Two-egg Sponge Cake: It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This

My Swedish friend shared this recipe with me many years ago, and I've been making it for special occasions ever since. My niece Heather at Way Out West suggested I share it with you. It's a light, not-too-sweet dessert, a perfect ending to any meal.

2 eggs, separated

2/3 cup water

1 1/4 cups sugar (I use 1 cup)

1 1/2 cups cake flour

1 tsp. baking powder

Dash of salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Put egg yolks into a bowl with the water and beat until there is about a quart of the mixture. Add the sugar gradually and beat seven minutes. Sift flour, salt, and baking powder. (Dirty Little Secret: I don't bother to sift this. I just measure out the flour teaspoon-by-teaspoon, stir in the salt and baking powder and continue on.) Add to liquid. (I use the "stir" cycle on my mixer as I add the flour mixture.) Add vanilla and fold in egg whites, not too stiffly beaten. Fold egg whites in with a spoon. 

Grease bottoms of two 8" round baking pans. Line with baker's parchment. Pour batter into pans; bake at 325° for 25-30 minutes. Cool layers slightly in pans, then remove from pans, remove parchment, and continue cooling on wire racks. When completely cool, cut each layer in half horizontally, making four layers.

Fill with cream filling/whipped cream mixture:

Cream Filling (from Marjorie Standish's Cooking Downeast, my all-time favorite cookbook)

Note: I halve this recipe for the Two-egg Sponge Cake filling.

2 cups milk

1/3 cup flour

1/2 teasp. salt

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teasp. vanilla

Scald milk. Mix flour, sugar, and salt. Beat eggs slightly. Combine flour mixture. Add small amount of scalded milk to egg mixture, turn into milk.

The recipe calls for cooking this in a double boiler, but I prefer the time-saving microwave:

Cook in microwave at 50% for two minutes, stirring at end of first and second minute.

Continue cooking in microwave for 4-5 additional minutes, at 30%, stirring every minute.

Cool cream filling in fridge. Stir in 1/2 t. vanilla. Stir in 1 cup cream, whipped, or Cool Whip. (I use low-fat Cool Whip.)

Fill layers of cake with cream filling, take it to the dinner table, and watch it disappear.