This is an excellent basic sponge cake. It does not keep well and is thus best baked and eaten on the same day. But it freezes well.
5 extra-large eggs
100g plain flour
50g cornflour
5 extra-large eggs
200g castor sugar (divide into half)
grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
pinch of salt
Filling
250ml whipping cream
75g icing sugar
Topping
40g cocoa powder
100g icing sugar
sufficient boiling water
Method
Preheat oven to 180*C. Lightly grease a 23cm round baking tin or spray with spray and cook.
– Separate eggs. Sift flour and cornflour twice.
– Beat egg whites till stiff but not dry. Gradually beat in half the castor sugar.
– IN a separate bowl, beat egg yolks, lemon rind and juice until fluffy an light,
– Then, gradually beat in remaining sugar. Continue beating until mixture is thick and creamy. Fold egg whites into egg yolk mixture.
– Add flour and fold in gently. Pour into prepared cake tin and bake for 40-50min or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove and leave to rest for 5min and then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool down completely.
To make filling: Beat cream and icing sugar until thick.
Slice cake horizontally . Sandwich cake halves together with cream.
To make topping: Sift together cocoa and icing sugar. Mix with boiling water into a fairly runny glaze. Stand to thicken
*** Watch time when baking this cake. 40-45min may be too much. So check cake after 30-35min.
Variation
Lemon Icing: Mix 15ml of lemon juice with 100g icing sugar and mix until smooth. Soften with fresh cream. Use to decorate cake.
