ORANGE RUM LAYER CAKE

2 2/3 cups sifted cake flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 pinch ground ginger
2/3 cup butter
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
3 whole eggs, separated
1 1/2 tsp. grated orange rind
3/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup light rum
1 tsp. vanilla extract
ORANGE BUTTER FROSTING AND ORNATE CHOCOLATE CUTOUTS:
1/2 cup butter
5 cups powdered sugar
4 Tbsp. orange juice or to desired consistency
3 tsp. grated orange rind
5 (1 oz. each) bittersweet chocolate squares
Orange wedges (for garnish)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and ginger. Repeat sifting and set aside.

Cream butter until light and fluffy. Gradually adding sugar, cream the mixture until smooth; set aside.

Separate egg yolks from whites. Place whites to the side and stir egg yolks into the creamed mixture. Add orange rind; set aside.

Mix orange juice and rum together and add to flour mixture. Stir in butter mixture and vanilla extract. Beat well; set aside.

Beat egg whites until stiff; gently fold into batter.

Line three 8-inch cake layer pans with wax paper. Pour equal amounts of batter into each lined cake pan and place in oven.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove cake pans from oven and let cool 10 minutes. Cool cakes on wire cake racks for another 10 minutes.

To decorate cake, make frosting and chocolate cutouts as cake cools.

TO MAKE THE FROSTING:
Cream butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar, orange juice and stir in orange rind. Chill. Grate three ounces of bittersweet chocolate. Put to the side.

TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CUTOUTS:
Melt remaining chocolate and pour onto baking sheet lined with waxed paper, spreading 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick. Let stand until almost dry. Firmly press a diamond-shaped cookie cutter into the chocolate. Carefully lift the cutouts from the waxed paper and chill.

Slice two small orange wedges.

TO DECORATE CAKE:
Frost bottom layer and cover top with chocolate shavings. Add middle layer and repeat step. Add and frost top layer. Smooth frosting over sides and cover with chocolate shavings. Place chocolate cutouts around crown. Garnish with orange wedges.

Source: the Idaho Wheat Commission, The Soft Wheat Flour Millers, the Washington Wheat Commission and the Wheat Foods Council