Slow-Cooker Angel Food Cake

We whipped up a light-as-air angel food cake in—wait for it—a slow cooker. Cream of tartar helps stabilize the beaten egg whites, especially important for this slow-baked cake, and a dull metal loaf pan (not nonstick) mimics the tube pan traditionally used for angel food. The lack of greasing and nonstick sides help the batter cling to the pan to keep the iconic tall, airy texture. We like to serve it with freshly whipped cream and some lightly macerated fruit. Just toss your favorite berries (or how about mango and pineapple) in a little sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice and set aside for about 10 minutes. The angel food cake can’t wait to soak up those fruity juices.

Slow-Cooker Angel Food Cake
Whether you make it in a slow cooker or bake it in the oven, angel food cake gets its lift from properly beaten egg whites. Unlike heavy cream, which is best whipped when very cold in a very cold bowl, egg whites whip better at room temperature. Leave your eggs out for a couple of hours before baking or set them in a bowl and cover them with some warm water. This should warm them up in about 15 minutes. Once your angel food cake has cooled, it’s best sliced with a serrated knife: those tiny teeth and a gently sawing motion will cut neatly through the cake without deflating it. Get the recipe: Slow-Cooker Angel Food Cake. Photo: Victor Protasio
Hands On Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
3 hrs 20 mins
Yield:
8 serves

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup granulated sugar

  • ½ cup all-purpose flour

  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

  • 5 large egg whites

  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • To taste, Macerated Strawberries

  • To taste, Whipped cream

Directions

  1. Tightly twist a 3-foot length of aluminum foil. Shape foil into a zigzag across bottom of a 5- or 6-quart round or oval slow cooker to create a rack, and add 1 cup water. Place lid on slow cooker, and set on LOW.

  2. Whisk together sugar, flour, and salt in a large bowl, and set aside.

  3. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Gradually increase speed to high, and beat until stiff peaks form, about 1 more minute. Beat in vanilla.

  4. Sift sugar mixture over egg whites and fold gently to combine. Transfer batter to a metal 9- x 5-inch loaf pan, and smooth top.

  5. Place pan in slow cooker, and press into foil rack to ensure pan is level. Drape a clean kitchen towel over slow cooker, and place lid over towel. Pull towel taut under lid. Start Cook on LOW until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 2½ hours. Start checking cake around 2 hours and every half hour after that as slow cookers can vary greatly. Remove pan from slow cooker and invert onto a wire rack, and cool completely, about 30 minutes. Run a knife around edges to separate cake from pan, and invert onto a serving plate. Serve with Macerated Strawberries and whipped cream.

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