Strawberries were meant for angel food cake. Or is it the other way around? Either way, it's true, along with the fact that it has always been the dessert that says "Mom" to me. She’d let the strawberries sit amongst a dusting of sugar, coaxing out their sweet juices that begged to be absorbed by the light and airy cake and homemade whipped cream. It had been years since I’d had a slice of it, waiting for the day I’d stumble upon a gluten-free angel food cake because I have an intolerance, but that never came to fruition. And when California Giant Berries asked me to share my Berry Story, I knew I couldn’t do it without this cake. My mind went to work, thinking of how to create the firm, yet soft structure without gluten, or gums.
After several trials, this “from-scratch” version is one that I’m confident you can do! Because I didn’t think many people had an angel food cake pan (in the 1980’s, yes – but not anymore), I decided to make them into minis using a standard muffin tin. I can’t quite describe how wonderful it was to have this cake again, just as I had remembered when Mom made it. The way the minis absorbed the strawberry juices, and held it there until fully saturated, kind of like a sponge…. divine. They had just the right amount of toasty crunch on the outside, and cloud-like fluffiness on the inside. And a dollop of homemade whipped cream brightened with lemon extract, certainly a dessert from the heavens.
Do you have a favorite berry recipe that you make with your mom? Let us know in the comments below!
You can find the entire recipe and several tips on the process right HERE on Heartbeet Kitchen!
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