Angel Food Cake

Recipe No. 71 from the U.S. Army’s WWII cookbook — Cakes and Cookies. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.

Ingredients

• Egg whites — 80 eggs (4 No. 56 dippers)
• Cream of tartar — 1¼ ounces (3¾ mess kit spoons)
• Salt — ½ ounce (1 mess kit spoon)
• Vanilla — ½ ounce (1 mess kit spoon)
• Sugar, granulated — 5 pounds (2½ No. 56 dippers)
• Flour, sifted — 1¼ pounds (1¾ No. 56 dippers)

Directions

1. Have egg whites at room temperature (70° F.); add cream of tartar and salt. Beat 2 to 3 minutes or until egg whites are foamy.*
2. Add flavoring and ½ sugar slowly, beating constantly.
3. Continue beating until just stiff enough to hold up in peaks but not dry.
4. Sift flour and remaining sugar together five times.
5. Fold flour and sugar mixture carefully into egg whites, mixing just enough to combine well.
6. Fill ungreased 50-ration pans ⅔ full. Bake in slow oven (325° F.) 25 to 30 minutes or until done.
7. Cool before serving.

Notes

SCALED TO 8 SERVINGS (the original is ÷12.5): Egg whites — 6⅓ eggs Cream of tartar — about ⅔ tsp Salt — a pinch Vanilla — a pinch Sugar, granulated — 6⅓ oz Flour, sifted — 1⅔ oz

The slightest quantity of grease or egg yolk in the egg whites will injure the beating of the whites and cause baking failure. This recipe makes three 50-ration pans, 3¾ pounds mixture each. Serve plain or frost with jelly frosting, chocolate, orange, or lemon butter frosting (recipes Nos. 97, 92, 95, and 93).

— TM 10-412, Army Recipes (War Department, 15 August 1944), recipe No. 71, Cakes and Cookies. Army measures: 1 No. 56 dipper = 1 qt; 1 No. 55 dipper = 1¾ qt; 1 mess kit cup = 1½ pints.