Citrus Sponge Cake

A co-worker brought this into a work luncheon and I begged her for the recipe after tasting it. She drizzled the slices with an orange syrup, but she didn't give me that recipe. I think it could be made by combing 2 tbsp of orange juice with enough powdered sugar to make a drizzable icing.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Yields: 1 cake

Ingredients

• 3  egg yolks
• 1  cup sugar, divided
• 2  teaspoons hot water
• 1⁄2 cup  orange juice, room temp
• 1 1⁄4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3⁄4 teaspoon  grated  orange peel
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  grated lemon peel
• 1 1⁄2 cups cake flour
• 1 1⁄4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 6  egg whites

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Beat egg yolks until slightly thickened.
3. Gradually add 3/4 cup of sugar and hot water to yolks, beating until thick and lemon colored.
4. Blend in orange juice, vanilla, orange and lemon peels.
5. Sift together cake flour, baking powder and salt.
6. Add to wet ingredients.
7. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
8. Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, a tablespoon at a time until stiff peaks form.
9. Fold 1/4 of the egg white mixture into batter until incorporated. Fold in remaining egg whites.
10. Spoon into an ungreased 10 inch tube pan.
11. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until cake springs bake when pressed lightly.
12. Immediately invert pan and cool.