This cake is lower in fat than most cakes. You can leave the chocolate glaze off for a completely fat free dessert.
Serves 10-12
Cake:
Chocolate Glaze:
Serves 10-12
Cake:
- 1 1/2 cups egg whites, at room temperature (10-12 eggs)
- 1 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 1/8 cups sifted cake flour
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- Grated zest of 1 orange (about 1 Tbsp.)
Chocolate Glaze:
- 1/2 pound semisweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. heavy cream
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Sift 1/2 cup of the sugar and the flour together 4 times to aerate and lighten the mixture.
- Place the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt in a large mixing bowl and whip on high until soft, droopy peaks form.
- Turn the mixer down to medium speed, add the remaining 1 cup of sugar in a thin stream and whip until stiff and glossy. Work quickly so the egg whites do not deflate.
- Fold the flour mixture into the egg whites, 1/3 at a time and then gently fold in the vanilla and orange zest.
- Spoon the mixture into an ungreased 10" tube pan. Smooth the top and bake 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown.
- Remove cake from oven and turn the pan upside down and hang it around the neck of a wine bottle to cool to room temperature.
- When cake is cool, slide a butter knife around the sides of the pan and put a serving plate on top. Turn over and knock the cake out onto the plate. (The browned crust of the cake will stick to the pan.)
- When the cake has cooled thoroughly, make the glaze.
- Place the chocolate chips and the heavy cream in a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water and stir until the chocolate melts.
- Pour the chocolate glaze over the top of the cooled cake to cover the top completely and allow it to drizzle down the sides.
- Let the glaze cool and slightly harden for at least 30 minutes before serving
