Sakura Experiment #1: Sakura (Cherry Blossom) Angel Food Cake with Strawberries

It's sakura (cherry blossom) season, so I want to attempt some Japanese/western fusion recipes using some of the sakura extract, powder, and preserved blossoms that I've found. 

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup AP flour
12 egg whites 
1/3 cup warm water
1 teaspoon sakura extract
1 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon red food coloring (or as much as needed -- I went a little too Barbie pink here)

Directions
Preheat oven to 170 degrees C.

In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites, water, sakura extract, and cream of tartar. After the eggs begin to stiffen, slowly sift in sugar, beating continuously. Once you have achieved medium peaks, sift enough of the flour mixture in to dust the top of the foam. Using a spatula fold in gently. Continue until all of the flour mixture is incorporated.

Carefully spoon mixture into an ungreased tube pan. Bake for 35 minutes before checking for doneness with a wooden skewer or chop stick. When inserted halfway between the inner and outer wall, the skewer should come out dry.

Cool upside down on a wine bottle for at least an hour before removing from pan.  This keeps the cakes from collapsing as they set.

The cakes cooling on some bottles of wine that I just happened to have around my apartment...

Serve with macerated strawberries: Cut strawberries marinated with a pinch of salt, sugar to taste, and a tablespoon port, sherry, or yuzu sake (as I did here).  Let rest for at least 30 minutes.  

Garnish with powdered sugar and fresh or preserved sakura blossoms (rehydrated in water), if available. 

Based on the Good Eats Angel Food Cake recipe, because Alton Brown knows all...