Fluffy Sponge Cake

 

by Meredith Chilson

It’s a blustery day here in Western New York, one of the first for this year, really. It’s just the sort of day that I like to dig out my very old Betty Crocker’s Cook Book and whip up some magic in my kitchen. My chicken girls are finally beginning to lay eggs again—not enough to share with my neighbors and friends just yet, but a few more than my family needs. So, I have a pot of soup on the back burner, a thought of cornbread to go with it, and the recipe for “Fluffy Sponge Cake” in front of me.

Sponge cake is a yummy way to make use of a few extra eggs. It’s been a while since I made one, and I’m not sure how easy it’s going to be to take photos as I go along, but … here we go.

The ingredients:

1 ½ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
6 egg yolks
6 egg whites
1 ½ cups sugar
1/3 cup cold water

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon lemon flavoring
½ teaspoon cream of tartar

Betty’s recipe also calls for 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind, if desired, but I didn’t add it.

First, heat your oven to 325 degrees. Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

Separate the egg yolks and whites. (Have you noticed that with very fresh eggs, this is sometimes difficult?)

Beat the egg yolks in a small mixer bowl until they are very thick and lemon-colored.

Pour the beaten yolks into a large bowl and beat in the sugar gradually.

Beat the dry ingredients in slowly, on low speed, alternately with the water and flavorings.

In another large bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff. Gradually and gently fold the egg yolk mixture into the beaten whites.

Pour all this carefully into an ungreased tube pan, and bake about an hour.

Turn the pan upside down with the tube over the neck of a funnel or bottle, cool. Remove from the pan and be ready for appreciative murmurs.

My family likes this sponge cake just plain, with maybe a glass of milk ... but it's also great with a fruit sauce, using berries frozen last summer!