My Nana's Sponge Cake Recipe

I thought I would share this special family recipe.  It brought back a lot of memories when we sat down to eat a slice of this impressive sponge.  I remember my Nana would always have a sponge prepared at all of our family gatherings.  She would ice it with a thin passionfruit flavoured icing.  I have used cream in my recipe because we didn't have any icing sugar.  This recipe is a bit different to all of the other sponge recipes I have seen/tried.  But it does result in a large and very light cake!  If you prefer more dense sponge cake, perhaps go for the classic Victorian sponge.  This one will impress though!!

So, here it is...

What you need

• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 3/4 cup corn flour
• 1 tablespoon custard powder
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 2 x 20cm cake tins (greased and lined on the base)
• Sifter
• 4 bowls (one large, one small and 2 medium)

Topping/Filling:

• 2 x Passionfruit
• Strawberries
• Cream, whipped with a couple of tablespoons of caster sugar 

How to make it

Pre-heat your oven to a moderate heat(180°).  

Combine flour, tartare, bicarb and custard powder and sift at least 3 - 4 times.  

Separate the eggs, placing the yolks in separate small bowl.  Beat the whites and then start adding the sugar slowly, continue beating the whites after you add each spill of sugar until soft peaks form.

Add the yolks to the egg whites and beat until combined.

Fold in dry ingredients.

Pour mixture into the two cake tins (half in each tin).

Cook in oven for 20 - 25 mins.  The cakes will rise quite a bit.

To test whether the cakes are cooked, gently touch the surface and if the cake springs back it is ready.

Set cakes aside to cool and then, after about 15 minutes, turn them out onto a cooling rack.

When assembling the cake, place the first cake on the serving plate with the uneven surface face down.  You might like to fill the cakes with raspberry jam and cream or passionfruit, strawberries and cream.  Whatever you like! I always put the fruit or jam on first and then add cream.  Make sure you don't spread the cream too close to the edge or it will ooze out over the edge too much!  Place the second cake on top of the first.  Top with cream and fruit.  Enjoy!!