Pan Di Spagna Italian Sponge Cake Recipes

ITALIAN SPONGE CAKE / PAN DI SPAGNA

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 320F (160C) Grease and flour an 8 inch (20 cm) cake pan (springform if you have one).
• In a medium bowl sift together the flour and corn starch. Set aside.
• In a large bowl or stand up mixer add the eggs and sugar and beat for 15 minutes, add the vanilla and beat another 2 minutes.
• Gently fold half the sifted flour into the beaten eggs and combine, then add the remaining flour and gently fold until smooth and completely combined. Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake for 30-35 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes then move to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

PAN DI SPAGNA (ITALIAN SPONGE CAKE )

Steps:

• Place egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until lemon colored.
• Add vanilla and lemon rind (if using it).
• Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry and then fold into the egg yolk mixture.
• Sift the flour in a separate bowl and slowly incorporate it into the egg mixture with a mixing spoon.
• Butter and flour a 18inch square (or a 9 x 13 x 3, or a 11 x 17 x 2inch half-sheet) cake pan**.
• Pour cake batter into prepared pan and bake at 375°F for 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Remove cake from oven and turn out (of pan) onto a cake rack to cool.
• When completely cool, cake may be sliced horizontally to form 2 or 3 thin layers.
• Cake can be tightly wrapped and frozen (up to 3 weeks) for future use.
• **Please check your oven size, to make sure pan will fit properly.

SPONGE CAKE (PAN DI SPAGNA)

Steps:

• Butter and line with parchment paper a 9-or 10-inch round cake pan that is 2 inches deep.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the yolks with the vanilla. Whisk in half the sugar and continue to beat until very light and frothy, about 5 minutes, either by hand, with a hand mixer set at medium speed, or in a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the whip.
• Combine the flour and cornstarch and sift once to aerate.
• In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt until they hold a very soft peak, either by hand, with a hand mixer set at medium speed, or in a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the whip. Beating faster, add the remaining sugar in a very slow stream, beating until the egg whites hold a firm peak.
• Fold the yolk mixture into the whites with a rubber spatula. Sift the flour and cornstarch over the eggs in 3 additions, folding them in gradually. Do not overmix the batter.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, until it is well risen and feels firm when pressed gently with the palm of your hand.
• Immediately loosen the layer from the side of the pan with a small knife or spatula. Invert the layer onto a rack and leave the paper stuck to it. Turn the layer right side up and cool it on a rack.
• Unless you are going to use the layer within a few hours, double-wrap tightly in plastic and keep in the refrigerator up to 5 days, or freeze.

ITALIAN SPONGE CAKE | PAN DI SPAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 170°C (338 F). Then sift together the flour and the potato starch in a bowl. Mix them well and set aside.
• Place the eggs and sugar in a planetary mixer. If you want to flavor the sponge cake, now add 3-4 drops of vanilla essence or the grated rind of 1/2 lemon. This is optional, dependig on the recipe you are going to make with the sponge cake.
• Whip at moderate speed. If you have an electric mixer graduated from 1 to 10, the correct speed is 6. Beat the eggs with the sugar for 15/20 minutes until the mixture has become light and fluffy and has doubled its volume.
• When the eggs and sugar are ready, puffy and frothy, turn off the mixer. Take the sifted flours and add them a little at a time to the cream of eggs and sugar. Mix RIGOROUSLY BY HAND and slowly making movements from the bottom up, so as not to disassemble the mixture.
• As soon as the flours are completely amalgamated to the cream, set aside and carefully cover your springform cake pan with baking paper. Pour the mixture into the cake pan and finally use a spatula to level the surface. DO NOT BEAT THE CAKE PAN on a surface to level it, otherwise it will disassemble.
• Bake the Pan di Spagna in a preheated oven at 170°(338 F) for about 50 minutes. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN FOR THE FIRST 40 MINUTES! Then you can check the cooking with a toothpick. Stick with a toothpick the center of the sponge cake: if it comes out dry it means that it's cooked. Once cooked, remove the sponge cake from the oven. Leave it in the cake pan for about 15 minutes before unmolding. Then let the sponge cake cool completely before using it for your recipes.

ITALIAN SPONGE CAKE (PAN DI SPAGNA)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly butter and flour one or two 9- or 10-inch (23- to 25-centimeter) springform cake pans.
• Combine the whole eggs and sugar in a stand mixer and beat on high speed for 15 minutes, until the mixture quadruples in volume.
• Add the egg yolks and beat on high speed for 5 minutes. The mixture should be thick enough to write with. Sift the flour and potato starch gradually into the egg-sugar mixture, incorporating a little at a time, mixing each inclusion of flour delicately with a spatula, scooping from the bottom up, so you do not deflate the eggs. Mix in the vanilla and lemon zest until just blended, then divide the batter between the prepared pans.
• Bake for about 30 minutes, until light golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Do not overbake. It will dry and set as it cools.
• Turn out onto a wire rack and let cool to room temperature.