The sponge cake is a classic Italian pastry, simple and very soft, ideal for breakfast but can also be used as a base for fillings. Originally, it was a humble farmer’s dessert made with eggs, sugar, and flour that contained no fats, a sort of sponge cake that was consumed at breakfast along with a cup of milk or a glass of red wine.
Over time, the recipe was enriched with butter, yolks, and flavors, becoming, along with the Paradise Cake, one of the most loved desserts due to its delicacy.
In the original recipe, the use of yeast is not planned, special attention must be paid to the beating of the eggs and the addition of the dry ingredients (flours) and butter. Today I am sharing a version with a few grams of yeast to achieve a perfect dessert.
Try the other basic recipes:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Low cost
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 8 People
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 284.64 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 39.88 (g) of which sugars 22.11 (g)
- Proteins 4.75 (g)
- Fat 12.82 (g) of which saturated 7.50 (g)of which unsaturated 5.26 (g)
- Fibers 0.32 (g)
- Sodium 70.81 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 70 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup potato starch
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 4 eggs (large – 2 whole eggs)
- 4 egg yolks (about 4 yolks)
- 5.5 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon zest (grated – zest of half a lemon)
- 0.5 tbsp butter
- 0.5 tbsp all-purpose flour
Tools
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Electric whisk
- 1 Scale
- 1 Sieve
- 1 Mold flared for caprese, 9.5 inches in diameter
Steps
The ingredients must be at room temperature.
Cut the butter into cubes, put it in a small bowl, and leave it at room temperature for 1 hour (30 minutes in summer is enough). I soften it in the microwave. Add the grated lemon zest and vanilla to the softened butter. Set aside
Sift together the flour, potato starch, and baking powder.
In a large bowl, pour the whole eggs, add the sugar, and beat them for 7/8 minutes until they triple in volume. While still beating, add the yolks one at a time, you will get a light and very frothy mixture.
Add the sifted flours in three batches, continuing to beat the mixture only for the time needed to incorporate the flours.
With a spatula, gently fold in the softened butter in two additions, mixing everything delicately from top to bottom.
Butter and flour the mold, pour the batter inside, and level it gently.
Bake the cake in a preheated static oven at 350°F for about 30 minutes.
Do the toothpick test to check for doneness. If necessary, cover the surface with a sheet of aluminum foil.
The sponge cake is ready, remove it from the oven, wait ten minutes, and invert it onto a plate. Let it cool completely and dust it with powdered sugar.
Tips
Storage
The sponge cake can be stored at room temperature for 2/3 days, well covered.
It can be frozen whole or in slices.
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