Mastering the art of sponge cake: Baker’s foolproof tips
A sponge cake is the foundation of layer cakes, as well as many other layered desserts. Are you planning to make such a dessert for Easter? Now's the perfect time to brush up on how to bake the best sponge cake. This method guarantees it will be exceptionally fluffy.
Baking a sponge cake requires precision and knowledge of a few key principles. What can you do to prevent the sponge cake from collapsing? Bakers know best. One of them shared a few of his reliable tricks with me. Thanks to these tips, your sponge cake will always be fluffy and light.
The baker reveals tips for sponge cake
The basic rule is to use ingredients at room temperature. It's best to take the eggs out of the fridge about two hours before baking. It's also important to beat the egg whites in a clean and dry bowl, which will ensure their proper stiffness. Not even a drop of water or fat should get in there, as this would make it very difficult to whip to stiff peaks. If a bit of yolk accidentally gets in, it should be carefully removed. To make the meringue whip faster, it's worth adding a pinch of salt. You should beat it only until it's stiff and doesn't fall out of an inverted bowl. It's better not to prolong this, as it won't benefit the stability of the meringue.
Flour and sugar matter when baking sponge cake
Remember to sift the flour into the egg mixture. This will add lightness to the sponge cake. It's best to use fine cake flour. In many recipes, you can find two types of flour: wheat and potato starch. As for sugar, finely granulated sugar will work well. It should be loose, without the smallest lumps.
During baking, do not open the oven to avoid sudden temperature changes, which can cause the cake to collapse. After baking, it's good to leave the sponge cake in the turned-off oven to cool gradually, which will prevent it from collapsing.
Proven sponge cake recipe
Ingredients:
- 6 large eggs,
- 200 grams of sugar (about 8 ounces),
- 130 grams of flour (about 5 ounces), preferably cake flour,
- 65 grams of potato starch (about 2.5 ounces),
- 1 tablespoon of spirits or vinegar,
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder, optionally,
- a pinch of salt.
Preparation method:
- Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Mix the yolks with alcohol or vinegar and baking powder (if you wish to use it). Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form with sugar and salt. Gradually add the sugar.
- When the egg whites are whipped to stiff peaks like for meringue, add the yolks and mix again. Then gradually add flour and potato starch, mixing on low speed.
- Prepare the baking pan and grease the bottom with butter or line it with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the pan and place it in the oven preheated to 180°C (350°F). Bake for about 35 minutes.
- After baking, allow the sponge cake to cool with the oven door slightly open. You can also use the trick of dropping the sponge cake, which prevents it from collapsing. Immediately after removing the hot sponge cake from the oven, drop it in the pan from a height of about 30 centimetres (12 inches). It should be done straight down.
