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1
About 30 minutes before making the cake, place an egg separator over a small bowl.
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2
Crack each egg over the egg separator to separate the whites from the yolk.
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3
(Save the yolks for another recipe.)
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4
Transfer egg whites to a 2-cup measuring cup until there are 1 1/2 cups of egg whites.
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5
Place the egg whites in a clean large bowl, and let stand at room temperature up to 30 minutes.
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6
Move the oven rack to the lowest position; remove other oven rack.
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7
Heat the oven to 375F In a medium bowl, mix the powdered sugar and flour; set aside.
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8
Add the cream of tartar to the egg whites; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until mixture looks foamy.
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9
On high speed, beat in the granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time; add the vanilla, almond extract, and salt with the last addition of sugar.
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10
Continue beating until meringue is stiff and glossy.
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11
Do not underbeat.
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12
Sprinkle the powdered sugar-flour mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, over the meringue; to fold in, use a rubber spatula to cut down vertically through the batter, then slide the spatula across the bottom of the bowl and up the side just until sugar-flour mixture disappears.
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13
When all sugar-flour mixture has been folded in, spoon the batter into an ungreased 10x4-inch angel food (tube) cake pan.
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14
Using a metal spatula or knife, gently cut through the batter, spreading batter gently against side of pan and tube, to break large air pockets.
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15
Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until cracks in cake feel dry and top springs back when touched lightly.
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16
Immediately turn pan upside down onto a heatproof funnel or bottle.
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17
Let cake hang about 2 hours or until completely cool.
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18
Remove pan from funnel.
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19
Loosen the cake by running a knife or long metal spatula between the cake and side of pan.
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20
Place a serving plate upside down on pan, then carefully run knife or long metal spatula between cake and pan bottom.
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21
Carefully remove bottom.
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22
To cut cake, use a long serrated knife in a sawing motion, or use an electric knife.
