This light and airy cake is the perfect end to any summertime meal, especially with the divine combo of strawberries and rhubarb.
- Prep time 1 hour
- Total time 5 hours & 5 minutes
- Portion size 12 servings
- Credits : Canadian Living Magazine: July/August 2022
Ingredients
Angel Food Cake:
Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote:
Maple-Mascarpone Cream:
Method
Angel Food Cake
Preheat oven to 325°F. In bowl, sift flour and 3/4 cup of the sugar. Sift mixture again; set aside.
In large bowl, using electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat egg whites until frothy. Add lemon juice, cream of tartar, vanilla and salt; beat until mixture forms soft peaks. Add remaining sugar, 2 tbsp at a time, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form (scrape down sides of bowl if necessary).
Sift one quarter of the reserved dry ingredients over egg white mixture; gently fold in using spatula. Repeat with remaining dry ingredients in 3 more additions. Pour into ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Run spatula through batter to eliminate any large air pockets; smooth top.
Bake in centre of oven until top of cake is golden brown and springs back when lightly touched, 45 to 50 minutes. Turn pan upside down and let hang on legs attached to pan, or on bottle, until completely cooled. Gently run blade of knife around edge of pan to loosen cake. Remove from pan; transfer to plate. (Make-ahead: Can be stored in airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or wrapped in foil and placed in resealable bag and frozen for up to 1 month.)
Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote
Meanwhile, in large saucepan, combine rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, lemon juice and cornstarch. Bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until fruit breaks down and mixture thickens, about 15 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Using whisk, stir to purée fruit. Transfer to bowl; let cool. Refrigerate for 1 hour until cold. (Make-ahead: Can be stored in airtight container and refrigerated for up to 1 week.)
Maple-Mascarpone Cream
In bowl, using electric mixer on medium speed, beat mascarpone cheese to loosen. Add cream and maple syrup, beating until stiff peaks form. Cover, refrigerate and set aside. (Make-ahead: Can be stored in airtight container and refrigerated overnight.)
Assembly
Using large knife, cut cake horizontally into 3 layers. Place base of cake on serving platter, cut side up. Garnish with one third of the Mascarpone Cream, cooled Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote and strawberries. Repeat with remaining cake and toppings to create 3 layers. Sprinkle top with meringues, if using.
Test kitchen tip
This recipe uses lots of egg whites. To avoid throwing the yolks away, they can be used to make crème brûlée, lemon cream, pastry cream or Hollandaise sauce. You can also freeze the yolks by beating them with a pinch of salt or sugar to prevent them from gelling. (Make-ahead: Can be stored in airtight container and frozen for up to 4 months.)
Nutritional facts PER SERVING
- Calories 480
- Total fat 22 g
- Saturated fat 14 g
- Cholesterol 75 mg
- Sodium 180 mg
- Total carbohydrate 62 g
- Fibre 2 g
- Sugars 44 g
- Protein 9 g
- Iron 1.5 mg
