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Don’t you just love angel food cake? So light, fluffy, and delicate! It is so different than other baked goods, and delightful to the tastebuds!
A favorite warm-weather dessert for my family get gatherings is angel food cake. But this year we needed to do things a little differently. And so I couldn’t make the same angel food cake that I had made in the past. You see, my Mom was diagnosed with a second occurrence of cancer in January. And she opted to treat it naturally, with food and supplements. She is eating plenty of fresh organic produce, pasture-raised beef, chicken and eggs, and minimal gluten-free grains. This meant no regular sugar and no wheat.
Great gluten-free dessert!
So I decided that since I am eating gluten-free anyway, that it was the perfect time to whip up a gluten-free angel food cake. Just in time for Mother’s day. Instead of turbinado sugar or Sucanat, I used coconut sugar. We will be topping the cake with fresh organic strawberries and some homemade coconut whipped cream. That way my Mom can still enjoy a nice dessert without feeding the cancer cells.
This cake was pretty simple to make. The only difference between making the gluten-free version and more traditional versions is that it took a little longer to whip the eggs until they formed stiff peaks. I think it may have been due to the density of the coconut sugar which is a little different than sugar. I did create powdered coconut sugar by putting it in a small coffee grinder that I have for grinding spices.
The cake is a little darker than other angel food cake recipes due to the darker color of the coconut sugar.
It is a little more labor-intensive than other desserts….but the result is SO worth it!
Gluten Free Angel Food Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups + 2 tbsp powdered sucanat turbinado or coconut sugar (made in food processor or coffee grinder)
- 3/4 cup multi-purpose gluten free flour
- 1/4 cup arrowroot powder
- 11 lg egg whites
- 1/4 tsp unrefined sea salt
- 1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Separate the egg whites into a large, clean mixing bowl and set aside for at least 30 minutes.
- In a small mixing bowl, mix together gf flour, arrowroot powder and 3/4 cup of powdered coconut sugar.
- Sift flour mixture.
- In the bowl with the egg whites, mix in cream of tartar and salt.
- Beat egg white mixture on low speed until foamy.
- Add vanilla and almond extracts.
- Increase the speed of the mixer until egg white mixture thickens and increases in size.
- Beat in the remaining powdered coconut sugar a little at a time continuing to beat until the merengue holds stiff peaks.
- Gently fold in flour mixture a little at a time and mix until is just blended. Don't over mix!
- Spoon mixture into round angel food cake pan.
- Remove air bubbles by dropping pan gently on the countertop.
- Bake for 45 minutes (cake is done when it springs back after being gently pressed on)
- Remove cake from oven and invert over a glass bottle (for mine, I placed the rim of the pan on two mason jars)
- Allow to cool for 2 hours.
- Run a knife around the edge of the baking pan to help loosen.
- Remove the cake and place on a plate.
