📖 Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Make sure you don't skip this step; it's crucial for a good rise. Also, make sure your pan is clean and completely dry—no grease, please! That’s a big no-no for angel food cake. Trust me on this one. I learned that the hard way.
2. In a large bowl, use a mixer to beat 1 1/2 cups of egg whites until soft peaks form. That’s when they look kinda fluffy, but not stiff enough to stand up straight on their own yet.
3. Gradually add 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar, beating on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form. The peaks should be stiff enough to hold their shape. If you tilt the bowl sideways, they shouldn't droop at all.
4. In a separate bowl, sift together 1 1/2 cups of cake flour, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of cream of tartar. This prevents lumps, trust me! I once tried without sifting – total disaster!
5. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the egg white mixture, a little at a time. Use a rubber spatula and be careful not to deflate the mixture too much. A few lumps are ok; you want to just combine the dry and wet, not make it totally smooth.
6. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and gently fold it into the batter. Don’t overmix; that's the enemy of a light and airy cake. Just a few gentle folds and that's it!
7. Pour the batter into your ungreased 12-cup Bundt pan. Seriously, don’t grease it! This is essential for the cake to climb the sides of the pan.
8. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. It might look done before 40 minutes, but trust the toothpick test— it's your friend here.
9. Immediately invert the pan onto a wire rack to cool completely. This prevents the cake from collapsing. And you know what's awesome? You can decorate it once it's completely cooled off!