Vanilla Sponge Cake

This recipe produces a sponge cake that is sturdy enough to handle being decorated but also moist enough to remain delicious. It's incredibly easy and stays moist (arguably gets even better) the next day.

It's perfect for birthdays because you can make it ahead, and is easy to change flavors too! I've made this a lemon cake by taking out the vanilla extract and adding in a couple teaspoons of lemon juice and zest. The vanilla version is super easy to pair with more elaborately flavored icings though: I've done peach, blueberry, and lemon so far using this recipe. (There's a picture of the blueberry one on the right!!)

To start out, I always take out my eggs so they can gradually come to room temperature while I measure out my dry ingredients: flour, cornstarch, and salt, as well as my wet ingredients: milk, oil, and extract. 

The hardest part of this recipe is whipping the eggs, but don't be intimidated. Just separate the whites and the yolks first. I do this by cracking the whole egg into a bowl, and carefully taking out the yolks by hand. 

Then, with just the whites in the bowl, pour in a little vinegar (optional but helps with stabilizing), and whip using a hand mixer until the mixture is white and bubbly, or soft peaks. Here, I start adding my sugar gradually while mixing until it's all incorporated. Then I whip to medium-stiff peaks, where you can turn the bowl upside down and have nothing fall out.

From there, I just sift in my dry ingredients and fold in the wet, and bake before enjoying!!

Vanilla Sponge Cake
Makes: 1 8 inch cake, about 3 inches tall

Ingredients: 
113g all-purpose flour
38g corn starch
1/4 tsp salt

100g sugar
5 egg whites
5 egg yolks
50g milk
37g oil
optional: 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions: 

1. Line an 8-inch pan with parchment, and preheat oven to 325 degrees. 

2. Combine flour, corn starch, and salt and whisk in a small bowl. 

3. Separate whites and yolks. Beat whites until white and foamy, and gradually add in sugar. Mix until medium-stiff peaks, when the mixer leaves tracks in the eggs. 

4. Fold the egg yolks into the whites, then sift in the dry ingredient mixture. Add in the milk, oil, and extract, and combine until smooth. 

5. Transfer the batter into the greased pan, and bake in at 325F for 35 minutes. Without opening the oven, adjust the temperature to 350F and bake for 5 minutes. 

6. Let cool upside down in the pan for 10-15 minutes, before removing from pan and enjoying/further cooling before decorating.