Atomic Cake

Real New Mexico Chile, p. 99

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

Grated zest of 2 large oranges

Grated zest of 1 lemon

2 ½ cups sifted whole-wheat pastry or all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. orange juice concentrate

1 cup nonfat plain yogurt or buttermilk

½ cup chopped, roasted, and peeled green chiles, well drained

1 ½ cups chopped walnuts

Syrup:

2 tbsp. orange juice concentrate

Juice of 1 ½ lemons

1 cup honey

3 Tbsp. rum or tequila

Zesty!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a Bundt pan.

In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar together. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the orange and lemon zests. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Beat in the dry ingredients alternately with the yogurt and juice concentrate. Stir in the chiles and nuts. 

The secret ingredient.

Pour into the prepared Bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes to 1 hour until tests done.

Meanwhile, prepare the syrup by boiling the juices and honey over medium heat in a small saucepan for 3 minutes. Cool and stir in the rum or tequila. 

The OTHER secret ingredient!

When the cake has been out of the oven for 5 minutes, invert onto a plate and slowly spoon the syrup over it. Decorate with slivered candied peppers or orange peel.

I brought this into my Business Communication class for an activity. Here it is in its place of honor.

My Rating: 4/5 "This is quite sweet - the chiles didn't add the kick I expected them to. Instead they mixed incredibly well with the other flavors - the honey, the rum, the zest, it all came together nicely. I used whole-wheat flour and it came out a little dry, but eventually the glaze soaked in and all was well."