Angel food cake will always have a special place in my heart. As a 7-year-old diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, it was the only cake I was allowed to eat because it’s usually lower in sugar and calories than other cakes. It meant a lot that I could eat cake again. Angel food cake was literally heaven-sent to me. So when I saw the box of Kinnikinnick angel food cake mix, I knew I had to buy it.

According to the Kinnikinnick website, they make the only gluten-free angel food cake on the market. It’s free from gluten, dairy, soy, and nuts. The ingredients are sugar, potato starch, white rice flour, cream of tartar, and salt. The recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract and 12 egg whites at room temperature. I have included the directions because there are additional steps you need to follow closely.

INGREDIENTS:
1 pkg. (450 g)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
12 egg whites (396 g), room temperature

METHOD: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
• Sift Kinnikinnick Angel Food Cake Mix and set aside.
• In a large bowl whip egg whites until soft peak. Add vanilla extract and whip egg whites until stiff peak.
• With spatula, gently fold Kinnikinnick Angel Food Cake Mix into egg whites until just incorporated (make sure you don’t beat all the air out of the egg whites).
• Pour mixture into a 9” Angel Food Cake pan (don’t spray or grease pan).
• Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30-35 minutes or until top is golden brown, and feels firm to the touch.
• Remove from oven and invert pan on funnel until fully cooled.
• To remove cake from pan, carefully run a knife around the cake pan to separate the crust from the pan
TIPS: Serve with your favorite fruit and toppings.

Tips

You need to follow the directions carefully. Use a flour sifter, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form, and gently fold the mix into the egg whites.

The purpose of a sifter is to break up lumps. If you do not have a flour sifter, you can use a fine-mesh strainer. Add the mix to the strainer, position over a bowl, and shake gently back and forth.

Also, do not grease your pan. The reason is to allow the cake batter to cling to the sides of the pan as it rises. A non-stick surface would prevent the cake from rising.

My Review

The cake has a good vanilla flavor, and the texture is moist and fluffy, while the outside is crunchy. It resembled an angel food cake, which surprised me. I should note it took me longer to cook; I had to keep adding 5 minutes to the cooking time. And my only dislike was that it tasted too “eggy” which may seem obvious considering it has 12 egg whites. I understand that it’s the whipped egg whites that give it height and an airy texture, so they are a necessary ingredient. But the taste and smell were a bit too much for me. Also, unlike regular angel food cake, it is not low in sugar.

While I liked the moist, fluffy texture and crunchy crust, I did not care for the eggy taste. However, if you like a strong egg taste and enjoy quiche, meringue, or souffle, it may appeal to you.

In contrast, I do like Kinnikinnick donuts and vanilla wafers and highly recommend them. Read my reviews of them here https://liveglutenanddairyfree.com/snack-cakes-and-donuts/ and https://liveglutenanddairyfree.com/what-do-you-want-a-cookie.

Fun Food Fact

The name angel food cake is supposed to come from the texture, which is “so light that angels could eat it and still fly without being weighed down.”

Did You Know?

Angel food cake is in the category of foam cakes, which require a lot of foamed eggs or egg whites. Foam cakes also include sponge and chiffon cakes.

You can celebrate National Angel Food Cake Day on October 10th.

Quotes

Check out my other blog on natural diabetic treatments: https://backtonaturediabetic.com/