It's Strawberry Weather In Florida And That Means It's Time For This Delicious Dessert
You might have heard recently about a shortage of California strawberries, fueled by rainy weather.
But have no fear - Florida is here to help, especially with sweet juicy berries suitable for eating on their own or as a star ingredient in delicious desserts.
The Sunshine State supplies most of the strawberry crop in the U.S. this time of year. And almost all of it grows in a place near Tampa called Plant City, known as the 'Winter Strawberry Capital of the Nation' and home to the annual Florida Strawberry Festival.
The festival is full of strawberry sweet takes on everything from milkshakes to funnel cakes.
(MORE: How To Make Snow Ice Cream)
I grew up going to the strawberry festival every year, and took my own kids when they were little. For two years, writing about Florida strawberry farmers and the weather challenges they faced was part of my job as a reporter at the Tampa Bay Times.
But eating the fruits of the labor was the best part.
Purists might go straight for shortcake, but my mom's southern Indiana roots brought us angel food cake with strawberries when Florida berries were in season. Spoiler alert: Mom's cake was from a box mix, fancied up with powdered sugar icing and Cool Whip.
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I inherited my mom's angel food cake pan, and most of the time it just sits in my cabinet. But every once in a while, I put it to use.
I'm well known for my flopped cakes and burnt cookies, yet I manage to make a pretty good angel food cake, based on this recipe from Food Network that's rated 'easy.'
But also, we won't tell if you use a box. It was, after all, good enough for Mom.
2 cups egg whites (from about 16 large eggs - worth the splurge!)
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
Parchment paper
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Cut parchment paper to fit bottom of pan.
Beat the egg whites at medium speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt and beat until stiff peaks form.
Beat in the sugar a few tablespoons at a time, for about 4 minutes until smooth and glossy.
Transfer the egg whites to a large, wide bowl. With a fine sieve, gradually sift the flour over the egg whites, using a spatula to gently fold them in.
Next, fold in the almond extract and vanilla.
Scrape the batter into a 10-inch angel food cake pan (or tube pan). Slice through the cake batter several times with a table knife. This releases any large air bubbles. Then, gently tap the cake pan once or twice on the counter or flat surface.
Bake in center of the oven for 20 minutes. Then, increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 35 minutes or so. It's done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Invert the pan onto the neck of a bottle or jar to let cool completely.
Run a thin knife around the side and tube of the pan to loosen the cake. Unmold and transfer to a platter.
Decorate or glaze as desired, and serve with fresh berries or other fruit.
Weather.com staff writer Jan Childs covers breaking news and features related to weather, space, climate change, the environment and everything in between.
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