I think the first birthday cake I ever made, not from a box, was for Justin, the first summer we were dating. Back then, I said “I like baking,” but most of my baking was really simple. Boxed brownies and cakes, 4-ingredient meringue cookies, and occasional ventures into creative-baking-pinterestland.
So, taking on a homemade angel food cake was a little bit scary. Justin had told me that he only likes it from scratch, and “plain”: no icing and no flavorings other than vanilla. He also warned me that angel food cake requires some skill. What he left unsaid, but I sensed, was…