Sponge cake is a feather light dessert that is traditionally served during Passover. Like angel food cake, sponge cake depends on whipped egg whites for leavening and for its airy texture. The addition of beaten egg yolks adds richness to the cake that isn't present in angel food. In addition, egg yolks help to keep the cake moist.
Sponge cake needs no icing, but it can serve as the base for several different toppings. Among the favorites are flavored whipped cream, lemon curd and fresh strawberries, blueberries or raspberries.
For those of you who miss the Hostess Twinkie ©, use this sponge cake recipe and Twinkie whipped filling to make a Twinkie-like dessert. First, bake the sponge cake in a traditional tube pan. When the cake is cool, slice in half horizontally. Use a sharp knife and cut a shallow tunnel into the bottom layer. Fill the tunnel with the Twinkie whipped filling, and replace the top of the cake.
Of course, you can just slather a slice of the cake with the whipped filling and enjoy it that way too.
Sponge Cake
1 c. all purpose flour
1 1/3 c. sugar, separated
5 eggs, separated*
3 tbsp water
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
* To make this recipe easily, use powdered egg yolks and powdered egg whites. The powdered products combined with water are the equivalent of fresh large eggs. This eliminates the need to separate eggs and because of the product's purity, your meringue will whip higher as well.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a standard tube pan or angel food pan with nonstick baking spray.
Place 5 egg whites, cream of tartar and salt in a large mixing bowl. Using the wire whip blade on a stand mixer, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add 2/3 c. sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until all sugar is incorporated into the egg white mixture and volume is doubled. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine 5 egg yolks, 2/3 c sugar, water, lemon peel and vanilla. Beat with the flat blade of a stand mixer at medium speed until yolks are thick and lemon colored. Reduce speed and add flour. Beat until mixture becomes a thick batter.
Using a rubber spatula, gently push beaten egg whites into bowl with egg yolk mixture. Fold egg whites into the yolks until the whites are incorporated into the batter. Pour into the prepared tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 - 45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Remove cake from the pan immediately after it is out of the oven, and cool inverted on a rack.
Twinkie © Cream Filling
1/2 cup marshmallow creme
4 tbsp. butter (no substitutions), or 2 tbsp. butter and 2 tbsp. coconut oil
3/4 c. confectioners sugar (or a combination of confectioners sugar and corn starch)
Using the whip attachment of your stand mixer, whip together the marshmallow creme and butter. Add confectioner's sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until mixture is smooth and spreadable.
The combination of confectioners sugar and corn starch helps cut the intense sweetness of the filling.
For the purist, you can purchase what is called a "twinkle pan" that allows you to bake the sponge cake in the shape of the classic Hostess dessert. Then use a pastry bag and an injector tip (long and tubular) to fill your ersatz Twinkies © with the cream filling.
