Sponge cake with fruit
Sponge cake with fruit is my go-to recipe, not just for summer. It's incredibly simple and versatile. You can add a variety of fruits to it or leave them out altogether.
Preparation time: 20 minutes Baking time: 45 minutes Number of servings: 20 x 30 cm form - 1130 g In 100 g of dough: Energy value 253 kcal Carbohydrates 36 g - Of which sugars 17 g Protein 7 g Fat 9 g.
- 6 large eggs, size "L" - mine weighed 380 g after breaking
- 240 g cake flour - about 1.5 cups
- 150 g of fine sugar - a little over half a cup
- 70 ml of mild vegetable oil
- 400 g of fruit - I used canned raspberries and peaches
Sponge cake
Start preheating your oven: top/bottom heat; middle or slightly lower oven rack; temperature: 175 degrees Celsius. For convection, set the temperature 10 degrees lower. Sift 240 grams of cake flour through a sieve or loosen it with a whisk/wire whisk. Set the bowl aside.
Crack six large or seven small eggs (I used 380 grams total after beating) into a bowl and add 150 grams (a little over half a cup) of caster sugar or optional powdered sugar. Beat the sugar and eggs with a mixer at high speed until the sugar is completely dissolved in the eggs. By the end of the beating process, the mixture should be very fluffy and light. Beating can take up to 10 minutes (up to 5 minutes with a good mixer). Beating the eggs and sugar for a really long time and with patience is key to this recipe. The mixture should rise very much and turn light. Reduce the mixer speed to medium. Slowly pour the oil into the egg mixture. After adding 70 ml of oil, you can turn off the mixer.
Begin adding the sifted flour to the egg whites. Gradually add it while gently and slowly folding the mixture in with a spatula. Don't overmix the fluffy batter; it should be as aerated as possible. Sponge cake batter doesn't need to be perfectly smooth.
Prepare a 20 x 30 cm baking pan. A 24-26 cm springform pan or other similarly sized pan will also work. Line the bottom and sides of the pan with baking paper (grease the edges with a little butter or margarine to ensure the high strips of parchment adhere well to the inside of the pan). Pour the ready-to-bake sponge cake batter into the pan and smooth the surface.
Tip: Place large, tall strips of parchment paper around the edges, as the sponge cake rises a lot.
Spread a total of about 400 grams of fruit over the dough. The fruit should be well drained. Whole raspberries and blackberries can be used, but I recommend cutting larger fruit into small pieces, as too heavy ones will sink to the bottom. You can also dust the fruit with flour or cut it into slices. I used 200 grams of fresh raspberries and the same amount of canned peach slices.
Tip: You can also easily add pieces of apple, plum, strawberry, blueberry, or pear. If using frozen fruit, thaw it first, drain excess moisture, and warm it to room temperature.
Place the pan in a well-heated oven. Bake in the top or bottom position; use the middle or slightly lower rack; temperature: 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit); baking time: approximately 45-50 minutes. After approximately 40 minutes (or sooner), check if the sponge cake is baked. Carefully open the oven door and insert a wooden skewer into the center of the cake. If the skewer comes out clean, the sponge cake is baked. After baking, open the oven door just a little (it's best to block it with an oven mitt). After 10 minutes, you can open the door wider, and after 5 minutes, remove the cake from the oven. Wait at least 5 minutes before removing the sponge cake from the pan. You can then remove the ring. Carefully remove the strips of parchment paper from the sides of the cake.
Tip: When baking, place the sponge cake pan on a preheated, thin baking tray or on a rack. The tray or rack should be positioned so that the pan with the cake is roughly centered in the oven (not too close to the upper and lower heating elements).
Once the sponge cake with fruit has cooled completely, wrap it loosely in parchment paper, then wrap it in a clear grocery bag. Store the sponge cake in a cool cupboard. It will retain its freshness and flavor for at least 3-4 days.
PS. You can spread a thin layer of setting jelly on top of the baked and cooled sponge cake. Enjoy.
