Cake:
2 teaspoons butter, softened
2 teaspoons flour
6 eggs, separated
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup cake flour
1/3 cup orange juice
Frosting:
1 cup sweet butter, softened
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
½ pound semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled
3 eggs
Pinch of salt
½ teaspoon vanilla
To make the cake:
Grease each of two 9 inch cake pans with 1 teaspoon of the butter. (The pans should be at least 2 inches deep.) Place 1 teaspoon of the flour in each pan and, tipping and rolling the pan, dust it with the flour. Knock out any excess.
In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar. Gradually, add the sugar and continue to beat until the whites stand in stiff peaks.
In another bowl, beat the egg yolks until they are light and lemon-colored. Mix in the rind and almond extract. Add the flour alternately with the orange juice and beat until they are thoroughly blended.
Gently mix ¼ of the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture to lighten it. Then, fold the egg yolk mixture into the remaining egg whites. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans and bake the cake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 25 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool before removing from the pans.
To make the frosting:
Cream the butter and sugar together until they are soft and fluffy. Add the cooled chocolate, and mix well. Drop in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the salt and vanilla.
When they are cool, remove the cakes from the pans and, with a bread knife, carefully cut each one in half horizontally, so as to end up with four layers. Spread each layer with the frosting, stacking them as you go. Then frost the sides. To set the frosting, refrigerate the cake for 20 minutes before serving.
Yield: One 9 inch, 4 layer cake
