Classic Genoise

I learnt how to ice a cake using a piping bag last week. Today was my first test. As far as the icing goes, I think I did ok.


How could I not bake a cake for her, despite the fact that she didn't want one. This was the easiest recipe in the book and the picture looked so perfect!


I dont remember making this kind of sponge cake before. Whisk together 4 eggs and 2/3 cup of sugar over a double boiler. It said to whisk till 160F/70C. Whisk vigorously as the volume increases and the batter 'is thick enough to fall back on itself like a ribbon when the whisk is lifted' Should take about 5-10 minutes of whisking.


Add 3/4 cup of cake flour that is sifted at least twice. Gently fold it into the sugar and egg mixture so as to not lose the air. Do the same with 60g of melted butter and 1tsp of vanilla. Without wasting too much time (i.e prepare pan and preheat oven first) pour into a greased & papered/greased & floured pan and bake at 180C for half an hour until the top is spongy. Cool, ice and eat.

Note:
1. Be very careful with the eggs on the double boiler, especially if you don't have a thermometer. Excess heating will start to cook the eggs, and the cake will have a slight eggy-ness. Bleah! 
2. Little embarassing, but I didn't know what cake flour was. I added baking powder assuming it was self-raising. Oopps!
3. Icing- same as Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake but added cocoa powder and removed colouring.
4. There are lots of variations to this cake- add nuts, other flavourings, citrus, etc. I substituted the vanilla essence for almond essence. Added that to the icing as well.
4. I did warn everyone that it may not taste as good as it looks. My mum said it was a bit dry. I then read up about the Genoise cake. It is supposed to be dry-ish- read here.
5. Recipe from 'Essentials of Baking'- Williams & Sonoma.


I will try this cake again. Maybe go further and make Tiramisu with it :)