Secrets of The “Spongy” Sponge Cake

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 172, 17 April 1937, Page 5 (Supplement)

Secrets of The “Spongy” Sponge Cake

Famous Confection That Never Goes Out of Fashion or Favour

One of the few things on which the Victorian housewife and her modern successor would see eye to eye is the texture of the ever-popular sponge cake.

Time has failed to change the demand for the sponge that is feathery light, pale gold in colour with crisp pale brown crust glistening with its dusting of sugar.

All the vicissitudes that have befallen the sponge cake, from its pallid debut on the railway buffet to its classification as “invalid fare,” have failed to hurt the reputation of the old-fash-ioned home-made variety. The sponge cake is in demand throughout the whole year and on almost every possible social occasion. Recipes that' are always appearing on the subject of the sponge cake th,at is spongy show that the modern housewife, like her grandmother, believes in the zealous whisking of eggs as one secret of success, even though modern cooking equipment has shortened the time for this process. There are endless points of view as to how the agreed result is achieved, so much so that readers speak of “Our Sponge.” Each has her own special methods of making and baking. From Yorkshire Here is an excellent recipe from a Yorkshire village. The mixture is very simple, and is equally successful for cream or jam sandwiches, rolls, flans, or sandwich biscuits. To make them, put two tablespoonfuls of cold water and 12oz loaf sugar into a saucepan and dissolve over gentle heat. While this is being done grease the tins thoroughly with butter, six round tins, or four oblong tins for rolls. Break six eggs into a bowl and beat for a minute or so, adding a pinch of salt. When the sugar is dissolved, pour gently over the eggs, beating all the time. Continue beating for at least 20 minutes, when the mixture should have the consistency of thick cream. Now sift into it Boz. flour and fold it in very carefully. Pour into tins and bake in a fairly hot oven for 20-25 minutes. If a sugary crust is preferred, the tins may be sugared and floured after greasing, and sugar sprinkled over the mixture before placing in the oven. ■ To make into biscuits, drop teaspoonful of the mixture on to a buttered shelf and bake for 10 minutes, afterward sticking two together, with butter icing, chocolate icing, or strawberry butter. Smaller quantities can he made with equal success, but the cakes keep ivel) if stored in tins. When Sugar Is Boiled You will want the whites of 2 eggs, the yolks of 3 eggs, soz. sugar, -ioz. flour, I pint of water. Put sugar into saucepan with the cold water. Bring to the boil and boil hard for S minutes. Cool, then pour syrup on to the well-whisked whites and yolks of eggs. Continue whisking until the mixture thickens (for 15 minutes). Fold in the sifted flour as lightly as possible. Blend thoroughly and pour mixture into the prepared tin. Bake in a quick oven. This is a particularly light sponge. When to Stop Beating Ingredients: Six eggs, their weight in castor sugar, and half their weigh in (lour. Grated rind of half a lemon. First prepare cake tin. Grease well. Mix oue tablcspoonful castor sugar with same amount, of cornflour, put into greased tin, and move round till

tin is well coated. Empty out superfluous sugar and flour and leave tin to warm.

Beat eggs alone for a minute or two, then add castor sugar and place bowl over saucepan of boiling water. Beat till mixture is pale yellow and twice the volume. Remove from stove and add flavouring. Beat a little more, then add sieved warmed flour. Pour into cake tin and bake in slow oveu for one hour. Do not open oven door while cake is being cooked. Leave iu tiu till cool before turning out. This cake will remain fresh for a long time if kept in an airtight tiu. Mixed Over Hot Water Put four whole eggs in a stewpan, ■with the grated peel of one lemon and 6oz. of castor sugar. Whip these together over hot, but not boiling, water; whip till cold and like thick cream. Mix by degrees loz. of fine flour that has been passed through a sieve aud just warmed. Put the mixture into a saute pan: bake in moderate oven. Lemon Juice Added Take six eggs, 9oz. sifted flour, pb. castor sugar, one lemon. Beat eggs and sugar over hot water, then remove and beat till stiff. Add juice of lemon carefully, and the flour. Do not beat after adding flour. Bake in a large tin or in layers. This cake can be iced. Required : lib. icing sugar, rind and juice of two oranges. Put into saucepan. Warm, and pour over. <