WTRE Recipe of the Week: A Citrus-Filled Summer Classic from Decatur County’s Past

As the summer heat starts settling into southeastern Indiana, our thoughts are naturally turning toward backyard barbecues, porch-sitting, and finding the perfect sweet treat to cool us off. This week for WTRE’s Recipe of the Week, we dug deep into our local culinary archives to pull out a vintage, crowd-pleasing dessert that screams summertime: Orange Angel Delight.

Light, airy, and bursting with citrus brightness, this dessert is a masterclass in refreshing, retro comfort food. It layers fluffy slices of angel food cake with an orange gelatin and sherbet fusion, velvety homemade whipped cream, sweet mandarin oranges, and a snow-capped topping of shredded coconut. It’s exactly the kind of dish you want waiting for you in the fridge after an afternoon out in the sun.

From the Pages of Local History: The F.O.R.E. Cookbook

This week’s feature comes straight out of a classic piece of Decatur County history: The F.O.R.E. Cookbook. Prepared right here in Greensburg by Jane Baldwin, the longtime Home Service Advisor for the Decatur County REMC, this booklet stands for “Friends of Rural Electrification.” As noted in the original foreword, the collection represents the favorite recipes of REMC member-owners, directors’ wives, and utility employees. These are the cherished local dishes used for neighborhood energy-demonstrations and community potlucks over the decades—meaning they are tried, tested, and guaranteed to be a hit in your kitchen today!

Orange Angel Delight

• Serves: 10–12
• Prep Time: 20 mins (+ 3–4 hours chill time)
• Perfect For: Summer pitch-ins, block parties, and family dinners.

Ingredients:

• 1 ready-made angel food cake (cut off brown edge)
• 1 (3-ounce) package orange gelatin
• 1 pint orange sherbet
• 2 (11-ounce) cans mandarin oranges
• 1 pint whipping cream (whipped and sweetened with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar)
• 1 (3-1/2 ounce) can coconut

Directions:

1. Prepare the Citrus Base: Mix 1 cup of hot water with the orange gelatin powder in a large bowl. Drain one of your cans of mandarin oranges, and add that juice to the mix as your cold liquid. Next, drop in the full pint of orange sherbet, stirring steadily until completely dissolved. Set it aside to cool, but be careful not to let it set completely.
2. Prep the Cake: While your gelatin mixture is cooling down, slice your prepared angel food cake into thin, 1/4-inch slices. Cover the bottom of a standard 9″ x 13″ x 2″ baking pan evenly with a layer of the cake slices.
3. Layer the “Delight”: Use 1/2 of your cooled gelatin-sherbet mixture to pour over the cake. Next, spread 1/2 of your sweetened, freshly whipped cream across the top, followed by 1 can of mandarin oranges.
4. Repeat: Repeat the entire layering sequence one more time using the remaining cake slices, gelatin mixture, whipped cream, and the second can of oranges.
5. The Finishing Touch: Top the final layer generously with the can of shredded coconut, giving it a beautiful, summery finish.
6. Chill & Serve: Place the pan into the refrigerator and let it chill for 3 to 4 hours before slicing. Serve it straight from the fridge for a refreshing, icy bite!