Posted by Chyrel 9/21/2001 12:40 pm

Maple's nutty sweetness is a delectable counterpoint to the cloudlike sponge that is angel food cake. Ripe juicy berries are always nice with the fluffiness of angel food cake, and blackberries and maple make an especially fine combination.

Cake
1 1/2 cups egg white (from about 12 eggs), at room temperature
1 1/4 teaspoons cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/8 cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Icing
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon egg white
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Whip the egg whites in a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer) until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and salt and continue whipping until soft peaks form. With the mixer funning, gradually add 1 cup of the granulated sugar and continue whipping until the egg whites are stiff, about 30 seconds more.

Sift remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar together with the sifted cake flour 3 times, to aerate the mixture. Fold into the egg whites, then fold in the vanilla and maple syrup.

Spoon the batter into an ungreased 9 to 10-inch tube pan or 6 miniature ones. Smooth the top with the back of the spoon. Bake until light golden brown, 30 to 55 minutes. Cool by hanging the cake (in the pan) upside down around the neck of a bottle until it cools to room temperature. Run a long, sharp knife blade around the cake to loosen it, and then knock the cake out onto a plate. The outside crumb of the cake will remain in the pan; exposing the white cake underneath.

Icing: Stir the ingredients together until smooth. Pour over the top of the cake and spread with a spatula, letting the glaze trickle down the sides. Let set for at least 30 minutes, or until the icing is hard, before serving. Slice with a serrated knife, using a sawing motion.