Mini Angel Food Cakes

 I did something I swore I would never do. I used a Martha Stewart recipe. I don't know why, but that woman truly irritates me. But, when I googled "mini angel food cake recipe" that was the first thing that came up.

It all started because I was shopping with my mom and found mini angel food cake pans. Now really, how can you resist these? Especially when I'm making something for just me and the husband. If I make a full cake, we end up throwing half of it away. I used the Martha Stewart recipe and scaled it down to make 2 instead of 12.



 Here's the recipe from Martha Stewart's website:

 

 

 

Old-Time Favorites: Mini Angel Food Cakes

Though it's not often served at weddings, angel food cake never disappoints. Guests will be delighted by these individual versions of the heavenly confection; each one is glazed and then topped with a single sugared flower (an edible rose, viola, or primrose), making them elegant enough to present either in lieu of a classic wedding cake or as part of a dessert buffet. Cake stands dusted with pale pink sanding sugar give them the stature they deserve.

Ingredients

Makes 1 dozen

• 1 1/4 cups cake flour, not self-rising
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 12 large egg whites
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Poured Fondant Glaze

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in lower third. Sift flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside.
2. Beat egg whites on medium-low speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk until foamy, about 2 minutes. Mix in cream of tartar and vanilla. Raise speed to medium-high; beat until medium- stiff peaks form. Reduce speed to medium-low; add remaining 1 cup sugar in a steady stream. Beat until stiff (but not dry) peaks form; transfer to a large bowl.
3. Sift one-third flour mixture over egg-white mixture; gently fold in with a rubber spatula. Repeat to incorporate remaining flour mixture. Gently spoon batter into a large pastry bag without a tip. Pipe batter into 1-cup angel food cake molds so each is 2/3 full.
4. Bake, rotating molds halfway through, until cakes are pale golden and tops spring back when lightly pressed, 15 minutes. Let cool in molds on wire racks 30 minutes.
5. Invert molds, and sharply rap them on a towel-covered work surface; gently release cakes from molds. Spoon poured fondant glaze over top of each cake, letting it drip down sides.

 I didn't do the fondant glaze. Instead, I made a berry syrup.

To make the syrup, put 2 cups of mixed berries (mine were frozen) into a small sauce pan and simmer until the berries cook down. How simple is that? No sugar added to this; just the sweetness of the berries. So maybe Martha isn't so bad, well except for that whole insider trading bit.


Make sure to visit the fantastic blog parties on my sidebar, and of course, link up all your made from scratch recipes on my Tuesday linky-Made From Scratch Tuesday!