Orange Chiffon Cupcakes with White Cloud Frosting

I don't often make orange flavored treats and I don't know why I did today except that it just sounded refreshing, plus I had a lot of oranges that needed to be eaten!

This recipe is off of the Crisco website.  It uses oil instead of butter for the fat in the cake.  I really love cakes that use oil. Although butter makes for better flavor some of the time, oil makes a light & moist texture and if it's already a heavily flavored cake (such as chocolate or banana or orange) then you won't miss the butter flavor. The texture of this cake is light with a fine crumb and very moist.  The light texture is aided by the whipped egg whites folded into the batter. 

The flavor of this cake is VERY orangy. To tell you the truth, I think it has a bit too much orange flavor in it.  Orange rind has an overpowing flavor and although this uses only 1 teaspoon, I think it's a bit too much.  Next time I would use 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel.  It's not a very sweet cake either but by the time you put icing on it, it's just right.  I did not use the icing recipe listed along with the cake recipe.  Oh, one more thing about this cake, (I made cupcakes and a single layer 9 inch cake), it shrunk in the pan and sunk in the middle when cooling.  The cupcakes sunk quite a bit in the middle, which I covered up with the icing.  So it wasn't the prettiest cake by itself but it can be easily disguised with the right icing!

I used an icing similar to 7 minute icing except easier.  I think it's a pain in the butt to heat the egg whites & sugar & cream of tartar on the stovetop and then use an electric handheld mixer to whip the ingredients for 20 minutes, because that is how long it usually takes my SEVEN minute icing to be finished! So this icing recipe is from one of my old Pillsbury cookbooks and it's quicker and easier than the 7 minute icing. I flavored mine with clear vanilla extract & a touch of orange extract.

Orange Chiffon Cake
Crisco

Ingredients:

2 large eggs, separated
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
1 3/4 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup Crisco® Pure Canola Oil (I used vegetable oil)


1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with flour no-stick cooking spray.

2. Beat egg whites with 1/3 cup sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until thick and glossy but not stiff. Transfer to another bowl.

3. Combine cake flour, remaining 1 cup sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Add orange peel, orange juice, milk, oil and egg yolks. Beat at medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bottom and sides of bowl often. Fold egg whites into batter until well blended. Pour evenly into prepared pans.

4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until center springs back when touched lightly and wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely.


White Cloud Frosting
Pillsbury

2 egg whites
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla or almond extract
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup

In small deep bowl, beat egg whites, salt & vanilla extract at medium speed until foamy. Gradually add sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, beating at highest speed until soft peaks form and sugar is dissolved. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring corn syrup just to a boil. Pour in thin stream over egg whites, beating at highest speed until mixture forms stiff peaks.