Pistachio Angel Food Cake

ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Adjust the oven rack to the lower middle position and preheat oven to 325°F (163°C).
• In a food processor or blender, pulse the sugar until fine and powdery. Remove 1 cup and set aside to use in step 3; keep the rest inside the food processor. Add the cake flour and salt to the food processor. Pulse 5-10 times until sugar/flour/salt mixture is aerated and light.
• In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip egg whites and cream of tartar together on medium-low until foamy, about 1 minute. Switch to medium-high and slowly add the 1 cup of sugar you set aside. Whip until soft peaks form, about 5-6 minutes. See photo and video above for a visual. Add the vanilla extract, then beat just until incorporated.
• In 3 additions, slowly sift the flour mixture into the egg white mixture using a fine mesh strainer, gently folding with a rubber spatula after each addition. To avoid deflating or a dense cake, don't add the flour mixture all at once. Sift and very slowly fold in several additions. This is important! Pour and spread batter into an ungreased 9 or 10 inch tube pan. Shimmy the pan on the counter to smooth down the surface.
• Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 40-45 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through baking. The cake will rise up very tall while baking. Remove from the oven, then cool the cake completely upside-down set on a wire rack, about 3 hours. (Upside-down so the bottom of the tube pan is right-side up, see photo and video above.) Once cooled, run a thin knife around the edges and gently tap the pan on the counter until the cake releases.
• If desired, dust with confectioners' sugar. Slice the cake with a sharp serrated knife. Regular knives can easily squish the cake. Serve with whipped cream and fresh berries.
• Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

THE BEST ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Whisk the sugar, cream of tartar and salt together in a medium bowl.
• Add the egg whites and 2 tablespoons water to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment. Beat on low speed until the whites are foamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and slowly sprinkle in the sugar mixture (this should take about 3 minutes). Watching closely, continue beating until medium-soft peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes longer. (You want the mixture to droop when lifted out of the bowl. If the peaks stand straight up, you have taken it too far and the cake will sink during baking). Add the vanilla and mix until just combined.
• Remove the mixing bowl from the stand and working in three additions, very gently fold the flour into the egg whites until just incorporated. Spoon the batter into an ungreased 10-inch footed angel food cake pan and smooth the top.
• Bake until the top is golden and springs back when touched and a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and place the cake upside-down on a wire rack to cool completely in the pan, about 3 hours.
• Run a knife or a small offset spatula around the edges of the pan and gently tap it on the counter until it releases from the pan. Use a sharp serrated knife to slice the cake -- a regular knife will smash it. Serve with berries and whipped cream.

LEMON PISTACHIO ANGEL CAKE

Steps:

• Finely grate peel from 2 lemons (save for cake), then squeeze out 1 cup juice. In a medium large sauce pan, whisk sugar with cornstarch. Whisk in lemon juice, eggs and egg yolks until blended. Set over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture boils, 7 - 10 minutes (cornstarch will prevent it from curdling).
• Remove from heat and stir in cubes of butter until combined. Sieve into a bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap on surface and refrigerate until cold.
• Prepare angel food cake as per instructions, folding in lemon peel at the end. Bake and cool as directed on package. When cake is cooled, cut horizontally in half.
• Place bottom layer on a cake plate and spread with about half of the lemon curd. Place top of cake on curd. Spread top with a layer of curd (there will likely be leftover curd).
• Sprinkle with pistachios and chocolate.

PISTACHIO DREAM DESSERT

Steps:

• Chop heath bars with knife for small slivers. Mix pudding per box instructions. Tear or cut angel food cake to bite size pieces.
• Layer 1/3 of angel food cake on bottom of glass bowl. Apply 1/3 of pudding over cake. Using spatula apply 1/3 Cool Whip. Sprinkle 1/3 heath bar. Repeat above steps 2 more times.
• Cool with saran on top bowl till chilled.

PISTACHIO CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a fluted tube pan (such as Bundt®).
• Beat cake mix, vegetable oil, club soda, eggs, and 1 package pistachio pudding mix together in a bowl until blended; pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Turn cake onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
• Beat milk, 1 package pistachio pudding mix, and whipped topping mix together in a bowl using an electric mixer on high until frosting forms stiff peaks. Spread frosting on cake.