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Almond Sponge Cake

​The almond sponge is a very moist and soft cake. I primarily use it as a base in my desserts. It's used for making petite fours, or as  the foundation in a mousse cake.

​But it stands up very well on its own.  All by itself ... with a dollop of Chantilly cream on the side. Or just cover the whole cake with whipped cream.

Whipped cream with almond flavoring added to it !  If you cover it with buttercream, apply just a thin layer. Buttercream can be thick, making your cake too rich to eat.  ​

All good options, but with its dense moist texture, this almond cake is  so much more suited to complement creamy fillings. ​

Some things you can do with the  Almond Sponge Cake

Strawberry tiramisu cake

White chocolate mousse cake & caramel mirror glaze

​ ​Your Mise' En Place'
​

 Steps Before Step 1 ​
Line the baking pans with parchment paper, or grease and flour, the bottom only. Not the sides.  You need a stand up mixer with a whisk attachment.

You need an offset spatula for spreading the batter. And scrapers for scraping clean, the mixing bowl. Don't forget to preheat ​ the oven to 350°F.  Always, always grease and flour your baking pan.

The Baking Pans

This almond sponge recipe is baked in a sheet pan, 16 x 18. This is the best way to bake the almond sponge for use in an entrement.

​It is very important that the layers of an entrement are balanced, uniformed and even.

 

If baked in a round, or square cake pan, the cake will shrink a little in the pan To maintain control  and have unity with your cake, you will have to cut a template of your almond sponge,  So bake it in the sheet pan.  Once baked,  then you can cut out your cake. That means if you're making a round cake, use your chosen cake pan to cut our your cake template. ​

Tips for Preparation
​

Before getting started, check out these preparation tips

​Tip for Steps  1 & 2
​
​Sift the almond flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch, and cake flour together. It’s okay to use some of that left over flour in the sifter. Dump it on in.

Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks, being careful not to allow any of the yolk to 'break' into the white. Set the egg whites aside in a clean, grease free bowl.  

Take one third of the sugar and set it aside with the egg whites. You will be making a meringue with these two in Step 3.
                          ​

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​Tip for Step 3 
The Meringue

You're going to make a French meringue with the egg whites and reserved sugar.

Whip the egg whites to a foam, add the cream of tartar and 1/3 of the reserved sugar.

Whip just before the egg whites began to peak. That is when you start adding the remaining reserved sugar.

Do this slowly, by sprinkling in the sugar, with mixer on medium speed. 

​You want the sugar to dissolve, adding it in gradually allows for better distribution. When all the sugar is added in,  turn speed up to high and whip egg whites until they hold a nice stiff peak. Set aside until Step 6.
​If  you have only one mixing bowl, just put the meringue in another bowl, and set it aside.

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​Tips for Step  4
The Emulsion

​The egg yolks will be combined with the vanilla and the remaining two thirds of the sugar in your mixer. Whip on high speed  until sugar/egg mixture​ has tripled in volume.  ​

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Tips for Steps 5 & 6
The Folding

Fold the flour mixture into the sugar egg yolk emulsion. Then fold the meringue into
​ the batter.

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Tip for Step 7
Spread batter into prepared pans
​ and bake ​at 350°F for 25 minutes.

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​Cool the cake completely.
Cut the sponge with away from the side of the pan with a thin, sharp knife to loosen.Now your cake is ready for your chosen recipe.

When making the almond sponge for individual mousse cakes, bake in a sheet pan, then cut out your templates and there, you have your base.

​​This is the cake I like to use when making petite fours. I cut the sheet cake into 3'rds to create the three layers of petite fours.

Almond Sponge Cake

Ingredients	Amounts
​Almond flour	1 cup +1 tablespoon
Powdered Sugar	1 cup
Cornstarch	1 teaspoon
Cake flour	1 teaspoon
Butter   ​​	7 tablespoons
Salt  ​	​pinch
Vanilla extract    ​	​ 1 teaspoon
​Eggs, separated	​4 large

Make sure all ingredients are room temperature.

​​Preparation

Step 1
​Sift the almond flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch,
and cake flour together. Set aside.

Step 2
​Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks.
Set aside 1/3 of the sugar, and reserve it with the egg whites.
Set the yolks aside until Step 4 .
Place the egg whites  and reserved sugar in your mixer bowl.​

​​Step 3
Using the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites until foamy, then add the cream of tarter and a 1/3 of the reserved sugar. Then whisk on high speed for one minute. Turn speed down to medium and gradually add the remaining reserved sugar. Whip on high speed until the meringue is stiff peaked.
Set aside until Step 6​
​​

Step 4
Add the sugar, & vanilla to the bowl with the egg yolks 
Whip on high speed  until sugar/egg mixture has tripled in volume.​

Step 5
Fold the flour mixture to the sugar egg yolk emulsion.

Step 6
Fold in the meringue.

Step 7
Pour batter into prepared pans and bake at 350° F
for 20 minutes. Cool. Cut the sponge with away from the side of the pan with a thin, sharp knife to loosen. Now your cake is ready for your chosen recipe.

​Variation: Chocolate Almond Sponge​
Delete 1 oz of the almond flour and substitute that with 1 oz of cocoa powder. ​
Sift that with the remaining flour.