Chocolate Sponge Cake
Source: Maida Heatter's Cakes (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2011 ed.), pg. 71.
The directions for this cake were so odd that I found myself doing a double-take and re-reading them over and over. Apparently though (unless there were typos in the book), they are correct - the long beating time for the eggs, using a wet pan, and adding the sugar only one tablespoon at a time - very odd. I am still not sure if I did it all correctly - the cake did not rise up in the pan as much as she said it would (almost to the rim) but the taste was wonderful. It is very light, as a sponge cake should be, and has a very mellow chocolate flavor. We ate it with strawberries. Delicious!
3/4 cup sifted cake flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. powdered instant coffee or expresso
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
6 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
Preheat the oven to 325. Place a 10x4 inch angel-food tube pan (the kind with a loose rim) in the sink (for later).
Sift together the flour, salt, cinnamon, expresso (or coffee powder) and cocoa. Resift it six more times. |
Beat the eggs with the vanilla at high speed until the eggs rise to the top of the bowl. |
Transfer the eggs to a mixer bowl and whisk at high speed for about 12-15 minutes until the eggs have thickened. |
Still whisking, add the sugar one tablespoon at a time (this will take about 3 minutes). |
Lower the speed of the mixer and add the sifted cocoa mixture, one tablespoon at a time. Do not beat longer than necessary or you will deflate the eggs. |
Run cold water into the cake pan, then pour it out, leaving the pan wet. |
Pour in the batter. |
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until the top springs back when lightly pressed. |
After the cake comes out of the oven, turn it upside down on a wire rack and let it cool completely. Use a sharp knife to cut around the edges of the pan to remove it. |