A friend wanted to get together during spring break to learn how to bake a cake. He suggested a chiffon cake, so naturally, I picked Rose’s orange glow chiffon. I’m glad he asked for this one, because I never thought I would like chiffon cakes. I always imagined them to be like the overly sweet angel food cakes that are sold in grocery stores. Instead, the chiffon cake had a very spongy texture reminiscent of my favorite sponge cakes from my local Chinese bakeries.

Being citrus season in California and being blessed with such a diversity of citrus fruits, I made the chiffon cake with everything ORANGE: bergamot juice and zest, orange juice (my friend’s homegrown fruits), Grand Marnier, orange blossom water, and candied clementine peels. The cake had a wonderful, complex orange flavor!

Here are the pictures!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=298753&id=517859766&l=40e4a4dc28

Yum! Orange glow chiffon cake and beef pot pie!!!!  Wish I were there for that one!  Plus, I see you cut your cake slices the way I like to cut mine.  No dainty slices here!

Gorgeous Cake, Michael!  So fun to see it rising in the oven!  So fun to have fresh home-grown fruits to use!

Your chiffon looks and sounds totally amazing- love all the different oranges, the texture, everything.  Congratulations!  Any left for me?

Looks lovely. I didn’t think I’d like chiffon cake either, for the same things you mentioned. I made a lemon one and it was just great. Next time, I’ll try your citrus ideas. My lemon tree is dripping with the best lemons on the planet. Next week, I’ll do it.

I have not made the orange chiffon cake for the same reason you give: they are usually overly sweet. Now I want to make one after reading of your success. Your pot pie looks good, too.

Kathleen

Chiffon cakes (at least Rose’s chiffons) are not at all too sweet, and they have a great texture.  My current favorite is the lemon version of the RHC chiffon layer (detailed on Rose’s blog) layered with lemon whipped cream/blueberries and topped with raspberries.