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and whip high speed for another minute or so until stiff peaks form, when you lift the whisk, the egg white should stand straight up and have a glossy shimmer.

This is where you can start folding in your flour mixture slowly to incorporate. Pour into a lightly oiled spring form pan.

Shake the pan a bit and bang it on the counter a few times to let all the air pockets out and to smooth and flatten.

Bake at 350 for 35-38 minutes until golden in color and springy to the touch in the center of the cake

Set aside to cool. 

In the mean time, here is a quick, painless and all natural way to make delicious whipped cream.

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla powder 

Run a little cold water in the bowl of the electric mixture and pat dry with a paper towel.

Combine sugar and whipping cream and mix on high speed for about 5 minutes.

For the last minute, add in your vanilla. If you'd like to coat the entire cake, just double the recipe.

I also put some extra coconut flakes in a pan and sprinkled with just a pinch of sugar. In a 400 degree oven it only took 2 minutes to get them this beautiful toasted brown color. Great for a little garnish.

YUM

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