Genoise Cake

By Chef Eddy Van Damme

Prep Time:

15m

Bake/Cook Time:

25m - 28m

Yield:

8 servings

Genoise is a classic French sponge cake that gets its volume from air suspended in the batter during mixing. And while Genoise is a sponge cake, it is leavened naturally using whole eggs versus just egg whites as you would with an angel food cake. French hobby bakers often use a genoise to make a “Sunday cake” sliced and moistened with a little simple syrup that is flavored with Grand Marnier and filled with crème chantilly and berries.

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Products Used

Extra Fine Granulated Pure Cane Sugar Bag

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour*
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)

*Spoon & Sweep method: Use a spoon to fill measuring cup with flour until required amount is obtained. Scooping measuring cup directly into flour bag will firmly pack flour resulting in too much flour required for recipe.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour one 8-inch (9-inch pan works as well) baking pan and set aside. (Fitting a round piece of parchment paper on bottom of baking pan is recommended for easy removal of cake.)
Sift together flour and baking powder and set aside.
Fill a medium saucepan with about one inch of water and bring to a simmer.
In a bowl large enough to hold all ingredients, whip eggs until well blended. Add sugar and quickly whisk until well combined. Place bowl over simmering water and continue whipping to ensure that eggs will not cook.
Whip until mixture is lukewarm or about 100°F-105°F.
Remove from heat and quickly add to the bowl of a stand mixer. Keep whipping until mixture is very voluminous, thick, and fluffy. This will easily take 7-10 minutes. Time will depend on the number of wires your whisk has. Add vanilla and salt.
Remove from mixer and add flour. Fold gently, using a spatula until no traces of flower lumps are visible.
If using butter, follow this step or continue with step 9. Melt butter in a microwave oven. Scrape about one-fifth of whipped cake batter into a bowl. Add melted butter and gently fold together. Gently fold this butter containing mixture into remaining batter.
Gently transfer to prepared pan so as to not remove the air whipped into the batter. Place cake in oven and bake for 25-28 minutes until center of cake bounces back when lightly pressed with a finger or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
After 5 minutes remove from pan. Let cool on a wire rack.
Slice into 2 layers and serve with crème chantilly and berries, if desired.

Dixie Crystals Insight

Select flour with 3 grams/protein on nutrition facts label.
Only add butter if you are an experienced baker. Butter does not make a big difference in terms of moistness of the cake. Many professional pastry chefs opt not to add butter since it will deflate the batter if folded incorrectly.

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