Sponge Layer Cake Recipes

BASIC SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325.
• Grease only the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan and cover with a circle of parchment paper. Do not grease the sides of the pan.
• In a large bowl, beat egg yolks until light, gradually adding in the sugar. Add in vanilla and lemon and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy, about 1 minute at high speed, then beat in the salt and cream of tartar. Continue beating until the eggs reach soft peaks. Fold egg whites, working in 3 or 4 batches, into the yolk mixture.
• Sift the flour over the egg mixture, again working in 3 or 4 batches, and gently fold it inches When the batter is uniform, pour into prepared cake pan and bake unil a tester comes out dry and the top of the cake springs back when gently pressed, about 35-45 minutes.
• Allow cake to cool in the pan before cutting around the sides with a sharp knife and turning it out.
• Slice the cake into 2 or 3 layers (or squares) and fill as desired.

SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 325 degrees. If making a roulade, brush the bottom of a 10-by-15-inch jelly roll pan with a light coating of oil. Do not brush the sides, as the cake needs to be able to cling to the pan as it rises. Line only the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment paper, smoothing to eliminate air bubbles. If baking in a 9-inch springform pan, leave the pan ungreased and unlined.
• In a wide, medium bowl, combine the egg whites, 1/4 cup sugar, the kosher salt and cream of tartar. Beat the mixture with a hand mixer fitted with the beaters on medium-low speed until the mixture looks frothy, then start to slowly increase the speed to medium-high. Continue to beat the egg whites until you have a dense, voluminous, glossy foam that forms stiff peaks, about 4 minutes. When you lift the beaters out of the bowl, the egg whites should come to a straight point that doesn't droop. Don't beat beyond this point, or the whites will become dry and lumpy. Set the bowl aside.
• In a separate wide bowl, combine the egg yolks and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Beat with the hand mixer (no need to wash it after you beat the egg whites) on medium-high until the mixture is very pale and fluffy and forms a slowly dissolving ribbon as it falls off the beaters back into the bowl, about 4 minutes. Slowly stream in the 1/4 cup oil, beating constantly to ensure it emulsifies into the yolk mixture, until you have a smooth, light mixture that looks like mayonnaise.
• Reduce the mixer to the lowest speed, add half of the flour and mix just until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon water, mix until incorporated, then add the remaining flour and mix just until it disappears. The mixture will have thickened and look a bit like cake batter.
• Fold the yolk mixture once or twice with a large flexible spatula to make sure it's evenly mixed, then scrape about a third of the egg white mixture into the yolk mixture and thoroughly fold in the whites until the mixture is loosened. Working more gently, fold in half of the remaining egg whites until only a few streaks remain. Fold in the remaining whites, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl, until you have a light, smooth, evenly mixed batter.
• Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth into an even layer. Firmly rap the pan on the surface once or twice to pop any large air bubbles. Bake the cake until it's golden brown, firm and springy to the touch across the entire surface, 25 to 30 minutes for a jelly roll and 30 to 35 minutes for a 9-inch cake. Remove the cake from the oven and immediately invert the pan onto a wire rack. Let the cake cool completely upside down to prevent it from collapsing.
• Reinvert the cooled pan and cut along the sides with a small offset spatula or paring knife to loosen the cake. It will sink a bit, which is normal. If making a jelly roll, turn the sponge out onto the wire rack and peel off the parchment. If making a 9-inch cake, remove the ring of the springform pan, invert the cake onto the rack, and carefully peel off the bottom of the pan (it should come away cleanly, leaving behind just a thin film).
• Use the sponge as desired. The unfilled sponge cake will keep at room temperature, tightly wrapped, for several days, but will become sticky after the first day.

LAYERED ORANGE SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325°. Sift flour twice., In another large bowl, beat egg yolks until slightly thickened. Gradually add 2/3 cup sugar, beating on high speed until thick and lemon-colored. Beat in orange juice and orange zest. Fold in flour., Add salt and cream of tartar to egg whites; with clean beaters, beat on medium until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 2/3 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high after each addition until sugar is dissolved. Continue beating until soft glossy peaks form. Fold a fourth of the egg whites into batter, then fold in remaining whites., Gently transfer to an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Bake on lowest oven rack 45-55 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert pan; cool cake in pan, about 1-1/2 hours., Meanwhile, in a large heavy saucepan, mix sugar and flour. Whisk in orange juice and orange zest. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat., In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of hot mixture into eggs; return all to pan, whisking constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes. Immediately transfer to a clean bowl. Cool 30 minutes. Press plastic wrap onto surface of orange mixture; refrigerate until cold., In a large bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form; fold into orange mixture. Run a knife around sides and center tube of pan. Remove cake to a serving plate. Using a long serrated knife, cut cake horizontally into 3 layers. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with pecans. Refrigerate until serving.