Having a slice of angel food cake is really like eating a little slice of heaven. My grandmother would serve it on special occasions; she purchased it our local grocery store.

My grandmother was an outstanding woman but not so much a cook. She was from Irish decent and grew up in a time and family when they cooked the hell out of every piece of meat that crossed her path. Not once did she bake, she was always serving something from the bakery or grocery store down the street and that was just fine by me.

My grandmother later in life was substituting the real whipped cream on the angel food cake with cool whip to keep the calories down.

 

It wasn’t the same but it was good enough. It's such a great dessert to have, so light and fluffy, and it really highlights the sweetness of whichever local Jersey fruit you pair with it. Enjoy, the kids will love this too.

What you'll need:

1 1/4 cups egg whites (about 9)
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 cup cake flour
1 1/4 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
Whipped cream
Jersey Fresh fruit

How to put it together:

Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Sift 1/2 cup sugar and flour together twice; set aside. Place oven rack in the lowest position. Preheat oven to 350°.

Add cream of tartar, extracts, and salt to egg whites; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, beating on high until stiff peaks form. Gradually fold in flour mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time. Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets.

Bake 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned and entire top appears dry. Immediately invert pan; cool completely, about 1 hour.

Run a knife around side and center tube of pan. Remove cake to a serving plate. Serve with a big dollop of real whipped cream and your favorite Jersey Fresh fruit.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 weekend host Big Joe Henry. Any opinions expressed are Big Joe’s own.

Gravy or sauce? These restaurants make the best red in Central Jersey

50 Most Popular Chain Restaurants in America

YouGov investigated the most popular dining brands in the country, and Stacker compiled the list to give readers context on the findings. Read on to look through America's vast and divergent variety of restaurants—maybe you'll even find a favorite or two.

More From New Jersey 101.5 FM