Orange Chiffon Cake

I remember my Aunt Ada making orange chiffon cake when I was a kid.  I always thought it was so delicious.  So, for my aunt's 88th birthday, I made her this orange chiffon cake.  Serve with vanilla ice cream for an extra special dessert.

Cake:

5 large eggs, separated
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
1 1/2 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 TBS grated orange zest
1 TBS vanilla

Glaze:

3 TBS orange juice
2 TBS softened cream cheese
1/2 tsp grated orange zest
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325.  Using mixer with a whisk, whip egg whites and cream of tartar on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes.  With mixer running, slowly add 2 TBS sugar and whip until just stiff and glossy, about 1 minute; set aside.

Combine flour, remaining sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.  Whisk orange juice, oil, egg yolks, orange zest and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth.  Whisk wet mixture into flour mixture until smooth.  Whisk one-third whipped egg whites into batter, then gently fold in remaining whites, one scoop at a time, until well combined.  Scrape mixture into a 16-cup ungreased tube pan (angel food cake pan). 

Bake until skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean and cracks in cake appear dry, 55 minutes to 1 hour, 5 minutes.  Let cool, inverted, to room temperature, about 3 hours.  To unmold, turn pan right side up and run a flexible knife around tube and outer edge.  Use tube to pull cake out of pan, cut bottom free.  Invert cake onto serving plate and gently twist bottom of pan to remove. 

Glaze:  Whisk orange juice, softened cream cheese, and grated orange zest in a medium bowl until smooth.  Add powdered sugar and whisk until smooth.  Pour glaze over cooled cake.  Let glaze set for 15 minutes.  Serve.

Serves 10-12

Source:  The Complete Cook's Country TV Show Cookbook

Kimberly