Place the bottom rack on the lowest level of the oven. Make sure there's room between the two racks for your cake pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place the egg whites in a stand mixer bowl. With the whisk attachment and the mixer on medium beat the egg whites until they become frothy. This will take about 1 minute.
Add in the cream of tartar and continue to whisk on medium until the egg whites form soft peaks.
When soft peaks have formed, slowly add in the granulated sugar and turn the mixer up to high. Once all the sugar in the egg whites and the whites have formed stiff peaks, remove the meringue from the stand mixer.
With a whisk, fold in the vanilla and cake flour. Make sure the flour is thoroughly incorporated otherwise you'll end up with a cake that tastes like scrambled eggs.
Spoon the batter into the UNGREASED angel food cake pan. Smooth out the batter on the top and place the cake into the oven for 30 minutes.
Once the cake is golden brown, remove from the oven and tip it upside down on a wine bottle or anything that will hold the pan upside down properly. Let it cool for an hour.
Run a knife around the inside and outside edges of the cake and remove from the pan. It's best to have a pan that the bottom separates from the sides.
Glaze
In a medium saucepan, add the sugar and cornstarch. Whisk together to avoid the cornstarch from clumping.
Add in the gelatin and whisk again.
Add in the water and cook over medium heat. Stir occasionally.
Once it comes to a boil, let it boil for 3 minutes and remove from the heat and let it cool completely.
After the glaze has cooled completely, you can add in 2 cups of strawberries if you choose. I did not.
Custard
In a mixing bowl, add in the heavy cream. Using the whisk attachment, beat on medium until stiff peaks form.
Add in the powdered sugar and continue whisking until stiff peaks form.
Scoop the whipped cream into a separate bowl.
Add the cream cheese into the stand mixer bowl and whisk to smooth out the cream cheese. This will help it become pliable to fold in the whipped cream.
Add in the sweetened condensed milk and whisk until completely incorporated into the cream cheese.
Fold in the whipped cream. Be careful not to deflate the whipped cream.
Assemble
Place the angel food cake into small squares. Place them into the bottom of the trifle bowl.
Add in a third of the custard and make sure it goes to all the edges.