Sponge and Pound Cakes

Pound Cake

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
4 eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg (optional)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Powdered sugar icing (optional)

Bring butter and eggs to room temperature. In a mixing bowl stir together flour, baking powder, and nutmeg. In another bowl beat butter with electric mixer on med. for 30 seconds.
Gradually add sugar to butter. 2 tbsp. at a time, beating on med. to high about 6 min. total; or till very light and fluffy. Add vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating 1 min. after each addition, scraping bowl often. Gradually add flour mix to butter mix, beating on low till combined.
Pour batter into a greased and floured 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. bake at 325 for 55-65 min, or till toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool for 10 min. Remove from pan, cool thoroughly. Drizzle icing over top. Serves 12.

Sponge Cake

Ingredients:
6 egg yolks
1 tbsp. finely shredded orange peel
1/2 cup orange or pineapple juice
1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup sugar
1 1/4 all purpose flour
6 egg whites
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar

In bowl, beat yolks with an electric mixer on high about 5 min. or till thick and lemon colored. Add orange peel juice and vanilla. Beat at low speed till combined. Gradually beat in the cup of sugar at low speed. Increase to med.; beat till mix thickens slightly and doubles in volume (about 5 min. total).
Sprinkle 1/4 cup flour over yolk mix; fold in till combined. Repeat with remaining flour, 1/ cup at a time. Set yolk mix aside.
Wash beaters thoroughly. In a large bowl beat egg whites
and cream of tartar on med. till soft peaks form (tips curl). Gradually add the 1/2 cup sugar, beating on high till stiff peaks form (tips stand straight).
Fold 1 cup of the beaten egg white mix into the yolk mix; fold yolk mix into remaining egg whites mix. Pour into ungreased 10 in. tube pan.
Bake at 325 for 55-60 min. or till cake springs back when lightly touched near center. Immediately invert pan on plate, leave cake in pan, and cool thoroughly. Loosen sides of pan; remove cake. Serves 12.
Chocolate sponge cake:
Prepare as above, except omit orange peel. Reduce flour to 1 cup. Stir 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder to the flour.
Lemon or lime sponge cake:
Prepare as above, except substitute 2 tsp. finely shredded lemon or lime peel for orange peel and 1/4 cup lemon or lime juice plus 1/4 cup water for orange juice.

Jelly Roll

Ingredients:
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
4 egg yolks
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup sugar
4 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
sifted powdered sugar
1/2 cup jelly or jam

Combine flour and baking powder; set aside. In a mixing bowl beat egg yolks and vanilla with an electric mixer on high for 5 min. or till thick and lemon colored. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar, beating on high till sugar is nearly dissolved. Thoroughly wash beaters.
In another bowl beat egg whites on med. till soft peaks form (tips curl). Gradually stir in 1/2 cup sugar, beating till stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Fold yolk mix into beaten egg whites. Sprinkle flour mix over egg mix; fold in gently just till combined.
Spread batter evenly into a greased and floured 15x10x1 in. jelly roll pan. Bake at 375 for 12-15 min. or till cake springs back when lightly touched near center.
Immediately loosen edges of cake from pan and turn onto towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. Roll up towel and cake, jelly roll style, starting from the short side of the cake. Cool on rack.
Unroll cake, remove towel. Spread cake with jelly or jam to within 1 inch of the edge of cake. Roll up cake. Serves 10.
Note:
You can substitute whipped cream, flavored pudding, or softened ice cream for the jam or jelly. (freeze ice cream filled rolls).

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