----------------------------RITA TAULE - BTVC62A----------------------------
3 c All-purpose flour; sifted
1/4 ts Baking soda
6 oz Candied ginger (abt 3/4 cup)
3 1/2 oz Ginger; fresh *
8 oz Butter; unsalted (2 sticks)
2 3/4 c Sugar
6 lg Eggs; separated
1 c Sour cream
Adjust a rack 1/3 up from bottom of oven and preheat oven to 350F.
Butter a 10x4 1/4-inch angel food tube pan (it may be a 1 piece non-stick
pan) with an 18 cup capacity; butter pan even if it has a non-stick finish.
Dust it all over with fine, dry bread crumbs, invert over paper and shake
out excess crumbs and set the pan aside.
Sift together the flour and baking soda and set aside. Cut the candied
ginger into 1/4 to 1/3-inch pieces and set aside. Grate the fresh ginger
and set aside. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter until
soft. Gradually beat in the grated fresh ginger and 2 1/4 cups of the
sugar (reserving the remaining half cup). Then, beat in the egg yolks. On
low speed, gradually add the sifted dry ingredients in two additions,
alternately with the sour cream in one addition. Remove the bowl from the
mixer. Stir in half of the diced, candied ginger (reserve the remainder).
Set aside. In the small bowl of the electric mixer (with clean beaters)
beat the egg whites until they hold a soft shape. Reduce the speed to
moderate and gradually add remaining half cup of sugar. Then increase the
speed again and beat only until the whites hold a peak when the beaters are
withdrawn. In three additions, fold the whites into the batter; with the
first 2 additions, fold only partially, don't be too thorough and with the
last addition, do not fold more than necessary to incorporate the whites.
Turn into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle the reserved
candied ginger on top. Bake for about 1 hour, or, until a cake tester
inserted gently into the cake comes out clean. (The cake will not rise to
the top of the pan). Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes.
(The cake will sink about 1 inch as it cools). Then cover the pan with the
cakeplate and, holding the pan the plate firmly together, turn them over
and remove the pan and let the cake cool. This is a Maida Haetter recipe.
*a piece 3 to 4 inches long and about 1 inch thick
