1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
1 1/2 cups sugar
12 extra-large egg whites
1 1/4 teaspoons cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Preheat the oven to 374F. Sift together the cake flour, nutmeg and 1/2 cup of the sugar.

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and salt. Continue beating until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the remaining 1 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until very stiff shiny peaks form. Beat in the vanilla and fold in the flour mixture.

Turn the batter into an ungreased 10 inch tube pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Invert onto a rack to cool.