3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk*
1 1/2 cups cake flour or 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided use
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs, separated
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cherry Sauce:
1 (16 or 17-ounces)
can pitted dark or light sweet cherries, drained (reserve
3/4 cup liquid)
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Dash salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated orange peel
Vanilla ice cream for
accompaniment
Heat oven to 350°F
(175°C). Grease and flour 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan.
For Cake: Stir baking
soda into buttermilk in medium bowl until dissolved; set aside.
In a large bowl, stir
together flour, 1 cup sugar, cocoa and salt. Add oil, buttermilk
mixture, egg yolks and vanilla and beat until smooth.
In a small bowl, beat
egg whites until soft peaks form; gradually add remaining 1/2
cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.
Gently fold egg whites
into chocolate batter. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes
or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool
in pan.
For Cherry Sauce: In a
medium saucepan, stir together reserved cherry liquid, sugar,
cornstarch and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly,
until mixture boils, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add
cherries and orange peel.
Serve cake with a scoop
of ice cream and Cherry Sauce spooned over the top.
Makes 12 to 15 servings.
*Or place 1 tablespoon
white vinegar in a measuring cup and add milk to equal 1 cup.
Allow to set for 2 to 3 minutes before using.
