Angel Food Cake

I made this cake a few weekends ago for my friend Anita's birthday.  It is Alton Brown's angel food cake recipe, with the addition of the swirl, whipped cream and berries by me.  Its very light tasting and is perfect for an occasion where you don't want a heavy butter filled cake.

Berry Swirl Angel Food Cake

1 3/4 cups extra fine cake sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup cake flour, sifted
12 egg whites (the closer to room temperature the better)
1/3 cup warm water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
3 tablespoons berry mixture (see recipe below)
whipped cream (see recipe below)
sliced strawberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

1.) Sift half of the sugar with the salt and the cake flour, setting the remaining sugar aside.
2.) In a large bowl, use a balloon whisk to thoroughly combine egg whites, water, vanilla and cream of tartar.
3.) After 2 minutes, switch to a hand mixer. Slowly sift the reserved sugar, beating continuously at medium speed. 

4.) Once you have achieved medium peaks, sift enough of the flour mixture in to dust the top of the foam. Using a spatula fold in gently. Continue until all of the flour mixture is incorporated.

5.) Remove about 2 cups of the mixture and mix with the berry mixture.

6.) Carefully spoon mixture into an ungreased tube pan until about half the batter has been used. Spoon in the berry batter and then cover with the rest of the plain batter.
7.) Bake for 35 minutes before checking for doneness with a wooden skewer. (When inserted halfway between the inner and outer wall, the skewer should come out dry).
8.) Cool upside down on cooling rack for at least an hour before removing from pan.
9.) Once it has cooled completely, frost with fresh whipped cream, strawberries and the remaining berry mixture.

Berry Mixture
1 cup mixture frozen berries
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup vanilla sugar (regular sugar will also work)
1/4 cup jam (any berry flavor will work)
1 tablespoon lemon zest 

1.) Combine all ingredients and cook until fruit is very soft and about half of the liquid is gone.  Put into food processor and pulse until smooth.

Fresh Whipped Cream

1 pint heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoon instant vanilla pudding
1/2 cup powdered sugar

1.) Using a mixer, whip the heaving whipping cream until it has stiff peaks.  Slowly mix in the pudding mix and powdered sugar.