+Purrrrrfect Classic Sponge Cake -(Butter-less & Baking Powder orSoda..;) *Tried & Tested*

Post Title: Perfect Classic Sponge Cake (Butter-less & Baking Powder or Soda..;)

Ever wondered what it would feel like to have a perfect classic sponge cake without any butter at all?? no butter can still be understood, almost everyone on blog-sphere is trying to do the same,...(;P cut down on calories..eh) Ahem let me clarify i plan to do no such thing, so what makes this recipe different from the others..?? just that this one needs none at all, but no baking powder and baking soda and the cake still rises perfectly well and turns out perfectly spongy..?? Nope..!! more to come this one is: *Tried,Tested & Vouched* for I've tried and tested and can vouch for this one as many times as you ask me to..!! And that is a bet..!! 

Is this for Real..?? Well a few years back even i wondered the same when i stumbled upon this recipe from my baking book: Essentials of Baking,by Williams-Sonoma, today it is my bible for baking..!!

Today there are millions of blogs who make zillions of different recipes and blog about them, i'd still say stick to your own instincts....helps you especially in baking...and if your confused just ask a professional or someone really experienced for advice, you will see the difference yourself..!!

Preperation Time: 10-15 minsCooking Time: 20-30 mins
Serves: 1 Six Inch Round Pan

Perfect Classic Sponge Cake:

The original recipe calls for 4 eggs and 3/4 cup each of cake flour* and sugar. But i just increased the eggs to 5 and 1 cup each of flour and sugar, this gave me a higher yield, and also for a nerdy me who is mostly confused between everything i had a simplified ratio to remember 5:1:1. For me its a rule now for baking "The Perfect Classic Sponge Cake", Trust me 'U JUST CAN'T GO WRONG ANYWHERE..I BET!!'

What goes Inside:  

1. Eggs: 5 nos(large, separated @ room temperature).
2. Cake Flour*: 1 Cup(which is 150 gms).
3. Sugar: 1 Cup.
4. Vanilla Essence: 1/2 Teaspoon.

How to put it together:

• Preheat the oven to 350F(180C), Grease the sides of a 6-inch Round cake pan.
• Line the round bottom of the cake pan with baking parchment,cut to fit inside the pan, grease the parchment as well as the sides of the pan,dust with flour, shake and tilt to remove excess flour.
• Sift the flour at least 3  times to incorporate air and set aside.
• In a large deep bowl take the egg yolks,add 1/2 cup sugar and whisk/beat using a wire whisk or hand mixer vigorously until the mixture is light in color and thick say for approx about 5 minutes.whisk in the Vanilla as well and set aside.
• In another big bowl beat the egg white which we had separated earlier, on medium speed until they form soft peaks and have almost doubled or tripled in terms of volume.
• slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar to this and beat until the eggs are stiff and glossy. Tip*: You must be able to hold the bowl upside down without the eggs falling out. but be careful not to over-whip the whites or they may be dry.
• Using a spatula,gently but quickly fold in one-third of the egg whites into the sugar and egg-yolk mixture, Now fold in one half of the flour,next repeat with another one-third of the egg white, followed by the rest of the flour.Finally fold in the rest of the white until the batter is smooth.
• Be careful not to overfold or the batter will loose its volume, as the eggs will deflate.
• Now pour the batter into the readied pan and smoothen the top. Bake until it springs back when lightly touched with a finger tip or do the toothpick test,insert the toothpick in the center if it comes out clean, then its done, Remove the cake from the oven 20-30 mins later.
• Immediately run a small knife inside the pan all round the cake,to loosen the cake and be sure not to press against the cake instead press against the pan while going round with the knife to avoid gouging the cake.
• place a wire rack on top of the cake pan and invert both together, now carefully lift the parchment off the cake in a peeling motion.Turn the cake very slowly back over the wire rack and allow to cool completely.
• you can either use the cake immediately or wrap well and store at room temperature for upto two days, or in the freezer for upto 2 weeks.

*You can make your own cake flour at home it's very very simple:

All Purpose Flour and Cornstarch, to measure how much flour you need for this recipe which is 1 Cup, Take 1 Cup all purpose flour, take out 2 tablespoons of the flour out and put back into your flour bag/box. Now replace these two tablespoons of flour with 2 tablespoons of Cornstarch. Now mix these together well and sift atleast 4-5 times, this will allow the cornstarch to mix well with the flour, the more you sift the lighter and more fluffier your cake will turn out to be. Therefore your 1 Cup Cake Flour is now Ready..;)

Notes:

• Absolutely no need to use Baking powder or soda, the cake will rise PERFECTLY without any of these.
• Remember, when you mix the eggs yolk and white separately or beat them all together there is a difference in the texture, of the baked cakes which varies slightly.
• If you want to make a chocolate sponge instead then just reduce the cake flour to 3/4th cup and add 1/4th cup of cocoa powder(if you want it really chocolatey) and sift them together well, or you may even try taking 2/3rd cup of flour and 2+1/2 tablespoons of cocoa powder(for a normal chocolate sponge) and sift together.
• You can use potato starch instead of corn starch, the cake will be more moist,than  spongy.
• Please be careful while using cornflour and corn starch, they are two completely different things..corn starch is more lighter and kind of airy, more like powdered sugar if i may say so to describe..!!
• This recipe calls for All purpose flour, AND NOT Selfrising flour, self rising flour is a mixture of All purpose flour with Baking powder.