Lemon Sponge Cake for Passover

This is a bit of a different kind of sponge cake for Passover . Made in a 9 inch springform pan instead of the usual type of baking pan, either an angel food pan or a tube pan.  This cake is a moist & delicious. Served with fresh berries on top or a fruit compote, it is nice for a Pesach birthday!

There recipe is from a Bon Appetit magazine dated March 1994, called Bert Chasin’s Lemon Sponge Cake with Fruit Compote.  I have made this several times & it is a no fail for me, as opposed to the other sponge cakes that seem to fall a bit sometimes, they can be temperamental! I am not going to put the recipe for the fruit compote here as I have never made it & am not sure how it is. I could not take a picture of this cake with the fruit because I made it for my friend, froze it & gave it to her. So the picture isn’t the best, but the cake is!!

Here is the recipe

Lemon Sponge Cake for Passover

Ingredients

7 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar, divided into 1/2 cup & 3/4 cup

1/4 c fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp grated lemon peel

1 cup cake meal

3/4 tsp salt

Method 

preheat oven to 350f

Line the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. Do not grease the pan

1.Separate the eggs. Putting the whites into a bowl that is big enough for you to beat them to stiff peaks if you are using a hand mixer. Put the yolks into another bowl that is big enough for you to add the beaten whites to in step #6

2. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar while continuing to beat the whites, be careful to add the sugar along the edge of the bowl, otherwise the sugar will go flying all over the place! Continue beating the whites until stiff peaks are formed…when you hold upon the beaters peaks should stay up….

3. Beat the egg yolks & remaining 3/4 cup sugar, lemon juice & lemon peel until it gets thick.

4. Add the salt to the cake meal

5. Beat the cake meal into the egg yolk mixture, mixing well

6. Fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture carefully. Start with adding a couple spoonfuls of the egg whites to soften up the batter. Then add the remaining egg whites & continue to fold them in gently until they are incorporated

7. Gently pour the batter into the prepared springform pan

8.Bake in the preheated oven until done for approx 45 minutes. Test to see if the cake is done with a toothpick and when it comes out clean its done…but don’t open the oven door until you think it is ready..

9. Cool the cake in the pan

10. Use a knife to loosen the cake from the edges of the pan & release the sides.

11. Turn the cake over on a serving dish & peel off the parchment paper. Serve with berries

Enjoy!