Victorian Cooking: Angel’s Food Isn’t Always Angel’s Food

Victorian Cooking: Angel’s Food Isn’t Always Angel’s Food

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WE KNOW ANGEL (or Angel’s) FOOD CAKE:

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In my most recent post, I shared dozens of historic Angel (or Angel’s) Food Cake Recipes. They’re virtually identical to today’s! Each uses egg whites, whipped to stiff peaks, for both the fine texture and leavening action (no chemical leavening agents, e.g., baking powder or baking soda).

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WHO KNEW? OTHER DESSERTS KNOWN AS “ANGEL’S FOOD”:

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VICTORIAN-AMERICAN ANGEL FOOD

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Kristin Holt | Victorian Cooking: Angel's Food Isn't Always Angel's Food. Angel's Food recipe, published in Our New Cook Book and Household Receipts, published 1883.

Angel’s Food–A New Dish (custard, sliced cake, apple jelly, icing…) Sounds angelic… and quite a bit like “Trifle”…. but far from what we know as Angel’s Food Cake. Published in Our New Cook Book and Household Receipts, 1883.

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Kristin Holt | Victorian Cooking: Angel's Food Isn't Always Angel's Food. Angel's Food recipe published in Royal Baker Pastry Cook, misdst many cake recipes, published 1888.

“Angel’s Food”, a recipe made with boxed (plain) gelatine, milk, egg yolks (yelks), lemon to make a custard. Whipped egg whites are stirred in, then the custard is set in a traditional custard mould. Angelic! But not the traditional “Angel’s Food” Cake we think of, when we hear the name. Published in Royal Baker Pastry Cook, midst many cake recipes, in 1888.

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WHO KNEW? OTHER DESERTS KNOWN AS “ANGEL CAKE”:

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BRITISH ANGEL CAKE

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Kristin Holt | Victorian Cooking: Angel's Food Isn't Always Angel's Food. Photograph of British Angel Cake, with three pastel layers.

Angel Cake, with three pastel layers. Image: Pinterest.

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Angel cake (or Angel food cake (not to be confused with American Angel food cake)) is a type of layered sponge cake dessert that originated in the United Kingdom, and first became popular in the late 19th century.

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Made with butter, caster sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, self-raising flour, baking powder, and red and yellow food colouring, it consists of two or three layers of sweet sponge cake which is often coloured white, pink and yellow with a thin layer of white cream. It is traditionally sold either in long bars or small slices.

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~ Wikipedia:  Angel cake

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Kristin Holt | Victorian Cooking: Angel's Food Isn't Always Angel's Food. Photograph of British Angel Cake, with pink and white icing upon multi-color cake.

Angel Cake Slice, Copyright © Chellbie from UK & USA. Image: Wikipedia.

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VARIATIONS ON THE THEME:

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ANGEL COOKIES

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Kristin Holt | Victorian Cooking: Angel's Food Isn't Always Angel's Food. Angel Cookies recipe (essentially Angel Food Cake in cookie form), published in 365 Cakes and Cookies, published 1904.

Angel Cookies–essentially Angel Food Cake in cookie form. Published in 365 Cakes and Cookies, in 1904.

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Related Articles:

.Kristin Holt | Victorian Cooking: Receipt vs Recipe- Which is Correct?

Kristin Holt | Victorian Americans had Devil's Food Cake and Angel Food Cake?

Kristin Holt | Victorian Baking: Devil's Food Cake: Not What You Think!

Kristin Holt | Victorian Baking: Angel's Food Cake

Kristin Holt | Victorian Cooking: Rotary Egg Beater ~ In Time for Angel's Food Cake?

Kristin Holt | Cool Desserts for a Victorian Summer Evening

Kristin Holt | Victorian Fare: Corn Cake, Corn Bread, & Johnny Cake

Kristin Holt | Victorian Cooking: The Sifter ~ An American Victorian Invention?

Kristin Holt | Victorian Watermelon Cake: Everything Old is New Again

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Updated March 2021
Copyright © 2018 Kristin Holt LC