Classic Sponge Cake with Strawberries and Whipped Cream Frosting

I've baked my share of cakes here.

Okay, so not nearly as much as I wish... but I'm getting there.

Most of the featured cakes here are what's called butter cakes. That means these cakes are generally dense, butter-based (had you guessed as such?), and very common, at least here in the States.

And for good reason- they're really good.

Might I suggest a divine, decadent Devil's Food cake? Or how about the best chocolate cake I've ever eaten? Feeling like a Southern belle? This coconut cake is for you. And this golden vanilla cake will never, ever let you down. I promise.

But today I'm talking about a different kind of cake. I'm talking sponge cake today, something that's prepped very much like the French genoise.

(If you've just said "geno-WHAT??" it's totally okay. I'll get to that. Eventually but definitely.)

The sponge cake is light and delicate and airy and absolutely delectable. It gets some of its sweetness and most of its moistness from the sugar syrup that's brushed on its layers. The sponge cake doesn't have to exclude the butter, but it is nonetheless a lower fat cake. The namesake texture of the cake is from the rise and volume it gets from heavily whipped eggs.

Sponge cakes are also versatile and adaptable to so many different flavor combinations. For this cake, though, I stuck with vanilla layers with fresh strawberries and plain whipped cream frosting.

Total deliciousness. 

The recipe below makes enough for a one 9-inch layer cake. I doubled the recipe to make two 9-inch layers, for a noticeably taller cake. However, because a single layer will have quite a height by itself, you can more than get away with splitting it and filling the middle with a frosting of your choice.

A hand mixer, in my opinion, is a must for this recipe. The sponge cake insists on heavily whipped eggs, yolks and whites whipped separately. You can whisk by hand if you want, but I'm sticking with the machine.

The sponge cake relies on egg yolks beaten until light and thick. That much is easy. But egg whites tend to get tricky, especially for newer bakers.

But that's why you also have me. My obsessive attentiveness to detail works in your favor.

Beating egg whites means you're essentially making a meringue.

So think pavlovas, Parisian macarons, and those little delightful meringue cookies. They owe their amazingness to beaten egg whites and their protein structure/rise.

Egg whites start out translucent-yellow but immediately start to foam once you get to whipping. After about a minute or two you'll see your whisk leaving "trails" on the egg whites. This is good. It means you're close to reaching soft peaks.

Soft egg white peaks look foamy, but they stand just a tiny bit to say hey.

It's shy. Just give it some time. 

Once you pass your soft peak stage, you'll be adding in sugar, little at a time. You're letting the sugar incorporate fully into the egg whites, and as you do, you'll see your meringue get a lil' glossy, a lil' stronger.

Now your beaters are not only leaving trails, but the meringue is starting to really thicken up and bulk up on itself.

This is close to a stiff peak, where, if you lift your beaters, the meringue will stand tall and glossy.

The meringue will have become so soundly structured that it won't fall out even if you tilt the bowl upside down. I tried this, over my own head. I once tried to take a picture of myself like that, and I ended up looking really silly. Obviously.

But anyway, we good with egg whites? Yay!

Before you get crazy with your frosting or fruits or jam or whatever, please please please don't forget to brush on the sugar syrup on the cake layers. That syrup gives the cake its moisture and flavor. All the egg yolk and egg white whipping is paying off here; the porous texture of the cake is meant to complement the crazy syrup takeover.

It's an extra step, but a necessary step. 

Thanks. Y'all are mighty cute.

...and that's what was left of the cake. I love the fat piece of strawberry that's sneaking out from the middle. LOVE that strawberry.

You're probably wondering where the whipped cream frosting tutorial is. No worries, that's coming up on my next post. I'm holding your hand through that, too...just in case you don't know how to make whipped cream. Which is TOTALLY FINE by the way. You're not weird.


Classic Sponge Cake

*makes one 9-inch cake*

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup cake flour
• 4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven, and preheat to 350 F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan. Line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper cut to fit. Butter the paper and dust the bottom and sides of the pan with flour.
2. Sift the flour onto a sheet of parchment paper or onto a plate. Set aside.
3. In a large, deep bowl, combine the egg yolks and 1/2 cup of the sugar. Using a sturdy wire whisk, beat vigorously until the mixture is light in color and thick, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the vanilla. Set aside.
4. By Mixer: In a large bowl, using a stand mixer with the whip attachment or a hand mixer, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until they form soft peaks and have tripled in volume. Slowly pour in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until the whites are stiff and glossy. You should be able to hold the bowl upside down without the whites falling out. Be careful not to overwhip the whites, or they will be dry.
5. Using a rubber spatula, gently but quickly fold one-third of the beaten egg whites into the yolk-sugar mixture. Fold in one-half of the flour. Fold in another third of the whites, followed by the remaining flour. Finally, fold in the remaining whites until the batter is smooth. Be careful not to overfold, or the eggs will deflate and the batter will lose its volume. Pour the batter into the cake pan.
6. Bake the cake until it springs back when lightly touched with a fingertip or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20-30 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven. Immediately run a small, thin knife around the inside of the pan to loosen the cake, pressing the knife against the pan to avoid gouging the cake. Place a wire rack on top of the cake and invert them together. Carefully lift off the pan and peel off the parchment paper. Turn the cake back over onto another rack and let cool completely. 
7. Use the cake immediately, or wrap well and store at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. 

Vanilla Cake Syrup

*makes enough for one-layer 9-inch cake*

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• Juice of 1/2 lemon, strained
• 2 tsps vanilla extract

Directions:

In a small saucepan over high heat, combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil. As soon as the sugar dissolves, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and vanilla. Let cool before using.
 
Whipped Cream Frosting

*makes about 4 cups*

Ingredients:

• 2 cups heavy cream, cold
• 4 Tbsps confectioners' sugar, or to taste
• 1 Tbsp powdered gelatine, dissolved in 2 Tbsps water and cooled to room temperature
• 2 tsps vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Before starting, make sure your beaters, bowl, and cream are well chilled. (I usually put my beaters and the bowls in the freezer for at least 20 minutes or so.)
2. Prepare one large bowl and fill it with a layer of ice. Place a medium bowl on top and in it, combine all the ingredients and beat with a hand mixer until medium peaks form. Use immediately.

Sponge Cake, Cake Syrup, and Whipped Cream Frosting (slightly adapted) from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Baking