Mastering the art of the perfect sponge cake: Tips and tricks

Sponge cake is a classic dessert. It's not only needed for making a birthday cake but also for many layered cakes with creams that impress guests. It appears at family gatherings, special occasions, and even simple coffee meetings with friends. To make it perfectly fluffy and soft, it's important to not only get the ingredients' proportions right but also to set the oven to the correct temperature.

Although a sponge cake seems simple, it is one of the most temperamental cakes. The key to success is the right preparation technique. It's important that all ingredients are at room temperature. Eggs should be taken out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before starting. This allows for better beating of the egg whites, which is crucial for achieving a fluffy cake.

While beating egg whites, it's helpful to add a pinch of salt to achieve stiff peaks. Gradually adding sugar is equally important—do it spoon by spoon until you get a smooth, glossy mass. Once the egg whites are ready, you can gently fold in the yolks and the sifted flour with baking powder. It's important to do this carefully to maintain the structure of the egg whites.

If the temperature is too low, the sponge cake will be flat and heavy, and if too high, it will burn quickly and remain raw inside. Therefore, it's important to choose the right temperature.

A springform pan with the batter is usually placed in the oven preheated to 180 degrees Celsius without convection or to 175 degrees Celsius with convection. The average baking time is between 30 and 40 minutes. It's worth remembering that each oven is different, and the baking time may vary.

Make sure the oven is properly preheated before placing the cake inside. To check if the sponge cake is ready, insert a wooden stick, such as a toothpick. If the stick is dry, the cake is baked.

There are two schools of thought when it comes to baking sponge cake. One suggests that flour, sugar, and eggs are sufficient. The other recommends adding baking powder to the batter to ensure proper aeration and fluffiness. For beginners, the second method is recommended.

Ingredients:

• 7 eggs,
• 1 cup of superfine sugar,
• 1 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour,
• 1/3 cup of potato starch,
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder,
• a pinch of salt.

Method of preparation:

1. Separate the egg whites from the yolks and beat the whites until stiff along with the salt. Gradually add sugar while beating. It should dissolve well in the egg whites.
2. While continuously mixing, add the yolks one by one.
3. In a separate bowl, sift the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and potato starch and mix.
4. Gradually, at low mixer speed, add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture. Mix just until combined.
5. Line the bottom of a 25-centimetre diameter springform pan with parchment paper and pour in the prepared batter.
6. Place in the oven preheated to 180 degrees Celsius for about 35-40 minutes.
7. Remove the baked sponge cake from the oven and set aside to cool.

Instead of a flat cake, you'll get a tall, fluffy cake that just begs to be layered with cream and fruit. Enjoy!