Strawberry Sponge Cake

Any sponge cake brings back memories of my nonna’s kitchen. Every Wednesday we baked. Strawberry Sponge Cake is just as easy and quicker than going to the store to get cake. Sponge cakes are at the heart of every Italian kitchen and we change them with the seasons. I just received some fresh strawberries and they will do nicely in this cake.

Sponge is light and airy. It is a nice way to end a summer meal. Don’t overthink it and keep the cream or icing very light. Today I use whipped cream packages to make an easy icing. Baking has never been my specialty, and I always decorate with simplicity. To make it pretty I finish it off with a few strawberries and their leaves.

I am experimenting a little with the chemistry of baking. Did you know that adding hot water at the end to your batter lightens the cake? Well, I tried it and it works. Once leavened, you create a lighter batter by adding boiling water. I also love almond extract with fruit and added some in. Nonna is smiling I am sure; she knows that her basic sponge lives on in a variety of ways in my kitchen.

Enjoy summer!! Don’t forget to also try https://recipesatmytable.com/special-occasion-sponge-cake/

Ingredients for Cake

4 eggs ( room temperature)
3/4 cups superfine sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp melted butter
2 tbsp boiling water

Icing

1 envelope dream whip
1/2 cup cold milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
strawberries ( sliced)

The Process

Beat the sugar and eggs until frothy.

Sift the flour and baking powder and fold into the egg mixture.

Add in the melted butter and mix. Lastly add the boiling water

Pour into an 8 X 8 well greased pan and into a 320 F oven for 20 minutes.

Let the cake cool. Then slice it in half. I find an easy way to do that is with a piece of dental floss.

For the icing prepare the whipped cream as per directions on the package. I used Dream Whip and to the powder I added 1/4 tsp cream of tartar. The milk was already at the bottom of the bowl with the vanilla. Once the peaks formed, I added the powdered sugar.I spread 1/2 the icing over the cake and placed about 1 cup of sliced strawberries over the icing.