“When you come to me, come to me with cake in your pocket, come to me nicely, with that soft kinda cake…bring me angel food angel food.”

– Ani DiFranco.

Who doesn’t love strawberry shortcake? This semi-savory take on the classic dessert uses an angel food loaf instead of shortcake or sweet biscuits, and adds tangy balsamic vinegar and freshly ground black pepper to the macerated strawberries. It’s a very refreshing twist – not overly sweet and offering the perfect taste of summer.

The Steps

Tips for a lighter angel food loaf:

• Don’t over-whip the egg whites.
• Sift your flour.
• Fold gently.
• Keep oven door closed while baking – no peeking!
• Cool loaf upside-down for at least an hour.

Reality Bakes

No tube pan and a moratorium on new baking equipment translates to an angel food loaf instead of a round cake. Tastes just as good and in some ways is easier.

What’s really important is that no matter which pan you use, don’t grease it! The cake needs to rise up the sides of the pan and cling and grease would prevent that from happening.

Print Pin

Balsamic Strawberries with Angel Food Loaf

The perfect summer dessert, a riff on strawberry shortcake but with a little blast of savory tang to cut through all the sweetness.

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Jen Leigh

Ingredients

For Angel Food Cake Loaf:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp cake flour, sifted
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 6 egg whites at room temperature
• 4 tbsp warm water
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp lemon extract (optional)

Balsamic and Black Pepper Strawberries:

• 2 pounds strawberries, hulled and quartered
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• Big pinch of freshly ground black pepper – about three grinds

Whipped Cream (optional)

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp sugar

Instructions

For Angel Food Cake Loaf:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Process sugar in a food processor until superfine, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove 1 cup and set aside.
• Add sifted cake flour and salt to the sugar in the food processor. Pulse a few times to combine.
• In a large bowl or in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk egg whites, cream of tartar and warm water on low. When egg whites are foaming, add extract(s) and raise speed to medium-high. Slowly trickle in the reserved sugar and keep mixing until egg whites form medium peaks.
• Lightly sift a little of the flour mixture on top of the egg whites and gently fold in. Keep sifting in the flour mixture in two or three more additions and fold in gently each time until incorporated.
• Gently spoon or pour batter into an ungreased 9×5 loaf pan.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Flip loaf pan over so handles rest on two soup cans and cool loaf upside down for at least an hour.

For the Strawberries:

• Mix quartered strawberries, sugar, vinegar, and black pepper in large bowl. Let macerate for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Optional: For whipped cream, beat heavy cream, vanilla and sugar together until peaks form.
• Spoon strawberries onto sliced angel food cake and serve. Optional: Add a dollop of whipped cream or yogurt.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword angel food cake, balsamic vinegar, strawberries