Orange Sponge Cake

The addition of egg yolks gives this cake a texture that’s a cross between an angel food cake and a traditional cake. Because the cake’s slightly heavier, the pan needs to be lightly greased. Once cooled, fi ll the center with fresh berries and serve the slices with Sweetened Whipped Cream .

Unsalted butter or nonstick spray for greasing the pan

1 cup cake fl our, plus additional for dusting the pan

6 large eggs, separated (see page 19), at room temperature

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

1⁄2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons fi nely grated orange zest

1 tablespoon frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

• Position the rack in the center of the oven; preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter or spray the bottom, sides, and inner tube of a 10-inch round tube cake pan or angel food cake pan with a removable bottom; dust it with fl our, shaking out the excess but making sure everything’s well coated.
• Beat the egg whites and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar, increase the speed to high, and beat until you can create droopy peaks in the mixture by dabbing it with the turned-off beaters, about 3 minutes. Set aside.
• Clean and dry the beaters. In a second large bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar at medium speed until thick ribbons form when the beaters are turned off and lifted out of the mixture (the ribbons will drizzle onto the batter without immediately dissolving back into it), about 5 minutes. Beat in the orange zest and the orange juice concentrate.
• Scrape down the beaters and remove them. Gently fold in the cake fl our with a rubber spatula just until moistened.
• Add the beaten egg whites with a rubber spatula in two additions, folding in half until fully incorporated, then folding in the remainder gently and slowly just until the egg whites are evenly distributed throughout the batter, if still a tad visible.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
• To cool: Set the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then run a long, thin knife around the inside rim of the cake and remove the sides. Set aside on the rack to continue cooling to room temperature.
• To unmold: Run a knife along the bottom of the pan, slicing the cake off the tube pan. Also run the knife around the inner tube to release the cake there. Invert, then remove the tube pan’s bottom. Reinvert the cake onto a serving plate.
• To store: Cool completely, then set under a cake dome for up to 3 days at room temperature

Makes one 10-inch round tube cake