BEST-EVER ORANGE CAKE

6 egg whites (3/4 cup)
1 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided use
6 egg yolks
6 tbsp fresh orange juice
1 tbsp grated orange peel
Confectioners' sugar (for garnish)

In large bowl, let egg whites warm to room temperature- about 1 hour.

Sift flour with salt; set aside.

At medium speed, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup granulated sugar, beating after each addition. Continue beating until stiff peaks form when the beater is slowly raised. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl, beat egg yolks until very thick and lemon- colored - about 3 minutes. Do NOT UNDERBEAT. Gradually beat in remaining 1 cup granulated sugar; continue beating until mixture is smooth.

At low speed, blend in flour mixture(in fourths) alternately with orange juice(in thirds); begin and end with flour mixture. Add orange peel. With whisk, using under-and-over motion, fold into whites just to blend. Pour batter into an ungreased 9 1/2-to-10 inch kugelhopf pan or 10-inch tube pan.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until cake springs back when gently pressed with fingertip. Invert pan over neck of bottle; cool completely- 1 hour.

Loosen from pan. Using an up-and-down motion, run spatula around edge of cake and tube. Invert on serving plate. Sift confectioners' sugar over top of cake.

To cut cake: Use knife with serrated edge. Cut gently, going back and forth with sawing motion.

Servings:12
Source: McCall's Cooking School