Strawberry Seraph Cake
Approximate prep time: 40 minutes (total)
Approximate cooking time: 40 minutes
Resting time: 3 hours
Makes 8 servings
Though the basic angel food cake foundation originates from Alton Brown, this recipe is my own invention. Angel food cake is almost the perfect diet dessert, as it has no fat, no cholesterol, and very few calories. Unfortunately for diabetics like myself, it does have a fair share of sugar in it, which I have managed to cut by almost half using granulated Splenda®. On top of that, I have turned my low-sugar angel food into a layered and frosted cake that remains low in fat and sugar thanks to judicious use of yogurt, strawberries, and whipped topping (namely, "lite" Cool Whip®, though you can use the sugar free variety to cut even more sugar if you want). This is a dessert that tastes like it should be bad for you, but it really isn't, and I guarantee that it will make any diabetics in your family very, very happy.
What you'll need:
12 large eggs (plus a few extra just in case)
1/3 cup warm water
1 tsp lemon extract
1-1/2 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 cup granulated Splenda®
1 cup + 1 tsp granulated white sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup cake flour
1 or 2 6-oz containers blended strawberry lowfat yogurt*
about 12 oz "lite" Cool Whip® (roughly one and a half regular containers)
2 cups sliced strawberries (frozen strawberries are used here, but fresh is fine)
(*use one container for single layer cake, as shown here, but use two for more layers) |
Pre-heat oven to 350°. Carefully separate the egg whites from the egg yolks one at a time, putting the whites into a very large mixing bowl and setting the yokes aside to discard or use later. Don't let any yoke get into your mixing bowl.
Add warm water, lemon extract, and cream of tartar to egg whites. Whip with the largest wisk you have for about a minute, until the mixture begins to foam.
Switch to a hand mixer on medium-high. Whip for several minutes, adding Splenda® in small batches as you go, until the egg whites form medium peaks. (Note how much bigger the egg whites become in the bowl.) Set aside.
Add 1 cup of white sugar and 1/4 tsp salt to small food processor or blender. Blend for 30 seconds to a minute to form a fine powder. You could use powdered or fine sugar, but DO NOT use confectioner's sugar, as the cornstarch will throw off your entire cake. Add the sugar and cake flour to a sifter and sift it all together onto a separate plate.
Pour the sugar and flour back into the sifter over the mixing bowl. Fold the batter delicately with a spatula, while slowly sifting. Yes, the double sifting is necessary. Try not to break too many bubbles as you fold, and don't try to eliminate all the clumps.
Spoon the batter into an UNGREASED angel food cake pan. Shimmy to even it out, but do not bang it against the table. Bake for 35-40 minutes.
Once a toothpick can be inserted and comes out dry, set the pan up-side-down to cool for no less than three hours. When you're ready to finish the cake, mix together the yogurt and half a container of Cool Whip® in a small mixing bowl until smooth.
Cut the cake out of the pan. Cut layer(s).
Spread the yogurt mixture into the layer(s) and into the hole at the center of the cake. Use reserved Cool Whip® to frost the rebuilt cake. (And no, I don't claim to be good at frosting a cake.)
Sprinkle 1 tsp sugar over strawberries and mix to combine. Top cake with strawberries. Cut into eighths and serve immediately. Refrigerate leftovers. Don't feel guilty about dessert.
-e. magill 1/13/2013
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