Chocolate-Orange Angel Food Cake

12 egg whites (at room temperature)

1 tsp cream of tartar

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp orange zest

1/4 tsp orange extract

1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 cup cake flour

3 tbsp Dutch-processed cocoa

Sweet Orange Glaze (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a large bowl, beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt at high speed with a mixer until foamy.  Gradually add granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form.  Fold in orange zest and orange extract.  In a small bowl, sift together confectioners’ sugar, flour and cocoa; gradually fold into egg white mixture.  Spoon batter into an ungreased 10 inch tube pan.  Bake for 30 – 32 minutes or until lightly browned.  Invert cake onto the small end of a large funnel; let cool completely.  Gently run a knife around edge of cake to release sides.  Remove from pan, drizzle with Sweet Orange Glaze.

Sweet Orange Glaze:

1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

2 tbsp cream cheese, softened

1 tbsp milk

1 tsp orange extract

In a small bowl, combine sugar, cream cheese, milk and orange extract.  Beat at low speed with a mixer until smooth.

This recipe came from the special collector’s issue from the August 2012 Paula Deen’s Chocolate Celebration magazine.

Strike two for Paula.  My family couldn’t wait to hack into this cake after dinner tonight.  The first couple of minutes there was nothing but silence.  Then came the sarcastic remarks.  “What kind of cake is this?”  “It taste like an orange peel!”  “This cake sucks!”  Shall I go on????  It had the consistency of a sink sponge!  No taste, except for the glaze which, I’m sorry to tell you, did taste like an orange peel.  We did have to tell Mr. Little Bob several times that he couldn’t have any more after giving him a few bites.  He seemed to be the only one in the house who liked it.  The bad new here is that these recipes are from a brand new magazine I just bought, I’ve only tried two and both were awful.  My husband said that I should let him pick out the next recipe to try.  I guess it can’t hurt but I don’t think there are any chocolate recipes with beer and meat in it!