Orange Angel Food Cake with Fresh Berries and Whipped Cream

from The Garden Entertaining Cookbook by Barbara Scott-Goodman & Mary Goodbody

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups superfine sugar
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Zest of 1 small orange, finely grated
1 pint fresh raspberries
1 pint fresh blueberries
1 cup heavy cream
Mint sprigs, for garnish

Serves 6

This and many other wonderful recipes may be found in
Barbara Scott-Goodman & Mary Goodbody's The Garden Entertaining Cookbook from Chronicle Books

Light and airy angel food cake is a perfect summertime dessert, and when flavored with a little orange zest, its appeal is heightened. With the addition of mixed berries and whipped cream we turn this simple cake into an elaborate dessert, but you can forgo these and serve it alone or with a scoop of your favorite ice cream.

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of the sugar with the flour and salt.

3. In a clean, dry bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a clean, dry wire whip or beaters, beat the egg whites until they are foamy. Sprinkle with cream of tartar, and beat until soft peaks form. Beat in the vanilla and orange zest and the remaining 1 cup of sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and continue beating until the peaks are stiff, but not dry. Using a rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the batter. Do not overmix.

4. Scrape the batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan or angel food cake pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until the cake springs back when lightly touched. Invert the pan over the neck of a wine bottle, or turn the pan over on it feet. When completely cool, run a kitchen knife around the side of the pan to loosen. Invert the cake onto a platter.

5. While the cake is cooling, toss the raspberries and blueberries in a bowl, cover, and chill until ready to serve.

6. In the bowl of an electric mixer set on high speed, whip the cream until it forms very soft peaks. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour. Serve the cake slices topped with the berries and a large dollop of whipped cream. Garnish each serving with a mint sprig.

Serves 8 - 10