The cake is supposed to "stick" somewhat.....or it won't climb the pan and rise to the heights it should... I have to run a sharp blade around the outside edge of the pan.....all the way down to the bottom of the pan, and twist the center post to release it.....then invert and shake the cake out. Was it harder than that? Linda C

Yesterday, I went grocery shopping and purchased items to make this cake. I am eager to make one but not until all the chocolate macaroons have all consumed... LOL... I am planning to use my own filling with Meyer lemon juice. It's the only lemon/lime I can consume without upsetting my stomach. Plus, I can adjust the sweetness to my desire taste. As for the cake rising and then collapsing, I'm wondering if that is due to sudden change in temperature. Do you think it would help to minimize the collapse if I allow the cake to cool down slowly? I am planning to just leave the cake in the oven for awhile after turning off the oven? Perhaps after a few minutes later, leaving the door cracked open will allow the heat to go down slowly. The cake may still collapse but not as much. Do you think this would work? Also, I'm wondering if this cake would freeze well.

I don't have angelfood cake experience, but I've made a lot of sponge cakes - both use whipped egg white instead of leavening agents to produce a fluffy cake so the rules are similar. I have never used a mix so I'm a bit suspicious that the mix may be the problem - perhaps that is just my anti-mix snobbery talking. I don't think the toothpick test is good for these cakes - the test I use is to gently push in on the top of the cake - if done it should spring back. After doing a few, you get a good feel for what it feels like when it is done. If the cake is staying together when you invert it to cool, then I doubt that under baking is the problem. The only times I have had an underdone sponge cake, the top separated and started to fall out of the pan when I inverted the cake. An hour may be a bit soon to take it out of the pan - the cake should be all the way cool before you remove it. The air bubbles encased by the beaten egg white are what is holding the cake up. The egg white bubbles are still tender when the hot cake comes out of the oven. They need to cool and firm up so they can stay inflated and support the cake. That is why you cool upside down - gravity pulling down and the pan bottom and sides holding onto the cake so the bubbles stay open and cool that way. lindac, I have rescued an underdone sponge cake - when I inverted the pan most of the top of the cake separated and fell on the counter - I turned the pan right-side up, quickly scooped up what fell out and flipped it back in, and put the pan back in the oven for a while - not the most perfect sponge cake I've ever made but it was okay for family. The worst cake disaster I still vividly remember even though it was about 40 years ago when I was just starting to bake sponge cakes. I put the cake in the oven and then realized I had left something out. I was in such a hurry to take the tube pan back out that I grabbed it by the center tube instead of the outside - so of course it separates and batter starts dripping onto the hot oven floor - what a mess!

I think that looks so good. My Mom would make Angel food cake with 7 minute frosting and that is what I always asked for on my birthday. I will have to try your peppermint angel food cake with 7 minute frosting. Thanks for sharing.