Gâteau de Savoie (Savoy Sponge Cake)

Name: Gâteau de Savoie (Savoy Sponge Cake)
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 6 eggs; 160 g caster sugar; 80 g plain flour; 70 g cornflour; 1 unwaxed lemon (the zest + 1 tsp juice for the egg whites); 1 pinch of salt; 10 g unsalted butter + 1 tbsp caster sugar (for the tin)

An ultra-airy Savoy sponge with lemon zest and no butter in the batter: it rises all by itself thanks to the whisked egg whites.

🍰 Dessert🟡 Medium⏱ 60 min

Calories214 kcal

Protein6 g

Carbs37 g

Fat5 g

💡 Use this recipe to fuel your /sport workouts with FitBot.

📝 Ingredients

6 eggs
160 g caster sugar
80 g plain flour
70 g cornflour
1 unwaxed lemon (the zest + 1 tsp juice for the egg whites)
1 pinch of salt
10 g unsalted butter + 1 tbsp caster sugar (for the tin)

🍴 Utensils

22 to 24 cm savarin (ring) tin or round tin
Electric hand mixer
2 large mixing bowls
Rubber spatula (flexible spatula)
Sieve or fine strainer
Fine grater

📖 Steps

Preheat the oven to 170 °C, preferably conventional (no fan). Generously butter the tin, add 1 tbsp sugar and rotate the tin to coat all the sides, then tip out the excess by turning the tin upside down.
Separate the whites from the yolks into two mixing bowls, making sure there's no trace of yolk in the whites, or they won't whip up. Zest the lemon with a fine grater, avoiding the white pith, which is bitter.
Whisk the yolks with the 160 g sugar and the zest for 4 to 5 minutes with an electric mixer, until the mixture turns pale, doubles in volume and falls from the whisk in a thick, unbroken ribbon.
Wash and thoroughly dry the beaters. Whisk the egg whites with the salt and 1 tsp lemon juice, first on medium speed then high, until they're firm and glossy and form a peak that holds on the end of the beater.
Stir a third of the whites into the yolks, mixing vigorously to loosen the batter. Sift the flour and cornflour together over the bowl, then add the rest of the whisked whites.
Fold gently with the rubber spatula, lifting the batter from the bottom up while turning the bowl, until there are no traces of flour or large white clumps left. Don't stir in circles: the air bubbles are what make the cake rise.
Pour into the tin, smooth the top without pressing down and bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 170 °C, without opening the door for the first 25 minutes. The cake is done when it's nicely golden and a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Run a knife around the edges and turn out straight away onto a wire rack or plate. Leave to cool completely before cutting into 8 slices, so the crumb keeps all its lightness.

💡 FitBot tip: It keeps for 3 days wrapped in cling film. For a more filling snack, serve each slice with a handful of berries and a spoonful of fromage frais or skyr.