Sponge Cake

It has long been a joke in our family that my mother made sponge cakes that bounced and even the dog would not eat them.  I however had the knack for making a light fluffy sponge.  Last year Mum made a sponge for me just to prove to me that she could! 

Yes Mum had found a fool proof recipe that told her how to get a good sponge every time, learning the small tricks I already knew.  Some of the things I know because I asked a WI lady in England and she kindly shared her secrets with a lonely 17 year old in a caravan park in England.

4 eggs
3/4 cup castor sugar
1/3 cup corn flour
1/3 cup self raising flour
1/3 cup plane flour

Pre heat your oven to 180C.

Stick the four eggs in your mixer with a whisk attachment and turn it on high.  Now for the tips.  Set your timer for 10 minutes and walk away!  This is what it looks like.

Now still with your mixer on high add the sugar a bit at a time.  When you have added all the sugar leave it for 5 more minutes on high while you do the rest.

 

Sift together the flours.  The normal recipes say sift it 2 times,  tip number 2.  Sift it 4 times, easiest way is to use 2 sheets of baking paper.

Sprinkle the sifted flour over the egg mixture, you will do this in four batches.  Tip number 3.  Use a clean dry metal spoon to mix the flour through the eggs in a bottom to top light motion, turning the bowl 90D after each time to mix through.

Place into 2 x 20 cm butter and floured or paper lined spring form tins.  Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and firm.

Allow to cool on rack.