When they were wee ones, there was nothing they thought I couldn't fix. They would bring me all manner of smashed, tangled, and torn toys and keepsakes and hand them over with those trusting eyes for me to repair. I glued, taped, patched, and untangled many little treasures, even many that took longer to repair than they took to make in the first place. But others I couldn't fix.
Mostly I loved making these repairs, but once in a while, I would get annoyed, "You can't just go smashing around with your toys and expect me to fix them all. Some things can't be fixed."
Other lessons they have learned for themselves as the world has progressively widened around them. Conflicts at school, natural disasters, sickness, death. Some things can't be fixed.
Over time, and partly by my own doing, that look of certainty in their eyes has waned.
The only area where I'm still holding strong is in the kitchen. They haven't yet asked me for anything from the kitchen that I couldn't deliver. So when Oscar came to me a while back with that trust in his eyes and requested an orange cake, I was thrilled. This weekend, we finally made it a reality. We measured, zested, squeezed, whisked, mixed, and folded. When it was done, we had created something beautiful together.
The cake was delicious too. Chiffon cake is light and airy, but moist. This one is flecked with orange throughout, and with a sweet glaze over the top, it was divine. But still homey enough to have for breakfast.
I am savoring these moments when I am still a cooking maven to my children. It won't be long before they venture off and discover delicious creations in the outside world. Indeed, I want that for them. With it I'll lose the last of my infallibility, but I hope we'll have built enough of a bond that they'll come home and teach me what they learn.
Besides, I still know that my mother can fix almost anything.
Second Helping: Chocolate Shortcake with Blood Orange Sauce(I think we're overdue to make this again!)
Thirds?: Suppli (one of our favorite appetizers, rice balls stuffed with cheese)
Adapted slightly from Gourmet
35 minutes preparation time
50 minutes to 1 hour baking time
For the cake:
Scant 2 cups of cake flour*
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
6 large eggs, separated
1/3 cup canola oil
8 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest (about 3 large oranges)
3/4 cup fresh orange juice (about 2 large oranges)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
For the glaze:
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1 cup confectioners' sugar
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a tube or Bundt pan.
In a large bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, 1 cup of sugar, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, oil, orange zest, and orange juice. Add it to the bowl with the flour and whisk everything together until it is fully combined.
In the bowl of a mixer, beat the egg whites at medium high speed until they just begin to hold peaks. Turn the mixer to low and, with it still running, gradually sprinkle in the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar. Beat until the whites hold stiff peaks and are shiny. Using a rubber spatula, fold about 1/3 of the mixture into the batter until it is fully incorporated. Add the remaining whites and fold them gently into the batter until it is even in color.
Pour the batter into the pan and tap it on the counter to smooth it or use a spatula. Bake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 50 minutes to an hour. Let the cake cool completely in the pan before removing it.
To make the glaze, pour the orange juice into a small bowl. Add the confectioners' sugar and whisk until smooth. When the cake is cool, drizzle the glaze over the top.
* The original recipe calls for 2 1/4 cups of cake flour measured after sifting. If you want to get another bowl dirty, you can sift some flour, then measure and transfer it to the bowl you will mix in. In general, I try to minimize the number of things I get dirty. Two cups of cake flour gave me a bit more than I needed, so a bit less than 2 cups would be just about right.
I know this is not a worry with young kids but it is for adults: Six eggs = a bigger than normal load of cholesterol. I have been experimenting with substituting egg-beater type products in all sorts of dishes. I have not, for the most part, noticed any significant change in texture or taste. In a cake like this the orange zest would keep it zippy, but I wonder if it would still have the desired loft. Any ideas?
Posted by: Susan | February 15, 2011 at 11:12 AM
YUM!
Posted by: eva | February 15, 2011 at 11:32 AM
Hi, Susan. I have not tried baking with egg beaters, but here are my thoughts. In baking, I think of the whites as helping the cake rise and the yolks as adding fat for flavor and moisture. I don't know whether egg beaters would whip up like whites would, but maybe you could still use whites and whip them for their fluffiness but substitute egg beaters for some of the yolks? Alternatively, you could add applesauce to substitute for some of the yolks to help the cake retain its moisture. If you try one of these approaches, please let us know how it turns out!
Posted by: Margy | February 15, 2011 at 11:57 AM
I love Oscar's look of concentration, with the tongue out.
Posted by: Pam | February 23, 2011 at 11:52 AM