Recipe for Sunshine Cake
Sunshine Cake is a light, airy classic—similar to angel food cake, but made with egg yolks too for a tender golden crumb. It’s baked in an ungreased tube pan and gets its lift from stiffly beaten egg whites and cream of tartar.
Serve it plain with fruit, a simple glaze, or a dusting of powdered sugar. The FAQ below explains why the pan stays ungreased and how to cool the cake to prevent sinking.
Sunshine Cake
Ingredients
- 4 egg yolks
- 3 tablespoons cold water
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon flavoring (vanilla, lemon, or almond)
- Whites of 4 eggs, beaten stiff
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Oven: 325°F | Pan: ungreased tube pan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Use an ungreased tube pan.
- Beat egg yolks with cold water. Add sugar and beat well.
- Add boiling water and beat until frothy.
- Stir in flour sifted with baking powder and salt.
- Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold egg whites into the batter.
- Bake about 1 hour.
- Cool the pan upside down before removing the cake from the pan.
- Total cook time: 1 hour
- Equipment: ungreased tube pan
- Servings: 10
Sunshine Cake FAQ
Why is the tube pan ungreased?
Un-greased pans help airy cakes “climb” the sides as they bake, giving better height and texture.
What flavoring should I use?
Vanilla is classic, but lemon or almond flavoring also works nicely.
How do I cool a tube pan cake?
Cool the cake upside down (if your pan has feet) or inverted over a bottle to help prevent sinking.