Orange Scented Sponge Cake

I made this Fresh Orange Sponge Cake from my The Fannie Farmer Baking Book. It is a classic and really nothing about it needs changing. It is light and the orange gives the cake a fresh flavor that isn’t overly sweet. I combined it with a dacquoise, strawberry whipped cream and home made jam to make a birthday torte for my stepmother. Even though there is no butter or oil in the cake I find it moist enough that I didn’t use a simple syrup soak. But you certainly could add it for flavor.

Fresh Orange Sponge Cake from  The Fannie Farmer Baking Book by Marion Cunningham:

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup egg whites (about 8 large whites)

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup yolks (about 6)

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons orange zest

1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare 2 9-inch round cake pans with parchment, no butter.

Sift together the flour and salt twice; set aside.

In your mixer beat the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add 1/2 cup of sugar, continue to beat until the whites are stiff but moist,

and stand in soft peaks peaks.  Set aside.

In a separate mixing bowl, beat the yolks until they are thickened slightly, then slowly add the remaining 3/4 cup sugar.

Continue to beat until the mixture is thick and lemon-colored.Add the orange zest and juice, blend well.

Sift 1/2 the flour over the egg yolks.

Fold the flour into the eggs. Repeat with the rest of the flour.

Add 1/3 of the whites to the yolk mixture and gently fold in. Continue with the next 1/3 of egg whites.

Add the last 1/3 of whites and fold gently until they are well combined.

Spread the cake batter into the two ungreased pans.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Invert the cake pans and let stand this way until the cake is completely cool.

Flip over, run a knife around the sides and tap the cake gently out of the pans. Frost with your favorite icing, use in trifle, a summer torte.