Orange Chiffon Cake

By Melissa van Hoogstraten. Photo Johan Wilke.

Serves 10 – 12

• 300 g (2 1/4 cups) cake flour, sifted
• 375 g (1 1/2 cups) sugar
• 15 ml (3 t.) baking powder
• 5 ml (1 t.) salt
• 125 ml (1/2 cup) sunflower oil
• 5 egg yolks, not beaten
• 180 ml (3/4 cup) cold water or orange juice
• 15 ml (1 tbsp.) orange peel, thinly grated
• 7 egg whites
• Pinch of cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 160° C.

1. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a hollow in the middle of the sifted dry ingredients and add the oil, egg yolks, orange juice or water, and orange peel. Beat until smooth.
2. Beat the egg whites and the cream of tartar until very stiff.
3. Pour the flour mixture over the egg whites and fold in gently until completely mixed.
4. Pour into an ungreased 25 cm chiffon-pan and bake for 60 – 75 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and let cool upside-down in the pan. Let it cool completely before you remove the cake.

Icing 

• 80 ml (1/3 cup) soft butter
• 750 ml (3 cups) icing sugar, sifted
• orange juice

Cream the butter and icing sugar until smooth. Add enough orange juice to create a soft spread in order to spread it evenly over the cake.

Sugared orange peel

1. Rinse two oranges well. Peel with a vegetable peeler and cut the peel into thin strips.
2. Melt 250 ml (1 cup) sugar in 250 ml (1 cup) water in a medium-sized saucepan.
3. Add the orange peel and boil for 10 minutes. Remove the peel from the syrup and let it cool for 5 minutes. Arrange on the cake as decoration.