Honey Orange Sponge Cake

By cecelia26_

Serve this honey orange sponge cake with an orange sorbet for an over the top dessert everyone loves.

Ingredients

• Parchment paper, for the pan
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
• 1 cup corn oil
• 1 cup honey
• 2 tablespoon orange juice
• 2 tablespoon orange liqueur or brandy
• Grated zest of 1 orange
• 1 teaspoon pure orange extract

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 10-inch tube pan with removable bottom with a circle of parchment paper cut slightly larger than the bottom. Press the extra paper against the sides of the pan.

Sift both flours and the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and salt together into a bowl. Set it aside.

Set aside 1/4 cup of the sugar.

Beat the egg yolks very well with an electric mixer on medium-high speed. Gradually add the remaining 3/4 cup sugar, and continue blending until the mixture is thick and lemon-colored, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium and blend in the oil and honey. Then blend in the orange juice, liqueur, zest, and extract. Reduce the speed to low and gradually blend in the flour mixture.

Using a clean, dry bowl and beaters, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Add the reserved 1/4 cup sugar, a tablespoon at a time, beating for 10 seconds after each addition. Then raise the speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form, 4 minutes total. Stir one fourth of the egg whites into the batter to lighten it. Then add the remaining egg whites in three additions, folding them in until incorporated.

Scrape the batter into the prepared tube pan and bake on the center oven rack for 30 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 300°F and continue baking until the top of the cake springs back when touched, about 45 minutes more.

Let the cake rest in the pan for 30 to 45 seconds. Then invert the pan on its little feet (if your tube pan has them) or over a soda bottle (making sure it sits level) and let the cake cool completely.

Run a knife around the center tube and the side of the pan, and lift the tube from the outer pan. Gently slide the knife between the bottom of the cake and the pan, and lift the cake off the pan. Cut the cake into slices. Serve with Apricot Pineapple Conserve or Pineapple Topping.