Pistachio-Orange Cake

By Chef Lippe

This cake is light and fluffy with a delicious frosting that is both a meringue and butter cream.  Your family will love this!

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter, softened

2 cups plus 6 tablespoons flour

9 egg yolks

1 cup sugar

¼ cup fresh orange juice

3 tablespoons finely grated orange peel

1 teaspoon orange extract

9 egg whites

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

Butter 3 9-inch cake pans and dust with 2 tablespoons of flour each.

Beat egg yolks and sugar for 5 minutes. When mixture is thick and fluffy, beat in ¼ cup orange juice, orange peel and extract. Stir in remaining 2 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time.

In a separate bowl beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt to stiff peaks.  Gently fold into egg yolk mixture.

Pour batter into 3 pans and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

5 egg whites

1 ½ cups sugar

¾ cups orange juice

1 tablespoon white corn syrup

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

¾ cups butter (24 tablespoons) cut into ½ inch bits and softened

2/3 cups unsalted pistachios (1/4 pound)

Beat egg whites until firm peaks, add ½ cup sugar beating until meringue is smooth. Set aside.

Combine remaining sugar, orange juice and corn syrup in a heavy 3 quart sauce pan.  Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolves. Cook briskly, uncovered, undisturbed, until syrup reaches a temperature of 238 on a candy thermometer (soft ball forms when dropped in ice water).

Beating constantly pour orange syrup into the meringue in a slow, thin steam and continue to beat until the mixture has cooled to room temperature.  Add orange peel, and beat the butter in a few pieces at a time.

Assemble the cake with ½ cup of frosting in between layers. Cover sides and top of cake with remaining frosting and sprinkle pistachios on top.