Sponge Cake
A classic sponge with no baking powder. The lightness comes from beaten eggs.
Ingredients
- Yolks 6 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Grated rind one-half lemon
- Whites 6 eggs
- 1 cup flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Steps
Step 1. Beat yolks until thick and lemon-colored, add sugar gradually, and continue beating, using Dover egg-beater.
Step 2. Add lemon juice, rind, and whites of eggs beaten until stiff and dry.
Step 3. When whites are partially mixed with yolks, remove beater, and carefully cut and fold in flour mixed and sifted with salt.
Step 4. Bake one hour in a slow oven, in an angel cake pan or deep narrow pan.
Where this recipe comes from
The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book by Fannie Merritt Farmer, Little, Brown, and Company, 1910. License: Public domain. No one owns a copyright in it, so it's free to use. The wording is the original, with typos fixed, a few steps split, and references to recipes that aren't shown here left out. View the original (opens in a new tab)
These recipes were written in 1910, when ovens had no dials. A slow oven is roughly 250 to 325°F (120 to 165°C), a moderate oven roughly 350 to 375°F (175 to 190°C), and a hot oven roughly 400 to 450°F (200 to 230°C). Old advice on eggs and meat can differ from today's food-safety guidance, so cook until done.