Description
A light and airy Blueberry Angel Food Cake made with whipped egg whites and infused with blueberry powder and fresh blueberries. This cake is topped with sweetened macerated fresh blueberries and a generous dollop of whipped cream, perfect for a refreshing and elegant dessert.
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 9 egg whites (ideally at room temperature)
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 1¼ tsp cream of tartar
- ¾ cup all purpose flour (or plain flour)
- 2 tbsp cornstarch (cornflour in the UK)
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp freeze dried blueberry powder
- 6 oz fresh blueberries (patted dry to avoid excess water)
Topping Ingredients
- 1½ cups whipped cream
- 6 oz fresh blueberries (or frozen defrosted blueberries)
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar (more or less to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C or 155°C fan).
- Beat Egg Whites: In a large mixing bowl, combine egg whites, cream of tartar, and vanilla extract. Beat with a handheld electric mixer until soft peaks form.
- Add Sugar to Meringue: Gradually add 1 cup of granulated sugar, about a tablespoon at a time, while continuing to beat. Beat on high speed until glossy and stiff peaks form.
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together flour, remaining ½ cup sugar, cornstarch, salt, and blueberry powder twice for even mixing.
- Fold Dry Ingredients: Gently fold the sifted dry ingredients into the meringue, being careful not to deflate the mixture but ensuring no dry pockets remain.
- Pour Batter: Spoon the batter evenly into an Angel Food cake pan, ensuring coverage around the central tube.
- Add Blueberries: Sprinkle fresh blueberries evenly over the top of the batter.
- Swirl Blueberries: Using a kitchen knife, gently swirl through the batter to distribute blueberries and release air bubbles.
- Bake: Place the cake in the preheated oven and bake for about 40 minutes until the cake is risen, top is golden, dry, and slightly crackly.
- Invert Cake to Cool: Immediately upon removing from the oven, invert the pan over a plate or parchment paper and allow to cool completely upside down to maintain its light texture.
- Release Cake: After at least one hour of cooling, carefully run a kitchen knife around the edges and base of the pan to release the cake.
- Prepare Topping: Make whipped cream or use store-bought. Stir together blueberries and sugar and let macerate for about 30 minutes.
- Serve: Top slices of cake with prepared whipped cream and macerated blueberries for a refreshing finish.
Notes
- Using room temperature egg whites helps achieve maximum volume in the meringue.
- Pat fresh blueberries dry to prevent excess moisture from affecting the batter.
- Inverting the cake while cooling helps preserve its volume and texture by preventing collapse.
- Macerating the blueberries with sugar enhances their sweetness and juices, complementing the cake.
- For best results, avoid over-folding the batter to retain a light, airy cake crumb.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
