Bentonville-based chef Matthew McClure serves as the executive chef at the Hive, part of the 21c Museum Hotel. An Arkansas native, the chef cut his teeth working at restaurants in Boston before returning to his home state. He’s received numerous accolades over the years, including a James Beard semifinalist for South: Best New Chef for five consecutive years. When asked what recipe he would want to make his mom for Mother’s Day, he reached for this angel food cake recipe.
He says, “When I was a kid growing up in Little rock, springtime meant strawberries. We would even visit the pick-your-own farms to gather our own. My mother always prepared them with angel food cake and whipped cream. She would buy the cake at Kroger, as well as a carton of Cool Whip. My version certainly involves more effort, but my mother is worth it!”
recipe 
yields
1 8-inch cake
¾ cup sugar
12 egg whites
2 teaspoons lemon juice
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup flour
1 pint fresh strawberries, quartered
2 tablespoons sugar
1 pint heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
Angel Food Cake
Strawberries
Whipped Cream
steps
Make the cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, combine egg whites, sugar, and vanilla, and whip slowly until mixture is combined and fluffy, about three minutes. Add salt and lemon juice, adjust speed to medium-high and whip until the consistency is slightly softer than soft peaks, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Using a spatula, gently fold flour into the mixture until just incorporated and no dry streaks remain. Pour into an aluminum pan. Cook for 45 minutes, until the outside is light brown and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
For the strawberries
In a small bowl, mix together strawberries and sugar, and allow it to macerate about an hour.
For the whipped cream
In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, add cream. On medium speed, whip to soft peaks, slowly add the powdered sugar.
share
- By chef Matthew McClure of The Hive at 21c Museum Hotel Bentonville
