Ethereal Angel Food Cake

Liam turned six Saturday. Full party, ten kids, our small Quincy backyard, a folding table, paper plates.

Patrick showed up in his dress blues as requested. Ten kindergarteners lost their minds. He had pulled a short detail at the Hall that morning and came straight over, hat and all. He let every kid try on the hat. Liam's friend Declan (a quiet kid with red hair) wore the hat for ninety minutes.

The piñata was a dragon. Nora insisted on the dragon. Liam said fine. Aidan, age six, Meghan's son, got the winning hit on the fifth kid's turn. Candy everywhere. Two kids got into a mild scuffle over the good Tootsie Rolls. Resolved in thirty seconds.

Ma brought the Boston cream cake. Six candles. Liam blew them all out, then looked at me and said I wished for a dog. I said absolutely not. He grinned.

The gifts: a Red Sox hat from Patrick, a set of chapter books from Meghan and Brian, a dinosaur dig kit from my parents, a Lego set from Colleen. From me: a real bike, the next size up, because he outgrew the old one. Blue. He ran around the yard with the bike over his head like a WWE belt.

After everyone left, Liam sat on the steps with a slice of cake and said Mom, it was the best one. I said yes it was. He said do you think Daddy saw. I said Daddy is always watching, baby. He said good.

I cried in the kitchen after he went to bed. Not bad. Clean crying. Meghan called at 11 and I told her what Liam said. She said he is a wise one. I said yes.

Clinic Monday through Friday was normal. Nothing to report. A lot of spring allergies. A lot of med refills.

Tuesday group. I did not go — the party prep was too much. Bernadette texted me after. She said take the week, be with the boy. I said thank you.

Saturday pancakes before the party, burned the first one. Sunday dinner at Southie with cake leftovers that Ma had forbidden me to bring home because she wanted them.

Food of the week: Boston cream cake, Ma's, one more time. A six-candle cake.

Ma’s Boston cream cake was the star of the party, and it earned every candle — but the slice I keep coming back to in my mind is what I’d bake on a quieter day, just for Liam and me, something as weightless as the way he looked holding that bike over his head. Angel food cake is exactly that: pure, simple, impossibly light, like a wish blowing out over six candles. It’s the cake I’ll make next weekend when it’s just the two of us, no crowd, no piñata, just a boy on the steps and a slice of something sweet.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour | Servings: 12

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups egg whites (about 12 large eggs), at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
1 cup cake flour, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

Instructions

Preheat and prepare. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Have ready an ungreased 10-inch tube pan — do not grease it, as the batter needs to cling to the sides to rise properly.
Beat the egg whites. In a large, very clean bowl, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar and salt on medium speed until foamy. Increase to medium-high and continue beating until soft peaks form.
Add the sugar gradually. With the mixer running, add 3/4 cup of the sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts.
Fold in flour and remaining sugar. Sift the remaining 3/4 cup sugar together with the cake flour. Working in three additions, gently fold the flour mixture into the egg whites using a large rubber spatula, being careful not to deflate the batter.
Fill the pan. Spoon the batter into the ungreased tube pan. Smooth the top gently with a spatula. Run a thin knife through the batter once to eliminate any large air pockets.
Bake. Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The cake should spring back when lightly pressed.
Cool upside down. Immediately invert the pan onto its feet or over the neck of a bottle and let cool completely, about 1 hour. This step is essential — it keeps the cake from collapsing as it cools.
Release and serve. Run a thin knife around the edges and center tube to release the cake. Turn out onto a serving plate. Serve plain, dusted with powdered sugar, or topped with fresh berries and whipped cream.

Nutrition (per serving)

Ethereal Angel Food Cake — Light as a Six-Candle Wish