Angel Food Cake

(For credit where credit is due, see below.  Follow the instructions; no short-cuts.)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Sift together 3 times:
  1 1/2 cups cake flour (regular plain flour can be used)
  3/4 cup granulated sugar

Beat until frothy (not stiff):
  2 cups egg whites, room-temperature  (10-12 eggs; no yolks!)
  1/2 teaspoon salt

Add:
  1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar and beat until stiff and hold their shape, but do not overbeat to dry, like for meringue or  divinity.

Do not use mixer for remaining steps.
Gradually fold in until just blended:
  1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  2 teaspoons pure vanilla
  flour and sugar mixture

Wet the inside of a tube pan with cold water.  Do not grease or flour pan.  Turn batter into pan.  Bake for 60 minutes.  If necessary, adjust time to the oven used.  Bake until golden on top and springs back when lightly touched.

Invert pan until cake is cool.  

Best not to mess it up by trying to frost or glaze.  Angels are better without additions.

Needing so many egg whites can be an impediment to baking this cake.  However, it is easy enough to save egg whites in the freezer without having to decide what to do with so many egg yolks.   Egg whites can be frozen.  They just have to be thawed to room temp before using them by leaving them out on a counter for several hours or overnight.   Keep a pint jar (holds 2 cups) in the freezer.  Every time you make scrambled eggs, or use eggs in some  casserole, save some of the whites in your freezer jar.  Be sure not to let any yolks into the whites.  Always separate each egg over a small dish, then add the egg white from the dish.  If any yolk gets into the white, do not use it for the cake.

This recipe came from a good friend and World Gospel Mission missionary in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.  Her name was Mary Lindahl.  She is now in the company of real angels.  Mary and her husband, Leroy, served at the guest house where our family stayed for many weeks in the late 70s while preparing paper work to immigrate into Argentina.  Leroy was the field director and Mary ran the guest house.  She made this cake regularly.  Angel food cake is a favorite of mine, but I was always intimidated to try to bake one.  With her permission and direction, I baked one while staying at the guest house.  Seeing how easy it was, it became a family favorite.  Enjoy! 

Another PS:  You can use the yolks in pound cake.