Chocolate Angel Cake

Being a home baker, I always tell myself...

... Never beat meringue in a wet mixing bowl!

Every bakers including Martha Stewart at here always know the bowl and whisk required to beat a meringue have to clean and dry!!! However, seeing this chocolate angel cake recipe with the addition of water while beating the meringue, I am asking myself... Is this right?

This chocolate angel cake originates from the book, "Coffee Cakes" by Lou Seibert Pappas and the curious me is baking this cake for The Home Bakers (THB). THB is an baking event organised by my friend, Joyce from Kitchen Flavours. With a group of gorgeous ladies, we are baking all recipes from the book, "Coffee Cakes" by Lou Seibert Pappas until every recipe from this book has been baked.

It has been almost a year since I have hosted my previous THB event with Italian cheese and herb pinwheels bread. Time files... It is now my turn to host this event and I have choose to bake this interesting chocolate angel cake.

Interesting angel cake? Interesting and strange in the sense that the meringue used in this cake actually requires the addition of water. Was it really strange? hmmm... Not really! After researching further, I have found an angel cake recipe by Alton Brown that also requires the addition of water. Maybe it is not so strange after all... Nevertheless, I'm curious to try...

Prior this bake, I always have the assumption that angel cakes and chiffon cakes are kind of the same. With my bake, I have clearly see the differences. Although both cakes are baked with meringue, they are different in its composition and texture. Unlike angel cakes, most typical chiffon cakes contain egg yolks, oil and also leavening agents such as baking powder. As a result, most chiffon cakes are feathery light in their texture which are generally more tender and moist than sponge cakes. Angel food cakes contain no egg yolk, fat or leavening at all. They are leavened with beaten egg whites and they have a high proportion of egg white to flour.
With no added fat, this chocolate angel cake tends to be drier and crumbly when it is freshly baked. After the cake has cooled completely and rested for a few hours in the room temperature, it develop a nice moist chewy texture and rich and sweet chocolaty taste. However, storing the cake in the fridge has sadly toughen up its texture... Ops!

I must admit that I have mixed feeling baking and eating this cake. It is fulfilling to know that the addition of water in this recipe can eventually yield a smooth and voluminous meringue but yet, I have not figure out the full rationale of doing that. Besides the fun of baking, it is fulfilling to enjoy this cake as well. I can't deny that part of my brain has been telling me that I prefer chiffon cakes more than angel cakes for their softer tender textures. However, the logical side of me says... Hey! There is no added fat in this cake!!! What more can you expect?

Chocolate angel cake

Adding water into egg whites!!!???

Hey! It works! The meringue is surprisingly smooth and glossy!

Sift in dry ingredients

Please pardon me and my messy tube pan :p

Allow the cake to cool completely upside down before removing it from the pan

The cake is crumbly but develop its texture after rested for several hours.

Like its chewy taste! So what more can you expect?

Being part the rule of this event, only the host of the chosen bake can include the recipe in her blog post and the host of this specific bake happens to be me.

And, so here's the recipe from the book, Coffee Cakes by Lou Seibert Pappas
(with my notes and modification in blue)

Makes one 10 inch cake, serves 14

The instant coffee powder that I used

14 large egg whites
(I used 210g egg whites for half of this recipe)

1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 tsp salt

4 tsp water

2 cups sugar
(I reduced it to 125g + 25g for half of this recipe)

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup cake flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
(I used 35g Valrhona Dutch processed cocoa for half of this recipe)

2 tbsp instant coffee powder
(I used decaf)

Preheat the oven to 375°F or 170°C fan forced. In a large bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer until frothy, then beat in the cream of tartar, salt and water.

Beat until soft peaks form, then gradually beat in 1 1/4 cups of sugar (I have added 125g for half of this recipe) and the vanilla extract. beating until stiff. glossy peaks form.

In a medium bowl, sift the flour, the remaining 3/4 cup sugar (I have added 25g for half of this recipe), the cocoa, and coffee powder together to blend. Gradually fold this mixture into the egg whites. Pour into a 10 inch tube pan with a removable bottom and smooth the top.

Bake for about 35 mins, or until the top of the cake springs back when lightly touched and a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool completely upside down on a rack. To serve, remove from the pan and cut into wedges.

Note: Using a 15 cm un-greased tube pan, half of this recipe and a reduced amount of added sugar, I have baked this cake at 170°C fan forced for 30 mins and the sweetness of this cake is just right for me.

This post is linked to The Home Bakers. To see the other THB members' bakes, please go to THB website.

Always my preference, THB with a retro look - Happy Baking!

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