Chocolate-Orange Cake

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 350u00b0.

2. 2

   To prepare cake, place juice and dates in a blender; process until smooth. Combine juice mixture, cocoa, and 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat; bring to a simmer. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, and place in a large bowl. (Mixture will be thick.)

3. 3

   Beat vinegar and egg whites with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Add 2/3 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff peaks form.

4. 4

   Add egg yolks to cocoa mixture; stir until smooth. Gently stir one-fourth of egg white mixture into egg yolk mixture; gently fold in remaining egg white mixture.

5. 5

   Pour batter into a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350u00b0 for 30 minutes or until firm in center. (Cake will rise over rim of pan and collapse as it cools.)

6. 6

   To prepare candied orange rind, combine 3/4 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar in a small saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Add rind to pan. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Using a fork, remove rind from pan; dredge in remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Let rind stand 30 minutes or until dry. Garnish center of cake with candied rind.

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