Recipe Index

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1½ cups granulated sugar, divided
• 6 large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 12 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• Zest of 1 lemon
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 quart strawberries, hulled
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• An ungreased angel food cake pan or 10-inch tube pan

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F and, if the pan lacks a removable bottom, line its base with a parchment ring, leaving the pan ungreased.
2. Sift the flour, cornstarch and ¾ cup of the sugar together three times and set the dry mixture aside.
3. Whip the egg yolks with ¼ cup sugar on high speed for 8 to 10 minutes until very pale and ribbon-like, then whip in the vanilla and reserve the bowl.
4. Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar and salt in a scrupulously clean bowl to foamy, add the remaining ½ cup sugar a tablespoon at a time, and whip to billowy medium peaks, about 3 minutes, before folding in the lemon juice.
5. Sift the flour mixture over the whites in four additions, folding gently with a whisk after each until nearly combined.
6. Fold one-third of the white batter into the yolk mixture until no streaks remain, making the yellow batter.
7. Layer the batters in the pan: one-third of the white, half the yellow, and so on, spreading each layer gently to cover the one below.
8. Bake 75 to 90 minutes, rotating the pan once well past the halfway point, until the top springs back and the cake is deep golden.
9. Invert the pan at once onto its feet or a bottle neck and let the cake cool completely, about 2 hours, before running a thin knife around the edges to unmold it.
10. About 20 minutes before serving, rub the lemon zest into the ¼ cup sugar, mash the strawberries into it until their juices pool, and let them macerate in the fridge for about 15 minutes.
11. Whip the heavy cream with the 2 tablespoons of sugar to medium peaks.
12. Serve each slice of cake under a cloud of whipped cream and a generous spoonful of strawberries with their juice.

Cook: 37 minutes · Total: 2 hours, plus cooling time

Nutrition (per serving, where published)

Estimated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient data