Lemon Angel Food Cake with Strawberries

Sweet-tart berries in orange juice are a perfect match for this heavenly cake.

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Angel food cake is a dream dessert for those who are cholesterol-conscious. Whipped up from a dozen egg whites -- but no yolks -- this lofty delight is confected with no shortening at all.

Prep time 20 min.
Cook time 50 min.
Serves 12

You Will Need
1 bag (20 ounces) frozen strawberries, thawed
1/2 cup orange juice
12 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 1/4 teaspoons cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour

What to Do
1. Combine strawberries and orange juice in large bowl. Refrigerate.

2. Preheat oven to 325ºF. Beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt in large bowl with electric mixer until foamy. Gradually beat in sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, until thick, soft peaks form. Beat in lemon zest and vanilla.

3. Gently fold flour into egg-white mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, until incorporated. Spoon into ungreased 10-inch angel food or tube pan. Bake until top springs back when lightly pressed, about 50 minutes.

4. Invert cake pan to cool. If pan does not have legs, hang pan over the neck of a bottle. Cool cake completely. Run metal spatula around edges and center of pan, then invert onto cake platter. Serve with strawberries and their juice.

Cook’s Clue
Egg whites won’t whip up to maximum volume if there’s the tiniest bit of fat in the bowl. Two tips: Use a glass or stainless-steel bowl (plastic holds grease) and separate the eggs carefully to avoid getting any of the fatty yolk into the whites. The best way to separate eggs is in two steps. Separate each egg white into a cup, then add the white to a large bowl that will hold all the whites. This way, if a yolk breaks, you’ll only have to discard the one egg, not the whole batch.

Health Hint
Strawberries contain high amounts of vitamin C, K, and dietary fiber, making them a heart-healthy fruit. They also contain a good amount of manganese, vitamin B5, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, iodine, and folate. They contain a high source of phenols, which act as antioxidants that help protect cell structures and prevent oxygen damage in the body's organ systems. This phenol content helps strawberries protect the heart.

Per serving
159 calories / 0% from fat
0 g saturated fat, 0 g total fat
0 mg cholesterol
153 mg sodium
35 g total carbohydrate
1 g dietary fiber
5 g protein

From Cooking Smart for a Healthy Heart

 

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