Sponge cake: how to make it and its origin
Sponge cake: how to make it and its origin
The biscuit ( European French ) or génoise ( Canadian French ) is an English cake made from sponge cake , very airy, hence its name “sponge cake”. A variation of sponge cake is known as Victoria Sponge Cake or Victoria Sandwich , i.e. "Queen Victoria's cake" or "sandwich".
The origins of the sponge cake are varied:
The first sponge cake recipe was written by an English poet named Gervase Markham in 1615 , in his book The English Huswife, Containing the Inward and Outward Virtues Which Should Be in a Complete Woman . These cakes were nevertheless crispier, like current cookies 1 .
The Savoie biscuit is another possible ancestor of the sponge cake . It is a very light cake, normally baked in a kouglof mold. Its origin dates back to the 14th century when in 1358 in Chambéry Count Amédée VI of Savoy asked his pastry chef to create a cake as light as a feather.
Victoria sponge cake
The name of the cake refers to Queen Victoria, the sponge cake being served at court during the famous afternoon tea ( high tea ). Anna, the Duchess of Bedford, one of Queen Victoria's favorites, is the originator of this idea. She found that the afternoons were long and that hunger was felt. Victoria sponge cake was invented to accompany tea, which was innovative at the time. The Queen immediately loved the idea and the cupcakes served became her favorites.
A real Victoria sponge cake consists of raspberry jam and vanilla cream, inserted between two layers of sponge cake. The recipe for the cake is the same as that of a classic sponge cake ; here, you just need to make a vanilla buttercream 7 . For this you need: butter, icing sugar and vanilla essence. Beat the butter until creamy. Add the icing sugar little by little, continuing to beat while adding. Then add the vanilla essence. To assemble the sponge cakes: the usual method is to spread jam on the bottom biscuit and buttercream on the top one. Then simply press lightly on the two halves to bring them together.
Sponge cake recipe:
Notice to lovers of layer cakes and other soft cakes: here is the recipe for sponge cake! This cake from England is very airy, with a texture similar to a sponge cake, from which it takes its name!
It can also be called Victoria Sponge Cake, named after Queen Victoria of England. Traditionally, it is served cut in half, garnished with strawberry jam. However, you can garnish it with whatever you want, depending on the cake you want: chocolate ganache, spread, buttercream... The possibilities are endless!
You can of course enjoy it as is, for breakfast or as a snack.
Once this sponge cake is made, you can garnish it with strawberry jam or even chocolate spread!
Sponge cake recipe (8-10 people):
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Total duration: 50 minutes
1) Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 125 g of flour
- ½ packet of baking powder
- 125 g of sugar
2) Preparation
- Separate the egg whites from the yolks. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until very stiff. Cook's tip: To check that your whites are firm, when you turn the bowl over, the whites should not move.
- Then add the sugar and continue to beat.
- Then add the egg yolks, mixing gently with a spatula as the yolks cause the whites to fall.
- Finish with the flour and yeast.
- Butter a mold and bake for 30 minutes at 180°.
As for the origin of sponge cake, as mentioned earlier, it is difficult to determine exactly where and when sponge cake was invented. However, the modern version of the sponge cake is believed to have appeared in Europe during the Renaissance era. Its name comes from its spongy texture, achieved through the method of beating eggs to incorporate air into the dough. Since its appearance in Europe, sponge cake has become popular all over the world, with many variations and adaptations according to local culinary traditions.