Chocolate Angel Food Layer Cake Recipe

Preheat oven to 350'F.

Position oven rack in bottom third of oven.

Line bottoms of two 9" heart-shape cake pans with waxed paper.

Sift 1/2 cup sugar, flour, cocoa powder and salt onto clean sheet of waxed paper.

Beat whites in bowl at medium speed until foamy.

Add cream of tartar, vanilla.

Beat in remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until soft peaks form.

Sift half of flour mixture over egg whites.

Fold in with rubber spatula just until incorporated.

Repeat with remaining flour mixture.

Divide batter between prepared pans.

Smooth tops.

Bake in preheated 350'F.

oven for 20 minutes or until cake springs back when gently pressed with fingertip and sides of cake just begin to pull away from pan.

Invert pans onto wire racks.

Elevate cakes by placing corners of racks over filled 1 pound cans.

Let cakes cool, upside down in pans, on elevated racks, for 1 hour.

then run small metal spatula or knife between edge of cake and pan.

Turn cake out onto rack to cool.

Choose topping, sandwiching layers as directed.

Or, for filled cake, cut heart from center of one layer, leaving 1 1/2" border all around.

Spread other layer with some of Cherry-Yogurt Filling; top with cutout layer.

Fill hollow with remaining cherries.

Refrigerate.