Sweet and creamy, soft and pillowy, fruity and bright—this cake is one of my favorite foods that my grandmother used to make. My husband says that even the Kosher for Passover version is the best sponge cake he’s ever had.
Serves 8 to 12
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour (see note)
- 2 tablespoons potato starch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 10 eggs, separated
- 2 cups sugar, divided
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 4 cups whipped cream (homemade, non-dairy, whatever suits your dietary purposes)
- 2 pounds strawberries, stems trimmed, halved
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 12-by-18-by-1-inch or two 15-by-10-by-1-inch jelly roll pans and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the flour, potato starch, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer and the whisk attachment, combine the egg yolks, 1 cup of the sugar, and the lemon juice and mix on medium speed until combined. Add the flour mixture and mix on medium speed until combined.
Add the egg whites and beat on high speed until the mixture is thickened, pale, and approximately doubled in bulk, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the rest of the sugar and beat on high speed another 3 minutes.
Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake until browned on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 15 to 25 minutes, depending on the pan.
Remove from the oven and gently overturn the cake(s) onto a cooling rack. Let cool thoroughly.
To assemble, if you used a 12-by-18-inch pan, cut the cake in half. If you like, trim the edges of both pieces of cake, then place one piece on a serving platter. Top with half of the whipped cream and half of the strawberries. Add the second piece of cake, the remaining whipped cream, and the remaining strawberries. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
NOTE To make the cake kosher for Passover, substitute Manischewitz cake meal, which is finely ground matzo meal, for the flour. If you can't find cake meal, use a food processor and matzo meal to make your own cake meal.
