Brown Sugar Angel Food Cake

1 1/4 cups sifted cake flour
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 1/2 cups egg whites (from 12 to 14 eggs)
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine cake flour and 1 cup brown sugar. In a large bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar and salt until foamy. Gradually add second cup of brown sugar. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Add vanilla extract; blend well. Divide flour-brown sugar mixture into 4 portions. Use a large rubber spatula to fold each portion in separately; gently lift meringue up and roll it over onto itself. Fold JUST until no traces of dry ingredients can be seen. Gently push batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube (angel food cake) pan. With a long, sharp knife, make 5 or 6 vertical cuts through batter to eliminate large air pockets.

Bake 45 minutes, or until top of cake springs back after it is lightly touched with a finger. As soon as cake is removed from the oven, IMMEDIATELY invert pan. If pan does not have legs, place the center tube over the neck of a large, heavy bottle. Do not remove from pan until cake is COMPLETELY cool. This takes at least 1 hour.

Dust with sifted confectioners' sugar, or frost with a favorite icing.