Angel Food Cake Woes

[Mama Gracie]

My husbands favorite cake is just simple ol Angel Food Cake.

I've tried twice in the last 2 weeks to make this cake. I found the recipes off the internet and they were pretty much the same. Once they failed though, I lost them or I'd show you exactly how I made them.

My problem is they flopped big time.

The first one ended up FLAT as a pancake. The second one was about 1 1/2 inch tall.

Are they really that difficult to make?

I did a search and skimmed the titles but found no threads on this. If there is one, just shoot me in that direction please. Or, share with me your recipe and/or thoughts to why mine went flat.

Thanks in advance.

[Andy M.]

Did you grease the sides of the pan? If so, that's the problem. The sides of the pan have to be dry and clean so the rising batter can 'climb' up the sides.

[Mama Gracie]

Originally Posted by Andy M.

Did you grease the sides of the pan? If so, that's the problem. The sides of the pan have to be dry and clean so the rising batter can 'climb' up the sides.

Ya know...now that you've said that, I am almost positive I did "Pam" the first batch.

I was also thinking about the pan I used. I don't have an "official" angel food cake pan but used a Pampered Chef bundt cake stoneware pan. I plan eventually to buy an appropriate cake pan but thought during the experimental phase, any pan would do.

Maybe not?

[Andy M.]

That could also be part of the problem.

[DrThunder88]

I think you really have to get the pan extra-clean; fats destroy egg white foams.

[Alix]

Stoneware doesn't work well for angel food cake because of the patina that builds on stoneware. Get yourself a cheapo metal cake tin and as Andy said, don't grease it.

Got to say though, the angel food cake mixes are cheap and easy. Considering how long it takes to do all those egg whites otherwise, I say get the mix!

[jennyema]

And don't get a non-stick pan, either. The cake needs to "crawl" up the sides of the pan, like Andy said.

[TATTRAT]

I think all bases have been covered. Good pan, and no water OR fat with the whites. Only thing I can add is to make sure your whites are whipped into very stiff peaks, and fold the batter to retain as much air as possible. Everything should come together quick, the longer the whites sit, the separate.

[Mama Gracie]

Originally Posted by Alix

Got to say though, the angel food cake mixes are cheap and easy. Considering how long it takes to do all those egg whites otherwise, I say get the mix!

Ok...you caught me! I just wanted an excuse to use my new mixer

And thanks for all the tips. I'll be trying again early next week.

[Fisher's Mom]

Actually, I have a non-stick angelfood cake pan and it works wonderfully. But everyone is right, the pan must be scrupulously clean and free of any oil or fat. And you can use your mixer with the mix. I had made them many times with the box mix and a hand mixer but when I got my new stand mixer, I was totally amazed at how much higher the box mix whipped up. Fantastic!