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1
Preheat the oven to 350F.
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2
Sift together: 1 cup cake flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt.
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3
In a medium bowl or in a stand mixer with the whip attachment, whisk until frothy: 1 1/2 cups egg whites (about 12 egg whites), at room temperature.
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4
Whisk in: 1 tablespoon water, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon cream of tartar.
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5
Keep whisking until the foam is very soft, holds a slight shape, and has increased 4 to 5 times in volume.
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6
Whisk in: 3/4 cup sugar.
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7
Continue whisking until the mixture forms glossy, soft peaks.
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8
The mixture should not be stiff or dry.
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9
Transfer to a large bowl.
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10
Sift a fine layer of the dry ingredients over the whites and fold them in with a rubber spatula, gently and quickly.
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11
Continue sifting and folding until all the dry ingredients are incorporated.
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12
Pour the batter into an ungreased 10- by 4-inch tube pan with a removable bottom.
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13
Smooth the top.
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14
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes.
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15
When done the cake should spring back when touched gently.
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16
Invert the pan to keep the cake from sticking or deflating.
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17
(If the cake pan has legs, turn it over onto them; otherwise invert the tube pan onto the neck of a large bottle.)
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18
Cool completely.
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19
To remove the cake from the pan, run a knife around the inside of the pan and around the center tube.
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20
Gently push up the bottom, using the knife to help guide the cake out, if necessary.
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21
Use a sharp serrated knife to cut the cake, dipping the knife into water between cuts to help keep the cake from sticking.
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22
Add 1/4 teaspoon orange flower water or rose water to perfume the cake lightly.
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23
For a lemon- or orange-flavored cake, add the finely grated zest of 1 lemon or 1 orange.
