Considering how many dozens of times I’ve tried and failed to make a vegan angel food cake, it’s a miracle in itself that I still haven’t given up hope that it might one day work. The resulting rejects could very well satisfy a voracious sweet tooth for months on end, but only if they could stomach a soggy, leaden crumb more suited for dish sponges than cakes. Anyone in their right mind would know when to say “uncle,” but each flat frisbee that emerges from the oven only fuels my desire to crack the angel food conundrum.
Needless to say, I’m not alone in this quest; Vegans have been trying to recreate this ethereal cake since the beginning of time (or at least the beginning of veganism) to varying degrees of success. And in case you’re wondering, no, a block of tofu plus a half cup of oil does not angel food make. Yikes, and I thought my own experiments were pretty far off the mark…! Tireless research lead to only one existing recipe worth exploring, and so like a ravenous lion, I pounced upon Bryanna Clark Grogan’s angel torte.
As you can see, the crumb is still considerably more dense and moist than a traditional angel food cake. The flavor? Well, it’s… Sweet, that’s for sure. Admittedly, I did pass on the almond extract, but knowing that the recipient is a purist, known to turn up his nose even at the addition of lemon zest or innocent little chocolate chips, I knew that such additions just wouldn’t fly. So it’s perhaps a bit closer to the target, but still not quite right. The quest for angel food is still not over, but for now, I’m happy to at least have something to serve to my dad on his birthday [today!], since angel food is the only sort of cake he truly enjoys. Happy birthday, Dad, and here’s hoping that I’ll be able to make the perfect rendition for you one of these years!