Orange cake with orange butter filling, apricot glaze and almonds

Whisk four egg yolks and gradually beat in the sugar until the mix falls off the whisk and sits on the surface a moment before melting in.

Add the strained orange juice, the grated rind of an orange and a pinch of salt; beat until light and fluffy.

Sift the cake flour into the mix and beat it in.

Whip the egg whites with salt to soft peaks, sprinkle in a tablespoon of sugar and continue to stiff peaks.

Fold a quarter of the whites into the batter, then delicately fold in the rest.

Spray a nine-inch cake pan with Baker's Joy, line with parchment and pour the batter in immediately.

Bake on the middle rack at 350F for 30 to 35 minutes, until puffed and browned.

Cool about 10 minutes, then unmold.

For the orange butter filling, combine butter, sugar, egg yolks, eggs, grated rind and orange juice in a saucepan.

Whisk over low heat until it thickens like honey; once the surface bubbles subside a little steam rises. Do not overheat or the yolks scramble.

Add a tablespoon of orange liqueur; cook until it coats the back of a spoon, then take off the heat.

Set the pan in cold water and keep beating a few minutes until cool.

Split the cake horizontally with a serrated knife.

Cut a small vertical wedge in the side of the cake to line the layers back up.

Spread an eighth-inch layer of filling on the lower layer and replace the top, lining up the wedge; refrigerate the leftover filling.

Pass the apricot jam through a strainer into a saucepan, stir in the sugar and cook over moderately high heat a couple of minutes until it coats a spoon with a light film and the last drops fall sticky.

Toast the slivered almonds in the oven at 350 for 10 minutes.

Pulverize the almonds with a tablespoon of sugar, not too finely.

Brush crumbs off the cake and paint the top and sides with the cooled apricot glaze.

Holding the cake over a plate of almonds, press the almonds against the sides with the free hand; move to a cake platter.

Bring the water and sugar to a boil; when the syrup reaches 230, add the orange peel and a touch of vanilla.

Remove from the heat and leave about half an hour until the peel firms; pile the candied peel loosely in the center of the cake.