Page 164 - Chocolate Cake Doctor

146 C H O C O L A T E P O U N D C A K E S

carton orange juice as needed to make up
1
the ⁄2 cup. Set the juice aside. (If you R
1
have more than ⁄2 cup juice, save it for
the Cake Mix Doctor says
making the Fresh Orange Drizzle.)
3. Melt the white chocolate in a small
This is a good time to talk about the
saucepan over low heat, stirring con-
tube pans that have dark interiors, as
stantly, 3 to 4 minutes. Or microwave
opposed to shiny silver-colored interiors.
the white chocolate in a small glass Usually they are treated so as to be
bowl on high power for 1 minute, then nonstick. For lighter-colored batters
stir with a small rubber spatula until such as the one I use in the White
smooth. (See Melting White Chocolate, Chocolate Pound Cake, the dark pans
page 92.) Let it cool slightly. spell trouble. (This cake has little chance
of sticking if you prep the pan correctly
4. Place the cake mix, ricotta, oil, eggs,
with oil and flour, anyway.) The darker
egg whites, almond extract, reserved
color causes a concentration of heat on
1 ⁄2 cup orange juice, reserved 2 teaspoons
the edges, and thus the edges of the
orange zest, and the white chocolate in a cake will bake up more browned than if
large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric you had used a shiny pan that reflected
mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the the heat. If all you have is a dark pan, go
machine and scrape down the sides of ahead and use it, but reduce the oven
the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase temperature to 325°F and bake the cake
the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 about 15 minutes more.
minutes more, scraping the sides down
again if needed. The batter should look
thick and well combined. Pour the batter
into the prepared pan, smoothing it out it on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes.
with the rubber spatula. Place the pan in Run a long, sharp knife around the edge
the oven. of the cake and invert it onto a rack, then
invert it onto another rack so the cake is
5. Bake the cake until it springs back
large side up. Allow to cool for 20 minutes
when lightly pressed with your finger and
more.
is just starting to pull away from the
sides of the pan, 38 to 42 minutes. 6. Meanwhile, prepare the Fresh Orange
Remove the pan from the oven and place Drizzle.