Sponge/Genoise cake
This is a soft fluffy sponge cake, also known as genoise cake. It is a soft cake which just melts in your mouth, I can not even begin to tell you how delicious this cake is. I leant how to make this cake from my mother when i was a child. I would help her make it since i was 5 years old and finally made it on my on when i was 12 years old. This cake is perfect soaked with syrup and flavors and any filling you like. I love using whipped cream and fruits as fillings. I have two recipes with this cake already, Citrus delight cake and Strawberry Gateau. They have detailed videos on filing the cake.
Happy Baking!
Servings: 1-6 inch cake
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cooking Time: 30 mins
Ingredients:
Cake:
3 large eggs (150g) at room temperature
75g castor sugar
85g All purpose Flour- twice sifted (very imp)
0.5 tbsp vanilla essence
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Simple sugar syrup:
1.5 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
Cake recipes using this sponge:
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Prepare a cake pan by greasing it. Place a parchment just on the base or flour the pan.
Mix together flour, baking powder and salt and sift it together. Keep aside.
In a stand mixer or electric mixer add eggs and sugar.
Using a whisk attachment start beating it on low speed for about 3-4 mins. It will start getting fluffy and pale.
When it starts getting fluffy add vanilla essence.
Increase the speed to medium & whisk it for 2-4 mins.
Scrape the edges and bottom of the bowl.
Increase speed to high it beat it for 2-3 mins.
The batter should be fluffy and pale and should form ribbons when you lift it.- see video
Add half of the dry ingredients and fold it in. Do not mix it as it will deflate and be dense. Mix till just combined.
Add the remaining dry ingredients and fold it in again. Fold till just combined.
Pour in a prepared pan till 3/4th the way up.
Bake for 20-30 mins at 350F till the cake is baked through. Check with a toothpick if it’s baked through.
Once out of the oven let it cool and then un mould it. Cling wrap it and chill in the fridge for 1 hour or till it cools completely.
Prepare the simple syrup by melting the sugar in the water over a low flame. Once dissolved, turn off the flame and let it cool.
Cut the cake in 2/3 layers.
Layering the cake-
Place a cake layer and soak it generously with simple syrup. It should be damp all over and not dry at all (VERY IMPORTANT).
Layer with frostings and fillings.
Spread a little cream on the base of the second layer and place it over.
Soak the layer of cake and cover it with a thin layer of cream all over.
This is the crumb coat which helps keep the cake moist and crumbs in.
Let it chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours. See my video for layering the cake.
Once the cake is chilled, frost it.
Decorate the cake as you like.
Let it chill in the fridge for at least 4-6 hours. I like to let it sit overnight.
Serve cold. If the cake gets too cold, take it out 30-45 mins before serving. You want the cake cold not chilled or room temp.
Notes/Tips:
Yes you need to weigh these ingredients out and cups measurements will not work. If you use too much flour it can become dense so the best way to prevent it is weighing out the ingredients.
Use room temperature eggs.
Makes sure the dry ingredients are sifted.
Do NOT over mix this batter. You need to gently fold the batter in. See the video for how to do it. Mixing the batter will deflate the batter and it will not be spongy.
Make sure to soak every layer of the cake well so that it is moist and not dry. It will literally melt in your mouth if it is well soaked. Do not over soak it so that falls apart. I like to check by pressing down on the layer and seeing if it oozes a bit of liquid like a sponge.
The cake lasts well in the fridge for 1-2 days. Ideally keep it in an airtight container or it will dry out. Add some whipped cream if it soaks in and dries out.
I have made the cake sponge 2-3 days before and tightly cling wrapped it and kept it in the fridge. Make sure its wrapped well so it does not dry out.
