HOW TO MAKE IT :
COCONUT ANGEL FOOD CAKE
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F, with rack in the lower third of oven.
- Sift together flour and 3/4 cup sugar.
- Beat egg whites and warm water with a mixer on low speed until foamy, about 3 minutes. Add cream of tartar, vanilla, salt, and coconut extract.
- Increase speed to medium, and beat until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes.
- With machine running, add remaining 3/4 cup sugar, a little at a time. Increase speed to high, and beat until peaks are stiff and glossy, about 2 minutes.
- Remove bowl from mixer.
- Working in 3 batches, sift flour mixture over egg-white mixture, gently folding in each addition with a rubber spatula, being careful not to deflate egg whites.
- Slowly pour batter into a 10-inch angel food cake pan.
- Bake until cake is golden brown and springs back when touched, 40 to 45 minutes.
- Immediately from the oven, carefully invert pan onto a wire rack. Let cake cool in pan, about 1 hour.
- Carefully run a knife around sides of cake to loosen, and turn out onto a large plate or cake stand.
COCONUT WHIPPED CREAM
- Pour the heavy cream into a chilled stand mixer bowl (to chill a bowl fill with water and ice and let sit for a moment, then empty and dry) and add the sugar and coconut extract.
- Beat the cream until peaks stand in firm when the beaters are lifted, about 2 minutes.
- Gently frost the cooled angel food cake and sprinkle with unsweetened coconut flakes. (Or sweetened if you prefer!)
