High Altitude Angel Food Cake With Variations

HIGH ALTITUDE ANGEL FOOD CAKE WITH VARIATIONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Sift flour and 1 cup sugar together three times.
• Place 1 3/4 cups egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar into mixing bowl and beat at high speed until fairly stiff (not stiff peak).
• Slowly add 1/2 cup sugar, close to beater.
• Add almond extract and vanilla.
• Beat until quite stiff but not dry.
• Add sifted sugar-flour mixture by fourths.
• Mix on low speed 10 seconds after each of first three additions and 20 seconds after last addition.
• Scrape down sides constantly during this mixing.
• Pour batter into a 10-inch, ungreased tube pan.
• Bake approximately 30 minutes.
• Remove from oven and cool in inverted pan.
• Altitude Adjustments:.
• 7,500 ft: Increase flour to 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Reduce the 1 cup of sugar to 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons.
• 10,000 ft: Increase flour to 1 1/4 cups. Reduce the 1 cup of sugar to 3/4 cup. Increase the baking temperature to 425°.
• Variations:.
• Chocolate Angel Food Cake: Substitute 1/4 cup sifted cocoa for 1/4 cup cake flour in step 2 . Omit almond extract and increase vanilla to 1 1/2 teaspoons.
• Spice Angel Food Cake: Sift 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cloves, and 1 tsp cinnamon with the flour. Omit vanilla and almond extracts.

HIGH-ALTITUDE ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 330 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites with cream of tartar and salt until soft peaks form. Gradually sprinkle in the sugar while continuing to whip to medium peaks. Since this is a high-altitude recipe, whip them only until they form a peak that falls over. Stir in the vanilla and lemon extracts. Use a rubber spatula to fold in flour a fourth at a time. Spoon into a clean and dry 9 inch tube pan.
• Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, then increase the temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Continue baking for another 3 minutes, or until the cake begins to shrink down a bit. Invert pan over a wire rack to cool. When cool, run a thin spatula or knife around the outer edge, and tap out firmly.

PINEAPPLE ANGEL FOOD CAKE WITH VARIATIONS

Steps:

• Mix the angel food cake and the pineapple (or desired flavor ingredients) together and mix by hand until blended.
• Pour into a greased 9" x 13".
• Bake at 350° for 35 - 40 minute.
• Variations:.
• Lemon- 1 cup plus 3 T water, 2 T lemon juice and 2 t grated lemon peel.
• Orange Citrus - 1 C water,1/4 C orange juice and 2 t grated orange rind.
• Cherry - 1 can (20 oz.) lite cherry pie filling.
• Black Cherry - add 1/2 C cocoa to cherry version.
• Cotton Candy - 1 small pkg. (3 oz.) any flavor sugar free gelatin and 1 1/4 C water.
• Margarita - 1 C plus 2 T water, 2 T fresh lime juice and 1 1/2 t grated lime rind.
• Pina Colada - add 1 T coconut extract (and 1 T rum extract if desired)to pineapple
• version.
• Pumpkin - 1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin, 3/4 C water, 1 T vanilla and 1 T pumpkin pie spice (or spices for spice cake -- below).
• Spice - 1 1/4 C water, 1 1/2 t cinnamon, 1/2 t ginger, 1/2 t nutmeg and 1/4 t ground cloves.

HIGH ALTITUDE CHIFFON CAKE WITH VARIATIONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F (these directions are for 5000 - 7500 feet elevation).
• Mix and sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into mixer bowl.
• Make a well in center and add oil, egg yolks, water, and vanilla.
• Mix 1 minute on low speed of upright mixer or medium speed of portable mixer, scraping frequently.
• Place egg whites and cream of tartar in another mixer bowl.
• Using clean beaters, beat to stiff peaks but not dry.
• Add beaten eggs whites to batter by thirds.
• With a rubber spatula, fold 15 strokes after the first and second addition and 25 strokes after the third.
• Pour batter into an ungreased, 10-inch tube pan.
• Bake at 350° for 55-65 minutes or until done.
• Remove from oven and cool in inverted pan.
• **Lemon Chiffon Cake: In place of the 3/4 cup cold water, substitute 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp cold water and 2 Tbsp strained lemon juice. Omit vanilla and add l Tbsp grated lemon rind.
• **Orange Chiffon Cake: In place of the 3/4 cup cold water, substitute 1/2 cup cold water and 1/4 cup strained orange juice. Omit vanilla and add l Tbsp grated orange rind.
• **Pineapple Chiffon Cake: In place of the 3/4 cup cold water, substitute 3/4 cup cold, unsweetened pineapple juice.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE (HIGH ALTITUDE RECIPE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Prepare three 8-inch layer pans by lining them with wax paper and greasing them.
• In a double boiler melt the chocolate with the water over simmering water. Let cool.
• In a large bowl using a mixer cream the butter (or use margarine or shortening) with the sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks one at a time and then blend in the melted chocolate.
• In a measuring cup dissolve the baking soda in the buttermilk.
• In a bowl sift flour and salt together.
• Add dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk mixture, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla. Mix well.
• With a rubber scraper or whisk fold in beaten egg whites.
• Pour batter into prepared pans.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes or until cake center springs back when pressed with fingertip. Cool.
• Fill and frost with frosting (use your favorite or the following recipe).
• To make the frosting: in a saucepan combine butter, evaporated milk, cream, sugar, beaten egg yolks, and salt. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture is thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla, coconut and nuts. Beat until consistency for spreading.

HIGH ALTITUDE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375F and lightly grease/flour two 9" round cake pans.
• Sift the cake flour and baking powder into a bowl and set to the side.
• Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, up to 10 minutes.
• Mix in eggs, one at a time, fully blending each one in before adding the next.
• Stir in vanilla.
• Stir in the flour and baking powder mixture alternatively with the milk until the batter is smooth.
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a knife inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Cool cakes in the pans set over a wire rack.