Good Morning Angel

I love orange juice in the morning, I love orange angel food cake with mandarin orange whip cream and orange syrup even better. I wish I had an exciting tale of mystery and adventure to find this recipe, or maybe a heart-wrenching drama soaked story of one of my good friends. But the truth is, I worked late last night, and decided that I would bake an Angel Food cake and go for a stationary bike ride in the get-skinny-room (aka the gym) to relieve the stress. I love baking Angel Food cake, it allows you to feel very accomplished as a baker by a very unmerited means. Also, it just happens that my work out and cake clocks are roughly the same 35 minutes is about my max for both. The inspiration for the topping came from… where else… orange juice this morning.

Orange Angel Food Cake

1 3/4 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup cake flour, sifted
1 ¼ cup of egg whites (12 eggs if you do it the old fashioned way but I bought the egg whites in a carton)
1/3 cup warm water
1 teaspoon orange extract, or extract of your choice
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Crank it (Preheat oven) 350 degrees F. In your handy-dandy electric chopper (food processor) blitz sugar about 2 minutes until it is superfine. Divide your spun sugar in half: 1) bowl sift half of the sugar with the salt the cake flour, 2) in the other bowl save the slashed sugar to sprinkle in a minute.

In mother’s little helper (your electric mixing stand) with the large bowl and the whisk attachment on: add the egg whites, water, orange extract, and cream of tartar. Spin on medium speed for about 2 minutes, or just enough time to put everything back where it belongs. (I know no precision what so ever my analytical chemistry teacher would be horrified.) Slowly add in the reserved sugar and whip on high for a few minutes until those alpine white soft peaks are formed. This is the hard part; I have a weakness for meringue. But I was strong and I folded in the flour/sugar/salt mix. The second everything is wet, not fully mixed, just wet enough to pour, use the same spatula and pour the mixture into ungreased (no pam, no butter, nada) tube pan. You want one that the bottom comes out otherwise… cake unleashing drama later.

Immediately, put in the oven to bake for a bike ride or 35 minutes. You never want to under bake an angel food cake it ends up looking like a sad soufflé and tasting even more depressing. The top will be browned and crackled, the house will smell like a candy shop, and a tooth pick will come out clean.

Voila, your very own Angel Food Cake. Now, turn the cake upside down and let it cool there for an hour or so. I let mine stay out all night… wild thing. Then using a sharp knife cut around the edges to release.

Orange Syrup

3 cups fresh orange juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon orange extract

Pour everything save the butter and extract into a heavy bottomed pan on high heat. Let the delicious syrup-to-be come to boil and stir occasionally. After about 20 minutes or so, the flavors will concentrate and the juices reduced. Turn off the stove top and add the butter and extract. Whisk-it baby and then pour.

Mandarin Orange Whipped Cream

Couldn’t be easier take a tub of whipped topping or whip the cream yourself, add a can of drained mandarin oranges. Fold in and serve…

Deliciouso… Well, I hope you have a wonderful weekend, and maybe just maybe make something yummy for breakfast tomorrow. As always, much love and happy baking!