CAKES, PASTRYS AND DESSERTS: Before posting individual recipes in my collection, I am posting the basic techniques in making sponge cakes. Using the basic sponge cakes, many different kinds of cakes can be made.

BASIC YELLOW SPONGE CAKE:

2/3 cup+ 2 tbsp. cake & pastry flour  

1/4-1/2 tsp. baking powder--optional                          

½ cup sugar

7 egg whites + 6 egg yolks

pinch of salt                                                                            

½ tsp. vanilla extract

¼ cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch spring-form cake pan and line it with waxed paper cut to fit.

Sift flour, salt and baking powder--if using--together twice. 

Beat egg whites until foamy, add ¼ cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition and continue beating until stiff.

Beat egg yolks with ¼ cup of the sugar until ribbon form and mixture is light in colour and very thick in consistency. Set aside.

Fold egg yolks into beaten egg whites. Fold in sifted flour, 1/3 of the portion at a time, and mix in gently.  Fold in melted butter and vanilla.  Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 30- 35 minutes or until tested done. Cool on rack until completely cooled.

BASIC CHOCOLATE SPONGE CAKE

2/3 cup cake & pastry flour                            

¼ cup + ¼ cup sugar

2½ tbsp. cocoa powder

½ tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. salt                                                     

6 egg yolks + 7 egg whites                                                      

¼ cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch spring-form pan and line it with waxed paper, cut to fit.

Sift dry ingredients together twice. Beat egg whites until foamy, add ¼ cup sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition and continue beating until stiff.

In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks with ¼ cup sugar until light coloured and very thick. Fold yolks into whites. Sift flour onto egg whites in 3 batches, folding in gently after each addition. Add melted butter and fold in. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into centre comes out clean. Remove from oven, cool on rack for 15 minutes. Invert cake and peel off waxed paper. Allow to cool completely.

                                               

****Just a few pointers: a/ take care in separating the egg whites, if there's traces of yolk in it, it won't beat up nicely. b/ let egg whites sit for an hour or 2 to return to room temperature--too cold, does not beat up well. c/ beat egg whites before egg yolks in order not to contaminate the whites. d/ use egg whites ASAP to not let the air in it deflate. e/ the more air introduced into the sponge, the lighter & spongier it will be, so "folding" in the flour gently in order not to deflate the air is critical. If preferred, adding a little baking powder will help make a fluffier sponge.

Sponge cake, after cooling completely, can be refrigerated for a day or 2 in the fridge, or wrapped up well for freezing (i prefer this), as slightly frozen cake is easier to slice into 3 slices cross-wise.****