Pantispania
A Very Light and Airy Sponge Cake
Portions:
8
Cook Time:
1.5 hours
Can I adapt this easily as a vegetarian or vegan?
Yes
The name comes from ‘Pain d'Espagne’ or 'Spanish bread'. Similar to a Genoise sponge, this light and airy cake was a firm favourite growing up
Ingredients
8 eggs
225g caster sugar
200g self-raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 tangerines; zested and juiced
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
Preparation
Preheat oven to 170°C
Step One
Separate the eggs into two large bowls
Step Two
Set aside 2 tablespoons of sugar
Whip the egg whites into stiff peaks, and using all of the remaining sugar, create a meringue
Step Three
Beat together the egg yolks, tangerine zest and juice, oil, vanilla, the saved 2 tablespoons of sugar and 3 tablespoons of four until light and fluffy
Step Four
Seive the flour and baking powder together in a separate bowl
Step Five
Very carefully fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites
Step Six
Very carefully fold the flour into the eggs
Step Seven
Bake at 170°C for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 160°C and bake for 40-50 minutes until golden brown
Step Eight
Try not to open the oven while the cake is cooking. When the cake is a deep golden brown, turn off the oven and leaving the door closed (or very slightly ajar), leave the cake to cool