Grandmama's Wind Cake*

By srumbel

Author: Christy Jordan via Grandmama Lucille
This cake is particularly good with fresh berries or on it’s own. It’s somewhat like an angel food cake but truly in a class all it’s own when it comes to taste and texture. It’s also a dream to use in place of shortcake with strawberries and sauce poured over it.

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs, separated
• pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar
• 2/3 cup cold water
• 1 + 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Fresh fruit, for serving

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Place egg whites and salt in large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until soft peaks form, 2-3 minutes. Add lemon juice and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Scrape mixture into another bowl and set aside.

Place egg yolks and water in the mixing bowl you just used (no need to wash it). Beat with an electric mixer at high peed until the mixtreu reaches within 1-2 inches of the top of the bowl. This will take 3-5 minutes.

With the mixer running on medium, slowly add sugar, followed by flour and vanilla, scraping down sides of bowl if needed, until the mixture is well blended. Turn the mixer to low and add the whipped egg whites and mix until just incorporated - being careful not to overmix. (I usually get this started in the mixer and then finish folding them in by hand using a spatula)

Pour batter into UNGREASED 12 cup bundt or tube pan. Bake until golden brown and fully set in the center, about 1 hour.

Allow to cool in the pan for about ten minutes, then go around the sides with a butter knife before turning out onto a large plate. The cake will stick to the pan (it is supposed to) so be prepared to give it a good knock.

Notes
It is important to use an ungreased bundt pan for this as this helps the cake rise (the cake clings to the side and rises as it bakes). Use a good quality bundt pan for this, such as Nordicware or Wilton. If cake sticks overly much (a little is expected), go around edges with a butter knife.