Cocoa Cream Filled Sponge Cake

CAKE: 7 large eggs -- separate out yolks

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon orange juice

1/3 cup cocoa

1/4 cup cake meal

1/4 cup potato starch

1/2 cup ground almonds

1/2 cup strawberry preserves -- see note

COCOA CREAM: 1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup cocoa -- sift

1 cup whipping cream -- cold

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

OVEN: 325 Ungreased 10-inch tube pan

CAKE: In large mixer bowl, beat egg whites with salt on MEDIUM speed of an electric mixer til soft peaks form. Gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating on HIGH speed til stiff peaks form. Set aside.

In small mixer bowl, beat egg yolks til blended. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Continue beating til thick and lemon colored, about 3 minutes.

Add water and orange juice; blend well. Gradually add egg yolk mixture to egg whites, folding with rubber spatula til blended.

In sieve, place cocoa, cake meal and potato starch. Gradually sift over egg mixture, folding gently til blended. Fold in almonds.

Spoon batter into pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or til cake springs back when touched lightly near center. Immediately invert pan on heatproof funnel or bottle. Cool completely.

Carefully run knife along sides of pan to loosen cake; remove from pan. With long serrated knife, split cake horizontally into thirds. Spread preserves between layers. Garnish with heaping spoonful of COCOA CREAM.

COCOA CREAM: In a small mixer bowl, stir together sugar and cocoa. Sift together. Add whipping cream and vanilla. Beat til slightly stiffened. Makes about 2 cups.