Ana's Passion - Italian Sponge Cake

DESCRIPTION

You can enjoy this light cake on its own but since it is a very sturdy, durable cake it’s ideal as base for many desserts like tiramisu and mimosa.
Its absorbency makes it perfect for desserts that call for cake soaked in syrup or alcohol, since the cake will soak up the flavor without falling apart.
Let's make it together!

INGREDIENTS

5 medium eggs
150g sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
75g flour
75g potato starch
1 pinch of salt

PREPARATION

Step 1
Into a bowl break 5 eggs, add 1/2 tsp of vanilla and pinch of salt. Mix at a medium speed while gradually adding the sugar. The eggs must be beaten for 15-20 minutes or until the mixture turns pale yellow and very fluffy. The most important part of making Pan di Spagna is to beat the eggs and sugar for 15-20 minutes because this is what gives the cake height since there is no baking powder in this recipe.

Step 2
While waiting, sift the powder ingredients together, do this twice. After 15 minutes of mixing, stop the mixer and test the batter, use a spatula to get a little bit of mixture and let it drop, if it remains sitting on the top it means it’s stiff enough and ready. Another way to check its stiffness is if you can write using your batter.

Step 3
Gradually add the sifted powder on the top of the mixture and fold gently from bottom to top. You have to make this step gently to retain the volume.

Step 4
Pour the batter into the pan lined with parchment paper and use the spatula to level the surface. In this step don't slam or bang the pan on the counter to level it.

Step 5
Bake the sponge cake in a preheated oven at 160° in the lowest rack level for about 50 minutes. Avoid opening the oven for the first 40 minutes because this will cause the cake to deflate.

Step 6
Do a toothpick test on the center of the cake, if it comes out clean that means it's ready. Let it cool slightly in the pan for 10-15 minutes then turn it out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

TIPS AND TRICKS

With this Pan di Spagna, you can make a Tiramisu layer cake, base for your customized cake, or the famous Italian Mimosa cake, and many many more.

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