Spanish Orange Cake (Valencian)

Spanish Orange Cake
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1999 ed.), pg. 132.

There are 3 recipes for orange cakes in Maida's "Book of Great Desserts". In addition to this one, there is a "Texan" orange cake and one called "Indian River Sweet Orange Bread". I opted to try this
"Spanish Orange Cake" first. I love the flavor of orange in baking, especially when combined with chocolate. This does not have chocolate in it. It is more like a pound cake, very light and delicate on the orange flavor, and very satisfying. I will have to try the other two recipes and compare them. This one is a definite keeper!

2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 TBS. plus 1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 lb. (2 sticks) butter

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs, separated, plus 3 egg yolks (that is a total of 5 egg yolks and 2 egg whites)

2/3 cup orange juice (before squeezing juice, grate and reserve rind of 2 oranges to use below)

Finely grated rind of 2 oranges

Adjust rack one-third up from the bottom of the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 x 3 1/2-inch tube pan and dust it with fine, dry bread crumbs.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In large bowl of electric mixer beat the butter to soften it a bit. Remove and reserve a few tablespoons of the sugar. Add the remaining sugar to the butter and beat for 2 to 3 minutes. 

One at a time, beat in the five egg yolks, beating well after each, and scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary to keep mixture smooth. 

On lowest speed alternately add sifted dry ingredients in three additions and the orange juice in two additions, continuing to scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary and beating only until smooth after each addition. Remove from mixer. 

Stir in orange juice and rind.

Beat the 2 egg whites until they hold a soft shape. 

Add the reserved sugar and beat until the whites hold a firm shape and fold them into the batter.

Turn the batter into the cake pan and level top by turning pan briskly back and forth.

Bake 1 hour or until cake tester comes out dry. Cool cake in pan for about 20 minutes. Cover with a rack and invert. Remove pan, leaving cake upside down. Place over wax paper or aluminum foil.

Prepare the following glaze:

1/2 cup orange marmalade

2 TBS. water

Mix marmalade and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Brush over top and sides of cake. Let stand several hours before transferring to a cake plate, using a flat-sided cookie sheet as a spatula. (The mixture will be watery and thin - don't worry, it works fine!)