Sponge Cake

From The Complete Cook by Pat Jester (1985).  One of my favorite cookbooks. – Jeanne

Ingredients

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• 6 egg whites
• ½ cup sugar
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup water
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°.  In a small bowl, combine flour and baking powder; set aside.  In a 3-quart mixer bowl, beat egg whites at high speed of mixer 1 to 1½ minutes or until soft peaks form.  Scrape sides of bowl constantly.  Gradually add ½ cup sugar, beat at high speed of mixer 1 to 1½ minutes or until stiff peaks form.  Scrape sides of bowl often.   Set egg-white mixture aside.

In a 1½ quart mixer bowl, beat egg yolks and 1 cup sugar at high speed of mixer for 8 minutes or until very thick and lemon-colored.  Scrape sides of bowl occasionally.  Turn mixer to low speed.  Blend in water and lemon juice at low speed.  Beat in flour mixture at low speed 20 seconds or until smooth.  Gently fold yolk mixture into egg-white mixture, one-third at a time.

Pour batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan.  Do not use non-stick-coated pans.  Spread batter evenly in pan.  Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in center comes out clean.  Invert cake.  Cool in pan, suspended upside-down for 2½ hours.  Do not remove from pan until completely cool.  To loosen, run a sharp knife around edge of pan.  With a wide spatula, wedge cake away from pan.