Hello, hello!!
Remember yesterday when I said today is a special day? Well today is my birthday. I would tell you my age but it’s only a number, it’s really how you feel and act and I can tell you I certainly don’t act my age. To celebrate today, I made myself a birthday cake. I know it sounds kind of weird, baking yourself a birthday cake, but that’s how things roll in my house. Besides I like baking, especially when it comes out perfect!!! And this birthday cake is perfect in my eyes, after all it has sprinkles in it and how can anything be bad with sprinkles??
Yummy! I love Angel Food Cake! I have to say it is probably my favorite cake of all time! Even as a kid I used to ask for either marble cake with chocolate frosting or angel food cake for my birthday. There is something wonderful about the light, fluffy cake. I swear if you allowed me to, I could so eat a whole cake in a day. Now I have never done that, but I could, if I allowed myself too!
But what I love about today’s angel food cake is that it has sprinkles. I thought I would try adding them in, right at the end of mixing the batter and to my surprise the sprinkles spread out beautifully throughout the cake. It gives a little spunk to the cake and makes it all colorful and fun. After all it’s birthday time and it’s all about having fun. Hmmm, speaking of fun, I wonder what Hubby has planned for me today? My guess is he will take me to Home Depot to buy me a stove. Isn’t that romantic? He is one of those guys that buys practical gifts and takes you with him to buy it. Even for Christmas I got a refrigerator. With Christmas in a few months, the last appliance we will need is a matching dishwasher. I better buy that myself, I don’t want a dishwasher for Christmas unless it comes with someone who actually does the dishes!!!
The cake in general is pretty easy to make and only takes a few ingredients. The two key things is whip the cake to make a nice stiff meringue and when you fold in the cake flour, don’t over mix it. I know it’s hard, but don’t do it, the longer you mix it, a more dense of a cake you will get. You want a nice fluffy light cake. Your probably wondering why I didn’t add frosting to the cake, and to be honest, I am not a frosting person. Typical angel food cakes have a powdered sugar glaze over the top, but I don’t care for that kind of frosting. I like my angel food cakes plain. That way I can add fruit and whip cream to it or just cut off a piece and eat it plain, which is what I have been doing with this cake.
- 1 cup cake flour
- 1 cup powdered sugar, divided
- 1½ cups egg whites (about 10 eggs)
- 1¼ tsp. cream of tartar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp. kosher salt
- ⅓ cup sprinkles / Jimmies
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and position oven rack just below center,
- Have one large two peice tube pan (angel food cake pan) ready
- In a bowl, sift cake flour and ½ cup powdered sugar; set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat egg whites until foamy, about 1 minute. Beat in cream of tartar, vanilla and salt, on medium-low speed until soft peaks form. Increase speed to medium. Gradually beat in remaining ½ cup of powdered sugar. Increase speed to medium-high, and beat until firm peaks hold when beaters are lifted; about 5 minutes.
- In batches, with a spatula, carefully fold in flour mixture over batter, do not over mix. Fold in sprinkles.
- Pour batter into prepared angel food cake pan and spread the batter to make the top even.
- Bake cake 30 to 32 minutes, or until puffed and lightly browned, and test the cake with wooden skewer by inserting it near center of the cake. If it comes out clean the cake is done. Insert narrow-neck bottle into center tube, and invert pan to cool cake upside down.
- When cake is completely cooled, remove from bottle and carefully cut around the sides of the pan to loosen the cake. Lift out pan’s center tube with cake. Cut under cake and around center tube to release cake.
- Top with a dollop of whip cream and sprinkles, if desired.
Since we are having a funfetti type of day, here are some of my funfetti recipes from the past. I think I have too much fun with sprinkles!!
Strawberry Banana Softserve with Sprinkles
Birthday Cake Smoothie
Directions: Place all ingredients in a blender and process until combined and smooth.
Wow, I made a lot of things with sprinkles. How can you blame me? For some reason these little jimmies are so much fun.
In case you may have not noticed, I included the recipe to my Birthday Cake Smoothie, since so many asked me to post it again.
Time for me to get going. Have a great Saturday. I’ll let you know how my big day went! 🙂
Toodles,
Jennifer
