Angelfood Cake

1 cup cake flour (such as Swan's Down)
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar (or 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar)
12 egg whites (1 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4tsp. salt
3/4 to 1 cup sugar (use the latter amount if using
        powdered sugar, above)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Sift flour and first amount of sugar. Set aside.  In large mixer bowl, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt until foamy.  Add second amount of sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating on high speed until the meringue holds stiff peaks.  Gently fold in flavorings.  Sprinkle flour/sugar mixture, one-fourth cup at a time over the meringue, folding in gently, just until flour disappears.  Push batter into ungreased tube pan with removable bottom.  Gently cut through the batter to eliminate large air pockets.  Bake 30 to 35 minutes until top springs back when you touch it lightly with a finger.  Invert the tube pan on a funnel or heavy bottle.  Let it hang there until cake cools completely.  Run knife around edge of pan and remove cake.

My mother made this cake often when we had chickens laying more eggs than we could eat.  I still love Angel Food cake and it's free of all the bad stuff (except sugar, but that's not really bad, is it?).