This soft orange sponge cake is made with freshly squeezed orange juice and grated orange zest, it has a very rich and nice orange fragrance. Grease and line round baking pan with parchment paper then preheat the oven to 180°C. Whisk egg whites over low speed until large bubbles are formed.

Add in cream of tartar, and whisk until small bubbles are formed. Add in sugar gradually, and whisk until stiff peak. Combine egg yolks, sugar and salt and beat until thick. Add in corn oil, and beat until combined. Add in grated orange zest and orange juice, and mix until well blended.

Sift together cake flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Sift again into egg yolk mixture, and mix until combined. Add meringue to the batter in 3 batches, and mix gently using a balloon whisk. Fold gently until well mixed using a spatula, then tap the mixing bowl on the countertop a few times to burst large bubbles.

Pour batter into the baking pan, and tap the baking pan again a few times. Bake at 180°C/355°F and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until fully cooked. The heat for different ovens is different, the suggested time is only for reference, Adjust the baking time based on your oven if necessary.

Do not open the oven door during the first 30 minutes of baking or the cake might collapse when out of the oven. Unmould the cake and set aside on a wire rack until completely cooled.

Ingredients;

  • 4 eggs
  • 150 grams (2/3 cup) granulated sugar
  • 125 grams (about 1 cup) all-purpose flour
  • 100 ml (1/2 cup) orange juice
  • Orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions;

  1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Grease a round cake pan (20 x 7 centimetres (8 x 2 3/4 inches)) with margarine and dust with some flour.
  2. Separate the yolks from the whites. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form and store in the fridge.
  3. In an electric mixer, beat on medium speed the egg yolks together with the sugar and the orange zest until obtain a creamy and homogeneous mixture. Pour the orange juice and beat for 1 to 2 minutes to incorporate.
  4. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the flour mixed with the baking powder and beat until a homogeneous mixture. Finally, fold gently with a spatula the whipped egg whites.
  5. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake until it starts to gain colour and in the middle is a little bit higher than the rest of the cake, about 25 to 30 minutes (the time depends on the oven).
  6. Remove the cake from the oven and unmold it onto a plate. Let cool to room temperature and serve.