Lemon Angel food cake
Barefoot Contessa
2 cups sifted superfine sugar, divided
1 1/3 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
1 1/2 cups egg whites, at room temperature (10 to 12 eggs)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine 1/2 cup of sugar with the flour and sift together 4 times.
Set aside.
Place the egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar in the bowl of
an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat on high
speed until the eggs make medium-firm peaks, about 1 minute. With
the mixer on medium speed, add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of sugar
by sprinkling it over the beaten egg whites. Whisk for a few minutes
until thick and shiny. Whisk in the vanilla and lemon zest and
continue to whisk until very thick, about 1 more minute. Sift
about 1/4 of the flour mixture over the egg whites and fold it
into the batter with a rubber spatula. Continue adding the flour
by fourths by sifting and folding until it's all incorporated.
Pour the batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan, smooth the
top, and bake it for 35 to 40 minutes, until it springs back to
the touch. Remove the cake from the oven and invert the pan on
a cooling rack until cool.