1. • Cake flour has less gluten than all purpose and much less than bread flour.  Less gluten will produce a lighter, higher and more tender crumb.  Sifting introduces air and air is what keeps this cake light and high.  Sorry, if I were a purist I would use all unbleached cake flour, the whole wheat is a small nod to the healthy whole grain.  
2. • Salt added to whites increases the time to whip and destabilizes the foam but is necessary for flavor development.  Timing again is important but also what to add it to; McGee recommends adding salt to something other than the egg white foam.  With this cake, add the salt to the flour.
3. • I will be sifting both flours.

1. •wash your hands twice and rinse very well
2. •wash the bowls, spoons, spatulas and whisk/beaters very carefully and triple rinse them
3. • Triple bowl technique to separate eggs (Brown’ book has excellent illustration).

1. •Stress of whipping whites distorts protein bonds and allows them to form a network to support the foam - these bonds can be reinforced by some techniques and weakened by the same ones - this is a delicate balancing act.
2. •Using a copper bowl really does change everything (Corriher and McGee).  It doesn’t change the initial volume of beating the egg whites but it doubles the height of the final baked product! Both copper and silver block sulfur reactions between proteins and result in a much more stable and forgiving foam!  A very good thing.  Perhaps equally as impressive is it prevents loss of water that leads to lumping and premature stiffening of the bonds - then baking heat won’t bring on a high rise in the oven.
3. •Cream of tartar is an acid and has something of the same effect of the copper bowl - it creates a much more stable foam by slowing the sulfur bonding to a crawl (2nd Ed McGee).
4. •Mixer speed: All sources suggest starting the whites at a low speed.  When a good froth is formed still with some large bubbles, add the cream of tartar.

1. •Sugar has the double effect of building and destroying foam formation.  Timing is off the essence with this ingredient.  Sugar greatly enhances foam’s stability but makes it harder (takes longer) to whip up volume.  If your whipping by hand that means a lot of energy; with a Kitchen Aid it means very little.  The proper time to add sugar is earlier rather than late.  The proper time is when you have a good froth worked up with some big bubbles and add it slowly, some recommend a tablespoon at a time.
2. •From slow speed with good froth in the bowl and cream of tartar added, increase the speed to medium and begin adding the sugar.  When all the sugar has been added, the speed can be increased to high until soft peaks just short of stiff peaks are formed.
3. •Peaks - for the best discussion of glossy soft peaks vs. stiff peaks you should read McGee 2nd Ed. for the best illustration you should look at Brown’s book.

1. • The last ingredients are folded in gently.   Add the extract(s).  Add the flour slowly several tablespoons at a time using a folding motion, lifting up being careful to deflate the whites as little as possible.  Now, would be a great time to have a helper sifting the flour over the bowl as you fold it into the whites.  Sifting the flour over the whites will result in the fewest lumps in the batter.  Aim for the lowest number of folding movements as possible, leaving a lump or two so as not to over do and deflate the batter.
2. • Water - I didn’t find any recipe that had water as an ingredient for this cake although I seem to remember my dad adding a tablespoon of water but he’s in England right now and I can’t ask him.  Several sources indicated that a small amount (a tablespoon) will increase the resulting volume as much as adding another egg white but does tend to make the foam soft.
3. •Use a two piece tube pan, ideally with feet so that it will invert on its own.  If it lacks feet use a bottle to invert it upon.  Never use oil or fat of any kind in this pan. Do not use a non-stick pan.
4. •I’ve had excellent results baking this at 375° for 30 to 35 minutes but I will try the Cook’s Illustrated suggestion to bake at 325° to compare.
5. • Inverting the cake hot from the oven prevents it falling back on itself like a souffle does, causes stretching and results in the highest possible cake.
6. •To remove the cake from the tube pan WAIT until it is absolutely COLD.  Use a knife to cut it loose from around the side and the center tube.  Lift the tube and the cake should easily come out.  Use the knife around the bottom to cut the cake free.  Invert onto cake plate.

1. •A suggestion at this site to start the cake in a cold oven.  No explanation was given as to why and I’ve never done it that way.
2. • Patent bakes this at 475° for 10 minutes with the pan covered tightly with heavy-duty foil.  Opens the oven door, removes the foil.  Reduces the heat to 425° and bakes the cake another 15 minutes.  Cools it inverted. I don’t know if I’m going to try that one.