Maw-Maw's Ugly Cake

- the ugly duckling -

if you haven't figured it out already from the uncountable times i have mentioned that i was born and raised in the deepest depths of southern Louisiana - that's right the southern area of the south - then well here its is: i am a southern girl (in that cool new-agey way, not the weird tight black pants/ neon pink stretchy deep V-neck sequin studded top and wedge flip flops kinda way). ahh yes i grew up in the part of the country where it wasn't strange to see t- shirts and shorts on Christmas day and deep fried turkeys are the standard fair for any party over a 3 head count. and all that saturated fat means that a pecan pie is in order at every get together no matter the size or occasion, which is great - if you're into that kind of thing. don't even get me started on chocolate bourbon pecan pie, i mean really people one at a time ok?!

enter my grandmothers seemingly out of place "ugly cake". out of place not because of the unappealing name, but because it always stood tall and proud, almost always barely touched, along side the sinuously dark pie she provided like it was water. this cake is amazing, i think i was the only one in the family who longed for this cake - everyone else was too busy sneaking in another piece of the pie between cheesy jokes or

family gossip around the pearlescent formica table. so while everyone else buzzed around being as loud as they needed to be and as crude as the watchful eye of my grandfather would allow i was in the corner sneaking in slices of this cake the size of my head.

firstly this is no ordinary cake, its my grandmother's cake so i want none of this nonsense about "oh yeah i have a recipe similar to this" - no you don't. secondly its light as air, contains no butter (yet tastes like it might) and has just enough fruit layered into it that you pretty much just love yourself for ever putting this food item into your mouth. and while i will not be sharing the entire recipe with you - because well, you are not related to my grandmother, nor me of-course - i will give you the recipe for the base. simply enough; the base is classic angel food cake - what happens from there is magic or maybe voodoo since we are in louisiana but that may be wrong too considering my grandparents are staunchly devout catholics.

with out further ado - the recipe for the makings of magic:

- yes it tastes that good too -

ANGEL FOOD CAKE (for ugly cake)

12 egg whites (measured out to be 1 1/2c)

1 1/2c powdered sugar

1c, minus 2 tbs sifted flour

2 tbs cornstarch

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1 c granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp almond

*put egg whites in a large bowl, cover with plastic and let sit at room temperature for about an hour

*preheat oven to 350F

*sift together the powdered sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt

*beat the egg whites until frothy, add in the cream of tartar and continue to beat until soft peaks form.

*add granulated sugar slowly, continue to beat until glossy and soft droopy peaks form

*add in extracts

* evenly sift of the top of the eggs 1/4 of the flour mixture, gently fold with spatula in until combined

*continue, adding in flour at quarters until all is added

* gently and evenly pour the batter into your (un-grease) angel food cake pan

* bake for 45 minutes until the cake springs back lightly pressed

*invert pan and stand on its feet (if you don't have feet, you need to get a real angel food cake pan) until completely cooled

*to remove from the pan run a knife around the edge of the pan to help loosen and invert

* do as you please with this beauty!