This calls for a lot of egg whites. I recommend saving whites if you’re making a custard (they will keep for up to a week in the fridge, or a month in the freezer) or some other recipe that calls for yolks-only.
1 ¼ cups sifted cake flour, not self-rising
1 ½ cups packed light-brown sugar, sifted
14 large egg whites, room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons grated blood orange rind
1 teaspoon orange extract
1 ½ teaspoons fresh blood orange juice
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together flour and ¾ cup brown sugar. Sift twice.
Put egg whites into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt. Raise speed to high, and beat until soft peaks form. Sprinkle half the remaining ¾ cup brown sugar over egg white mixture, and beat until combined. Sprinkle the remaining brown sugar over egg white mixture, add the orange extract and juice, and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form.
Transfer egg white mixture to a large bowl. Fold in flour mixture in 3 batches, folding in zest with last batch.
Spoon batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan (not nonstick) with a removable bottom. Run a knife through batter to eliminate air pockets. Bake until cake is golden and springs back when lightly touched, about 45 minutes.
Invert pan onto its legs or over a narrow-neck bottle; let cool 1 hour. Reinvert, and run a knife around sides and tube to loosen; remove sides. Run a long knife along bottom of cake; remove from tube.
Makes 10 servings.
Leave a Reply