Let Us Eat Cake

There is no crying in football, right? Oh wait, that's baseball. Tissue up, fellow Packer fans!

It is a sad day for the Pack and even sadder for our student employee whose birthday is today. This cake is meant to celebrate her but more likely we'll use it to soak up our tears. Thankfully there is enough sparkling wine in this recipe to perk us up and remind Birthday Girl that there are sweet days ahead although this week we must endure rotten referee calls.

Sparkling Wine Chocolate Almond Chiffon
Have all ingredients at room temp, but separate the eggs as soon as you pull them out of the refrigerator.

Sift together in large mixing bowl:
2 1/4 cup cake flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate (use the "pre-melted" packages, or melt squares and cool before adding to batter)
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Beat on high speed:
6 egg yolks
3/4 cup almond flavored sparkling wine
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract (1/2 teaspoon if using bitter almond)

Combine the flour with the wet mixture and beat on medium speed until uniform. Set aside.

Beat until stiff peaks form:
8 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Stir about 1/3 of the whites into the batter, then fold in the remaining whites. Pour batter into angel food cake pan and bake in preheated 325 degree oven until inserted toothpick comes out clean (1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes). Cool upside down.

In small saucepan simmer until reduced to one cup:
1 1/2 cups almond flavored sparkling wine
3/4 cups sugar

Whisk in 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.

Poke holes in top of cake and pour 1/2 cup of syrup over cake. Let set for 15 minutes. Remove cake from pan and repeat poking/pouring on bottom side of cake.

Frost with 7 minute icing or chocolate ganache.