Brown Sugar Angel Food Cake

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups sifted cake flour
• 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 1/2 cups egg whites (from 12 to 14 eggs)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine cake flour and 1 cup brown sugar.
3. In a large bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar and salt until foamy.
4. Gradually add second cup of brown sugar. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form.
5. Add vanilla extract; blend well.
6. Divide flour-brown sugar mixture into 4 portions. Use a large rubber spatula to fold each portion in separately; gently lift meringue up and roll it over onto itself. Fold JUST until no traces of dry ingredients can be seen. Gently push batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube (angel food cake) pan. With a long, sharp knife, make 5 or 6 vertical cuts through batter to eliminate large air pockets.
7. Bake for 45 minutes, or until top of cake springs back after it is lightly touched with a finger.
8. As soon as cake is removed from the oven, IMMEDIATELY invert pan. If pan does not have legs, place the center tube over the neck of a large, heavy bottle. Do not remove from pan until cake is COMPLETELY cool. This takes at least 1 hour.
9. Dust with sifted confectioners' sugar, or frost with a favorite icing.