To preserve the air structure in angel food cake, which practice helps?

• A. Mix vigorously with a stand mixer
• B. Chill batter before folding
• C. Fold cake flour by hand into the egg foam
• D. Overmix to develop gluten

Answer: (C)

Preserving the air structure in angel food cake comes from keeping the whipped egg-white foam intact while you combine in the flour. The best method is to fold the sifted cake flour into the stiffly beaten whites by hand. A gentle folding motion minimizes disturbance to the bubbles, so the foam stays airy and can lift the cake high as it bakes.

Mixing vigorously with a stand mixer would beat the air out of the foam, deflating it. Chilling the batter before folding isn’t necessary and can make the folding process harder and less effective at preserving structure. Overmixing to develop gluten is not appropriate here, since angel food cake relies on very little gluten to stay light; excessive mixing would toughen the crumb and collapse the delicate structure.