Honey Chiffon Cake

Ingredients

• Cake: 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 7 large eggs, separated
• 2/3 cup sugar, divided
• 2/3 cup honey
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 teaspoons orange rind
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2/3 cups cold water
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, grated
• Confectioner's sugar
• Chocolate honey glaze (optional): 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 4 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 tablespoon honey

Method

1. Before you begin: you will need an ungreased 10-inch angel food cake pan with a removable tube insert and feet. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Set aside.
3. Place the egg yolks, 1/3 cup of the sugar and the honey in a large mixing bowl and beat at medium speed for about 2 minutes until light yellow.
4. Add the canola oil and beat for about 1 minute. Beat in the orange rind and the vanilla.
5. Add the dry ingredients in 3 to 4 additions to the egg yolk mixture, alternating with the cold water. Beat at a low speed and only until the ingredients are mixed in — do not overmix.
6. In a separate large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites on medium speed until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form.
7. Add the remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat the egg whites until they are stiff and shiny, but not dry. Make sure not to overbeat.
8. Fold about 1/4 of the beaten egg whites into the egg yolk mixture, then gently fold in the remaining whites in 3 to 4 more additions.
9. Sprinkle the grated chocolate on top of the batter and gently fold in along with the last of the egg whites.
10. Pour the batter into the angel food cake pan and bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
11. Remove from the oven and immediately turn upside down on the pan's feet. Allow to cool to room temperature.
12. When cool, gently free the cake from the sides, bottom and tube center with a knife.
13. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar, or drizzle with the chocolate honey glaze: melt the chocolate, butter and honey together on top of a double boiler, whisking until fully melted, then drizzle on with a squeeze bottle or teaspoon in a back-and-forth motion.