This was my absolutely, positively favorite dessert growing up, and I can still see it standing on my grandmother’s kitchen counter, waiting to be served for Passover. I made it once for my husband, and he pronounced the sponge cake better than any he's had made with flour.
Serves 15 to 20
10 tablespoons cake meal (see note below)
2 tablespoons potato starch
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 eggs, separated
2 cups sugar, divided
Juice of 1 lemon
2 pounds strawberries, hulled and halved
6 cups whipped cream (homemade, non-dairy, whatever suits your dietary purposes)
Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease one two 15-by-10-inch rimmed baking sheets (jelly roll pans).
In a small bowl, combine the cake meal, potato starch and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl using an electric or stand mixer, beat the egg yolks, 1 cup of the sugar and the lemon juice. Add the cake meal mixture and continue beating until thoroughly combined.
Blend in the egg whites, beating on high until thick, pale and approximately doubled in bulk, about 2 minutes. Add the rest of the sugar and beat another 2 minutes.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan or pans and bake until browned on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 15 to 25 minutes (the baking time will depend on the pan used).
Remove from the oven and gently overturn the cake onto a cooling rack. Let cool thoroughly.
To assemble the dessert: Place one cake on a serving dish. Top with a layer of whipped cream about 1/2-inch thick. Top with a layer of sliced strawberries. Add the second half of the cake and another layer of whipped cream. Cover the sides of the cake with whipped cream. Top the cake with the strawberries, cut side down. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Note
Cake meal is available from Manischewitz during the Passover season. Depending on the selection of Passover products available at your supermarket, you may have to go to more than one store to find it.
Copyright Jill Silverman Hough. All rights reserved.
www.jillhough.com.