The Reason You Should Always Cool Angel Food Cake Upside Down - Tasting Table (2024)

FAQs

The Reason You Should Always Cool Angel Food Cake Upside Down - Tasting Table? ›

Cool the just-baked cake upside down

Cooled in the pan incorrectly: Inverting the pan ensures that the cake continues to expand and hold its shape once cooled. Cooling the cake upside down is crucial – if you cool the cake in the pan right side up, the cake will collapse on itself.

The pan is inverted while cooling to prevent the cake from falling in on itself and to help stretch and set the delicate foam. A simple garnish of fresh fruit complements any angel food cake. It is sometimes frosted but more often has some sort of sauce, such as a sweet fruit sauce, drizzled over it.

If cooled upright, the cake's own weight will crush itself. Cool it upside-down on a cooling rack so it holds its shape and air can reach it. Run a thin knife around the edges to release. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to help loosen the cake, too.

An upside-down cake is a cake that is baked "upside-down" in a single pan, usually a skillet, with its toppings at the bottom of the pan. When removed from the oven, the finished upside-down preparation is flipped over and de-panned onto a serving plate, thus "righting" it, and serving it right-side up.

One of the main reasons for waiting for your cake to cool is that cakes are still very fragile when hot, and so spreading the icing is likely to create breakage and a lot of crumbs, spoiling your smooth finish.

According to Cooking for Engineers, the cake could collapse under its own weight, which is most definitely not the heavenly reward you're aiming for. Turning your freshly baked angel food cake upside down while it cools ensures it will stay light and fluffy, with the heavenly, airy texture you desire.

Remove cake from the oven and cool on a wire rack for just 20 minutes. Invert the slightly cooled cake onto a cake stand or serving plate. Some of the juices from the topping will seep over the sides—that's ok. You can slice and serve the cake warm, but the slices will be messy.

allowing a baked product to cool to room temperature before removing it from the pan, usually about 5-10 minutes. An important part of the process as products will harden as they cool and must be cool enough to survive the packaging process if necessary.

Until the cake is completely cooled, its spongy structure hasn't set. Flipping it upside down makes sure it doesn't collapse during that process. Some angel food cake pans have feet so you can just flip the pan over and let it cool.

Do you turn cake upside down? ›

Angel food cakes are traditionally cooled upside down in the pan. Most others are cooled in the pan on a rack until cool enough to handle and then should be turned out while still warm. Finish cooling on a rack until completely cooled.

Serve warm or cool. Store covered in refrigerator.

The cake is often served with berries and eaten for dessert. The name, which comes from the texture, which is "so light that angels could eat it and still fly without being weighted down", has given it a special association in some communities.

Remove cake from the oven and cool on a wire rack for just 20 minutes. Invert the slightly cooled cake onto a cake stand or serving plate. Some of the juices from the topping will seep over the sides—that's ok. You can slice and serve the cake warm, but the slices will be messy.

It's important to pay attention to the specifics called for in a recipe, but in general, most cakes are best removed from the pan after cooling for 10 to 20 minutes. Try it too soon, and it may fall apart. Wait too long, and it may stick.

The pan (do not use a non stick pan) isn't greased so the batter will cling to the sides of the pan as it bakes which allows the cake to reach its full volume. The hole in the middle of the pan allows the hot air to circulate and reach the center of the cake.