Sift flour, baking powder and baking soda onto wax paper or a large bowl. Preheat oven to 350 F. Beat egg whites in a small bowl with an electric mixer until stiff but not dry. Set aside.

Beat butter, 1 cup of the sugar and egg yolks in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add flour mixture alternately with sour cream, starting and ending with flour. Stir in orange rind and cup chopped walnuts (or pecans). Fold in the beaten egg whites. Spoon batter into a greased 9-inch tube pan. Bake in preheated oven (350 F) for 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in top comes out clean.

Combine orange juice and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan. Heat, stirring constantly, over low heat just until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the orange essence. Spoon mixture over hot cake. Sprinkle with 2 table-spoons nuts. Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes; loosen around the edge of the pan with a knife and turn out onto wire rack. Cool completely.

Reduce baking time by 10 minutes and check for doneness. If you don't want a very "soggy" cake, use a little less orange juice than called for.

From the 'REcipeinternet: Recipes from Around the World' recipe list.