Traditional Sponge Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Let eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Sift flour and salt; set aside. , In a large bowl, beat yolks until slightly thickened. Gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating until thick and lemon-colored. Blend in water and vanilla. Add dry ingredients to yolk mixture; mix well. , In another bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Fold a fourth of egg whites into the batter, then fold in remaining whites., Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake on the lowest oven rack until cake springs back when lightly touched, 55-60 minutes. Immediately invert the pan; cool completely. , Run a knife around side and center tube of pan. Remove cake to a serving plate. If desired, serve with ice cream topping.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 7-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper.
• Sift self-rising flour into a bowl; add sugar, margarine, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Crack in eggs. Beat with a wooden spoon or an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Divide batter between the cake pans; smooth the tops with the back of a spoon.
• Bake in the preheated oven until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• Sift confectioners' sugar into a bowl; add butter and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat with an electric mixer until frosting is light and fluffy.
• Spread raspberry jam over 1 cake layer. Cover jam with frosting. Place second cake layer on top.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Grease and line a 7-inch (18 cm) round cake pan with parchment paper.
• Whisk eggs very well in a bowl. Place bowl in a larger bowl partially filled with warm water to make a warm water bath. Continue to whisk eggs. Add sugar a little at a time, whisking all the while.
• When the egg mixture is a light yellow color, sift the flour and add it to the eggs along with the baking soda (if using) and mix in lightly.
• Warm the milk in the microwave; add butter and stir until melted. Add milk mixture and vanilla (if using) to egg mixture and stir in gently.
• Pour batter into prepared pan and bake at 350° F for 25-35 minutes (cake should be springy in center when gently pressed with fingers).
• Remove cake from pan and cool on wire rack.
• When cake is cool, slice in half horizontally to make 2 layers.
• In a large bowl, whip cream and sugar together until fairly stiff. Divide whipped cream into two portions; set one half aside.
• To remaining half of whipped cream, add chopped fruit as desired. Spread fruited whipped cream over the bottom half of the cake. Top with upper half, and spread whipped cream over top, and sides of cake if desired (or leave them uncovered if preferred). Garnish top with additional fresh fruit and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to gas mark 4, 180°C, 350°F then mix the sugar and margarine together until creamy.
• Beat the eggs then add one at a time, stirring until it is runny.
• At this point you could add flavour if you wanted.
• Sieve the flour into the bowl, then mix altogether until all the flour is gone.
• Grease the tins with margarine and then divide equally between two tins, and bake for 25 minutes.
• Take them out and put on a cooling tray for 10 minutes.
• Cut out both sides, and put them together like a sandwich.
• Oh, and be sure to add jam or something delicious between the two cake halves.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line the base and sides of two 20cm sandwich tins.
• Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl with an electric whisk for 8-10 mins, or until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt, and fold in using a large metal spoon. Add just enough of the milk to create a dropping consistency.
• Divide the batter between the prepared tins and smooth the tops with a spatula. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 25-30 mins, or until golden and firm to the touch. Leave to cool slightly in the tins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the macerated berries. Mix the sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and mint together until the sugar has dissolved. Gently stir in the strawberries and raspberries until coated in the mixture. Transfer to the fridge and chill for 30-45 mins until softened.
• To make the crème diplomat, put the custard, vanilla pod and sugar in a pan set over a medium heat and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. Mix the custard powder with 3 tbsp water to dilute and stir until smooth. Whisk into the boiling custard, then reduce the heat to a simmer and continue whisking for 2-3 mins until thick. Put in a heatproof bowl and leave to cool slightly, then chill until cooled completely. Whisk the double cream to soft peaks, and when the custard is cool, remove the vanilla pod and whisk in the cream until the mix is thick enough to pipe.
• Drain the macerated berries, reserving the liquid. To assemble, spread half the crème diplomat over one of the sponges, then top with three-quarters of the berries. Invert the second sponge on top, so the flat base of the sponge is facing up, and dust with some icing sugar. Put the remaining crème diplomat in a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe rosettes around the edge of the cake. Dot the rest of the berries between the rosettes of cream, and serve with the reserved macerating liquid alongside - don't pour it over before serving as it will split the crème diplomat. Will keep in the fridge for up to three days.