“You do not just wake up and become the butterfly—growth is a process” – Rupi Kaur
NOTE: I spend my Wednesdays Unplugged from appointments. It’s my day to stay home, enjoy cooking and welcome our kids and grandkids for dinner in the evening. We end our meal with quotes from the Norwegian ‘Quote Cup’ passed on to me from my grandmother. I share a quote and a recipe here each week, along with an update and photos of what has been going on in our lives. I love trying new recipes…and love getting recipes you would like to share!
We celebrated our granddaughter’s 27th birthday last week and she used her birthday money to buy a book of Rupi Kaur poetry. This week’s quote is from the words of Rupi Kaur, and reflects the butterfly Kennedy is becoming. She asked for angel food for her birthday cake. I hadn’t made one in a long time, and thought I would just pick up one at the grocery store but couldn’t find one… so I picked up a box mix and made it for her. It was good, but it made me think of one I had made from scratch for my mother’s 95th birthday in 2009 (another ‘butterfly’ who grew her whole life). I love the photo of her and two grandkids helping her blow out the candles 16 years ago and had to share it… they were much younger then!!
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
This is the recipe for the homemade angel food cake I made back in 2009. The hardest part was separating a dozen egg whites.
HOMEMADE ANGEL FOOD CAKE
- 1 cup cake flour
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
- 12 large egg whites
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Use an angel food cake pan, NOT greased because the cake ‘climbs’ the sides of the pan as it bakes.
Separate egg whites one at a time into a small dish first, making sure there is no yolk in the whites before adding them to a large mixing bowl; set aside. Sift the cake flour and 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar together; set aside. Combine the extracts in a small bowl; set aside.
Beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt until it forms soft peaks. Add the other 3/4 cup of sugar slowly, then beat on high until stiff peaks form. Add the flour mixture and extracts by either beating on LOW while you slowly add them or fold in by hand.
Spoon the batter into ungreased angel food cake pan and move a knife through the batter to remove air pockets. Bake 30-35 minutes, until top springs back when touched lightly with finger. Invert pan on bottle or funnel to cool completely.
