Chocolate Angel Food Cake

I know I've been a bad blogger; I do apologize for those who might actually enjoy reading of my kitchen adventures. The holidays are stressing me out and I haven't even starting baking! Spending so much money on ingredients for loving home-baked gifts is wonderful but it's dwindling my small budget. Well, enough complaining, In attempts to enjoy dessert every night, I sought to create a longtime light favorite.
When I first starting a life-long (most of the time) healthy eating, active lifestyle, I enjoyed this cake for one of my birthdays layered with cocoa laced fat free cool whip (quite the culinary sin... I know) and topped with fresh fruit. With the addition of my fat free coolwhip, this dessert might be looked down upon; however, it is truly delicious, light, satisfying, guilt free dessert. Sense my guilt?

This wonderful dessert is angel food cake! Before I became slightly baking savvy, we cooked our angel food in a regular cake pan (yikes!). Everyone in the know knows the cake needs the tube pan so it may ever so angelically crawl up the sides to create its wonderful volume.

I decided to chose a simple recipe from Recipezaar after searching since it required minimal ingredients.

I really did follow the recipe exactly, as I usually do the first time around. I figured most of the "playing" with the recipe would be given to the infinite options for fillings, glazes, and frosting. I highly recommend this recipe - it is incredibly moist although the light brown color doesn't scream "chocolate!", is has a prominent chocolate flavor which doesn't overwhelm the cakes lightness.

Calling all faithful dieters (or at least trying)! this recipe might save you.

Chocolate Angel Food Cake
adapted from Recipezaar

2/3 cup sifted cake flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
12 large egg whites, at room temp.
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. salt

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, sift flour, cocoa, sugar together 3 times and set aside.

In a separate large bowl, beat the egg whites at low speed until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add vanilla, cream of tartar, and salt. Gradually increase speed to medium while beating in remaining 3/4 cup of sugar - 1 tbsp at a time for 5 minutes. When sugar is incorporated continue to beat until stiff peaks form about 2 minutes.

Sift 1/3 of dry ingredients over egg whites; gently fold in with rubber spatula. Repeat this process 2 more times until all dry ingredients are incorporated.

Pour batter into ungreased 10 inch tube pan. Cut through batter to remove air pockets. Bake 40-45 minutes, until top springs back when lightly pressed.

Invert and hang pan on neck of object to cool. To unmold run knife around edge of pan; invert pan. Turn cake upright and serve how you please!

The basic nutritionals are as follows for 12 servings - 150 calories, 0.5g fat, 0.9g fiber, 25.3g sugar, 4.7g protein.

I promise I have been reading everyones blogs faithfully but haven't had the time to comment. There is some good stuff going on in the kitchen. I have to start baking my holiday cookies today; let the games begin!

Here is a preview of what I'll be blogging about on my next entry - this was obviously pre-bake . I promise I'll be sooner than later. Happy Baking!