Sponge Cake Batter

⏳ Time

1 hour

🥕 Ingredients

🍽️ Servings

Description

The word 'sponge' has several culinary meanings. Its origin is Latin, with a literal translation of sponge meaning 'twice cooked' (bis coctus). In the United Kingdom, sponge referred to a type of sweet bread – airy and springy layers made with a large number of eggs (which is why it is also known as sponge cake). These layers were often filled with jams or creams. Sponge cake was an essential part of the famous English afternoon tea. The recipe for sponge cake does not include (and never has included) butter, allowing it to be stored for a long time without mold, only drying out. Interestingly, in North America, the term 'biscuit' refers to a flat, hard cookie – likely due to English sailors bringing dried biscuits from their homeland. In our country, sponge cake typically refers to the batter used for cakes and pastries. This is the focus of this masterclass. A tried-and-true recipe was shared by John Smith, a pastry chef from a popular bakery and a newly opened burger joint.

Ingredients

Egg white - 9.5 oz
Sugar - 9.5 oz
Whole egg - 6.3 oz
Wheat Flour - 6.5 oz
Corn Starch - 2.5 oz

Step by Step guide

Step 1

Pour the egg whites into the mixing bowl and start beating them on low speed. Once foam begins to form, gradually add the sugar. If you add everything at once, the foam won't be as fluffy. If the sponge cake is to be used for a roll, add an extra 50 grams of sugar.

Step 2

Beat the egg whites and sugar at medium speed for 5–6 minutes, until the volume doubles. During this time, the air will be evenly distributed in the foam, making it fluffy, firm, and homogeneous.

Step 3

Add the egg yolks. You need fewer yolks because they contain fat; if there's too much fat in the batter, it won't rise well. Whisk the yolks with the egg whites and sugar for 15 seconds.

Step 4

Sift the premium flour and corn starch through a sieve. Add them to the egg white mixture.

Step 5

Mix everything by hand with a whisk, moving from the center to the edges gently, so that the mixture does not deflate. The correct consistency of the batter should be creamy.

Step 6

Pour the prepared batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and smooth it out with a spatula. You can place a ring on the baking sheet and pour the batter into it to achieve the desired shape for the cake layer.