Do you like the flavor of ORANGE in any cake? The citrusy aroma,tangy taste…Ummm makes me drool all the time. While searching for a good orange cake recipe I came across Abby’s wonderful blog and decided to participate in her baketogether event. The recipe was fairly simple and I had all the ingredients handy. Since its just the two of us, I decided to make a small cake. I halved the recipe and used my small Kugelhopf pan. But I ended up with more batter than what I needed, so I baked six cupcakes as well. My cake wasn’t very dark not sure if this has anything to do with the pan, however it tasted great and that’s what really mattered! The caramel sauce did go well with the cake but it surely wasn’t my favorite one.

The cake just required egg whites so I used up the yolks to make Lemon Curd. It smelt a little eggy initially but once done it was just perfect. Its made somewhat like a custard, cooked on low heat. Few minutes of constant stirring and you’ll end up with silky rich lemon curd. Since I wasnt very confident cooking it directly on stove top I used a double boiler, a bowl nested over a saucepan of simmering water. The sour and tangy taste with the creamy texture makes it perfect for cakes(filling) and pies.

TANGERINE ANGEL FOOD CAKE WITH BITTERSWEET CARAMEL SAUCE & LEMON CURD

Makes one 10 inch cake or one 6” Kugelhopf cake and six cupcakes

For the cake:
½ cup cake flour
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 egg whites, at room temperature
¾ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ cup superfine sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated tangerine zest
¾ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the sauce :
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup heavy cream, warmed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
a pinch of Fleur de Sel

To make the cake:

Heat oven to 350. Grease the Kugelhopf and muffin pan. Sift together the flour, confectioners’ sugar and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium-low speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar, increasing speed to medium, and beat until whites are opaque and climbing about half way up the bowl forming very soft peaks. Continue beating while slowly and continuously adding the superfine sugar. Beat on medium high until the whites are thick, shiny and form medium-firm, fluffy peaks. (The peaks should droop over gently.) Do not over beat. You want to leave some room for those whites to expand in the oven. Add the tangerine zest and vanilla. Beat just until blended, about 10 seconds.

Sift 1/4 of the flour mixture over the beaten whites. Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the whites. Repeat with remaining flour mixture, one quarter at a time.
Using the spatula to gently coax the batter, pour evenly into the prepared pan. Smooth the top. Bake until the cake is light golden brown and the cake is springy when touched, about 25 minutes( do check the cake in between as mine is a very powerful oven and took less time). Let cool completely.
Slip the cake from the pan and gently lift it up from the center of the pan and arrange on a flat serving plate.

To make the sauce:
In a medium, heavy skillet,spread the sugar in an even layer. Cook over low heat until the sugar is melted and the caramel is deep brown, about 10 minutes. Stop stirring, increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. If sugar crystals form around the edge of the pan, wash down with a clean pastry brush dipped in water. Boil without stirring until the liquid turns deep amber in color, about 5 minutes.
As the mixture darkens, gently swirling (not stirring) the pan over the heat to caramelize evenly. (I like to test the color by putting a drop or two on a white plate. If the caramel is too light in color, the sauce will be too sweet – too dark and it will be bitter.) Slide the pan from the heat and slowly add the heavy cream. Be careful as the mixture will bubble and spatter and the steam will be very hot. Using a long-handled wooden spoon, stir gently until the caramel is completely melted and the sauce is smooth.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter, cardamom and salt. Set aside to cool. Use warm or at room temperature or cover and refrigerate up to 2 weeks.
Cut the cooled cake using a serrated knife and a gently sawing motion. Serve slices of cake drizzled with the warm or room temperature caramel sauce.

Lemon Curd

4 egg yolks
¾ cup sugar
½ cup lemon juice
2 tablespoon lemon zest
4 tablespoon butter (optional)

In a heat proof bowl mix all the ingredients except butter and place over a sauce pan with simmering water( a double boiler). Ensure that the water doesn’t touch the bowl. On low heat whisk until pale and smooth, this might not take a long time. Slice the butter into small pieces and gradually add them one by one and continue to stir until it thickens. Cool and transfer to an air tight container and refrigerate. I like it to be served with plain toasted bread!

We really savored each bite and enjoyed…thanks Abby!

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