Orange Angel Food Cake with Caramel Sauce and Tropical-Fruit Compote
4.5
(19)
This cake is light as air— and infused with flavor, thanks to a little grated orange peel. A deep, dark caramel sauce and a stunning fruit compote make the dessert dinner-party-worthy. Be sure not to use a pan with a nonstick coating. Because this cake is cooled upside down in the pan, you want the cake to stick to the sides a bit.
Ingredients
Makes 10 servings
Sauce:
Cake:
Compote:
For sauce:
Step 1
Combine sugar and 1/3 cup water in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high; boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Carefully add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Place pan over low heat; stir until caramel bits dissolve and sauce is smooth. Remove from heat; add butter, cardamom, and pinch of salt. Stir until butter melts. Cool.DO AHEAD:Can be made 1 week ahead.Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature or rewarm over low heat before using.
For cake:
Step 2
Preheat oven to 350°F. Sift powdered sugar, flour, and salt 3 times. Place in medium bowl.
Step 3
Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl until foamy. Add cream of tartar; beat until whites are opaque and soft peaks form. Gradually add superfine sugar, beating until whites are thick and shiny and fluffy peaks form (peaks should droop over gently; do not overbeat). Add orange peel and vanilla; beat just until blended. Sift 1/4 of flour mixture over whites. Using large rubber spatula, gently fold flour mixture into whites. Repeat with remaining flour mixture in 3 more additions. Transfer batter to ungreased 10-inch-diameter angel food cake pan with removable bottom and 4-inch-high sides (do not use nonstick pan); smooth top.
Step 4
Bake cake until golden and springy to touch, about 50 minutes. Immediately invert pan onto work surface if pan has feet, or invert center tube of pan onto neck of bottle or funnel. Cool cake completely.
Step 5
Gently tap bottom edge of pan on work surface while rotating pan until cake loosens. Transfer to platter. DO AHEAD:Can be made 8 hours ahead.Cover with cake dome; let stand at room temperature.
For compote:
Step 6
Cut all peel and white pith from oranges. Using small sharp knife and working over bowl to catch juices, cut between membranes to release orange segments into bowl. Squeeze remaining juice from membranes into bowl. If orange segments are large, cut each in half or thirds. Cut passion fruits in half; scoop out pulp and add to orange segments. Add remaining fruits, sugar, mint, and pinch of salt. Toss gently to combine. DO HEAD:an be made 2 hours ahead.Cover and chill.
Step 7
Slice cake; transfer to plates. Spoon compote alongside; top with caramel.
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Reviews (19)
Back to TopI loved the cake with the fruit compote. The sauce was good but seemed very sweet to me. The cake was good with or without it. I would definitely make it again.
jacksrbetter55
6/19/2013
No.
Anonymous
8/8/2012
I made this for a dinner club and it was delicious. Included everything in the recipe for the sauce (which had just the right bite) and the cake. Instead of the compote I served it with stawberries. Outstanding!
Anonymous
Studio City, CA
3/20/2012
Please make this recipe exactly as you read it. It's NOT a pain to remove the membrane from the blood oranges and a blood orange is AMAZING. This dessert is light, fresh and wonderful as it is written. It's so special for people with cholesterol or heart issues and absolutely delicious. I'm a foodie at heart and am contemplating making this dessert or the Meyer Lemon Budino, which is also fabulous for a chef friend. I must end the meal with something fabulous. If that's my dilemma, you KNOW you're in for a treat. Do NOT skip the caramel sauce and don't let anyone else lick the spoon!
jkamens
Charlotte, NC
3/17/2012
This was my first Angel Food cake. I followed the directions exactly and it turned out perfectly. I am very proud of myself!!!! My guests liked the orange in it. I didn't have time to prepare the caramel sauce, but I did make the fruit compote and it was delicious with the cake. The desert is light. There's nothing heavy about it. This recipe is excellent as it enabled me to make a perfect cake my first time.
Anonymous
Madison, WI
2/6/2012
My go to recipe for angel food cake...make it almost every two weeks during the the height of strawberry season. never made the caramel sauce with it fresh cream and strawberries are enough for me.
Anonymous
Lodi, CA
4/23/2011
我做了这个,-橙色果盘一个聚会and it was a HUGE success. I am making it again today for my son's birthday. This recipe is a keeper. The caramel cardamom sauce is sublime. The cake is moist and light. The only angel food cake I'll ever make.
lorieloeb
Vermont
3/22/2011
I love this cake and it has become one of my favorites . The cake itself is light, tender and infused with subtle orange flavor. Don't skip the caramel sauce - it is perfect with the cake. I substituted 5-spice powder for the cardamon once and now I always use it. As for the compote, I have never found fresh passion fruit, even in San Francisco. No matter, fresh pineapple, orange, mango, kiwis & mint make a great compote. If I could give it five forks, I would.
webjefa
San Francisco
12/27/2010
让母亲节这个蛋糕。美妙的蛋糕。Reduced cooking temp. to 40 mins. Did not measure the orange peel. Just grated the whole orange - it was delicious and a nice orange flavour. The cardamon in the carmel sauce was wonderful. Like a fine wine - you could taste the cardamon at the begining and the end was the buttery-carmel flavour. Yum! Made the fruit compote with Pineapple, two kwiw's, two mangos and 3 oranges. Very nice!
joevans
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
5/10/2010
Seems like a great recipe although I don't know exactly what went wrong. I followed the recipe w/o the chocolate sauce.. I cooked it at 350 for 50 minutes and it seemed like it needed more time at least in my oven. The flavor is great, I'll have to give it another try.
catarina11
4/7/2010
I only made the cake but found it to be very tasty-followed the advice to have the egg whites at room temp which really helps. I served with traditional strawberries and cream
RDunn2
Ft. Lauderdale
2/26/2010
One thing to remember: the egg whites should be room temperature before you start. And you've got to be very careful about folding in the flour at the end, to keep that volume up. Otherwise, it turns into a lead zepplin.
Jenji1161
10/9/2009
I followed the suggestion of one of the other reviewers and added 1/2 tsp of orange extract. I didn't bother making the caramel sauce or fruit compote and the cake was a huge hit. I would make this again.
Anonymous
Danville, MA
7/26/2009
We made this yesterday and almost finished it between 6 people. I used pre-packaged egg whites, and added 1 tsp orange extract and 1/2 tsp extra grated orange peel to the batter. I used all leftover orange zest in the compote. Since neither kiwi or passion fruit are my favorite, we used a combo of mango, nectarine, peach, strawberry, orange, and red plum for the compote. We had LOTS of compote left, which tasted amazing on waffles this morning. ;) My caramel didn't thicken or turn very dark, but was delicious regardless. Altogether, the combination was a little rich, but went over very well. I think I'll hold off on some of the extra orange next time. All three components were tasty alone or in combo.
saphirrus
Dallas
7/5/2009
this was so perfect! The directions were right on. the texture was just divine! it was not spongy, but was so gentle, light, soft, not too sweet, like a taste of heaven. I followed the recipe exact and could not taste the orange peel much so I suggeest if you are wanting it try 1/2-1 tsp. of orange extract for a more orange flavor. Carmel sauce was a gereat touch too.
sabinanm
Tucson, AZ
5/12/2009
