Effortless Angel Food Cake

Ingredients

• 5 ounces bleached cake flour
• 15 ounces cold egg whites from 12 large eggs
• 15 ounces granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice from 1 small lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume or use the same weight
• To Serve:
• 2 pints assorted fruit, such as blueberries, blackberries, and figs, optional
• 1 ounce Fresh Lemon Syrup, optional
• 6 ounces Lemon Chantilly, optional

Directions

1. Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat it to 350°F (180°C). Sift the cake flour, then put it aside. Add the egg whites, sugar, and vanilla extract to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk. Start on low for about 1 minute to break everything up, then raise the speed to medium-low (4 on a KitchenAid) and beat for 3 minutes; at this stage, the whites will look dark and heavy.
2. While the mixer is running, pour in the lemon juice and add the salt. Right away, turn the speed up to medium (6 on a KitchenAid) and beat for another 3 minutes; the mixture will be light but still loose and foamy. Increase to medium-high (8 on a KitchenAid) and keep whipping until the meringue turns glossy, white, and thick enough to hold the tracks of the whisk. Depending on the age of the whites and the strength of your mixer, this may take 2 to 4 minutes. It is ready when the meringue slips from the whisk wires when lifted, but still piles softly in the bowl, a little like soft-serve.
3. Scatter the cake flour over the meringue and use a flexible spatula to stir just until roughly mixed. Then fold instead, sweeping up from the bottom and through the middle, until you no longer see hidden patches of flour. Transfer the batter to a 10-inch aluminum tube pan; do not butter or grease it. If any little floury spots turn up as you scrape, stop and fold them in. Bake until the cake has risen, turned pale gold, and feels firm when touched, about 45 minutes, or until it reaches 206°F inside.
4. Turn the pan upside down on its feet or balance it over 3 cans, and let it cool inverted until it has no warmth left at all, at least 2 hours. Run an offset spatula around the outside edge to free the cake, lift out the insert, and loosen the bottom with the spatula too. Turn the cake out onto a serving plate, gently tugging the sides away from the center tube to help release it. For slicing, use a chef’s knife with a soft sawing motion and very little downward pressure. If you like, top with figs and berries tossed with Fresh Lemon Syrup, then add Lemon Chantilly. Wrapped snugly in plastic, leftovers will keep at room temperature for up to 1 week.