Gluten Free Easy Sponge Cake

GF Easy Sponge Cake, originally uploaded by Kate Chan.

Really, truly, honestly…. this is the best and easiest cake I have ever made. And… I can’t even count how many times I’ve made it in the last 6 months – it’s that good and that easy.

I started making a cake like this back at Christmas. I was actually experimenting while trying to develop a sweet treat that we could share with family for Zoe’s baptism. My Love is not a sweet-eater, but he does love fresh fruit. He also likes fresh cream cakes from the Asian bakery… alas, those are not gluten free and I wanted to participate in the sweet-noshing because I *am* a sweets-eater!

This cake went over smashingly with a HUGE range of gluten eaters – ages 4 – 78! Thus, in one swoop, it made itself part of my go-to recipe repertoire. I have even made this dessert while my Love was clearing the main course dishes. Oh yea. It’s a dream dessert: delicious, easy and gluten free.

But I repeat myself. Maybe I should just stop typing and get to the recipe, huh? Well… okay then!

Feel free to fill this with whatever makes your mouth joyful. We use freshly made whip cream, strawberries and blueberries. (Sometimes strawberries and fresh mint leaves, etc) and dust the top with a bit of powdered sugar. The cake is light and moist – so it will adapt itself to any number of fillings or occasions. I think will agree – make just one and you will be back for more! 🙂

Here’s the recipe – please do let me know what you think and how you fill yours! 🙂

Gluten Free Easy Sponge Cake
Makes one sponge cake (length of a jelly roll pan or full sized cookie sheet), serves plenty! (depending on the size of your slices.)
You can find a printable copy of this recipe here.

Ingredients:
8 eggs, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup potato starch (NOT flour!)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons GF vanilla extract
1 teaspoon GF lemon extract
1 teaspoon GF almond extract

TOPPING:

freshly whipped cream
fresh fruit  (strawberries and blueberries)
powdered sugar (for dusting)

Directions:

  1. Separate the egg whites and the yolks.
  2. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form and set aside.
  3. Beat the egg yolks until light yellow and creamy – about 2 – 3 minutes)
  4. Sift together powdered sugar, potato starch (not flour!) and salt.
  5. Add sifted dry ingredients to the beaten egg yolks and mix thoroughly.
  6. Add the extracts.  Mix again.
  7. Using a spatula or spoon (not your mixer!), gently fold the egg whites into the batter.
  8. Preheat the oven to 325F.
  9. Line a jelly roll pan or a full sized cookie sheet pan with parchment paper.
  10. Gently smooth the cake batter out to the length of your pan with even depth.  (My pan is 18″ by 13″ – and the batter is about 2/3 – 1″ thick).
  11. Bake the cake for 15 minutes then turn off the oven and open the oven door.  (I open the oven by cracking it open about 2-3 inches.)
  12. Leave the cake to cool in the oven for 5-8 minutes.
  13. Remove from oven and cool.
  14. Gently lift the cooled cake up off the parchment paper just to loosen it from the paper.  Lay the cake back down on to the paper.  You will use the parchment to help you roll the cake.
  15. Top with freshly whipped cream and fresh fruit slices.
  16. Have a piece of fresh parchment paper the length of your cake OR a serving platter that fits nearby.  Use the parchment paper to help you roll the cake.  (I roll it so I have LONG cake (see picture) rather than rolling the short end and have a HUGE rolled cake.)
  17. Lay the cake on the fresh parchment or on your serving platter.  Gently lay a few pieces of fruit on top and dust with powdered sugar.
  18. Serve and enjoy! (We have served this with ice cream, macerated strawberries or whatever strikes our fancy/hits our budget point!)

Happy cake baking, everyone!
~Kate

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