No. 2090 — Italian Sponge Layer Cake
English historical translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 2090 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, retaining original methods and measures.
Cream twenty-one yolks with a pound sugar until pale, beat twenty-one whites separately and fold gently into the yolks, gradually sifting in half a pound flour.
Divide among three buttered paper moulds and bake in a rather hot oven after bread has been baked.
Cool on sieves, carefully remove papers, then stack with layers of blackcurrant or redcurrant jam, marmalade, almond paste or poppy paste No. 2069.
Glaze the top and decorate with fruit and jelly.
Cherry or apricot marmalade is especially good, with a thin layer of rum glaze No. 2062; a little rum may also be mixed into the apricot marmalade.
Alternatively soak the sponge with raspberry or strawberry jam and syrup, decorate the edge with halved pears, fill the centre with strawberry jam and cover with a thin layer of hot thick strawberry kissel or freshly made red gelatin jelly. Allow the glaze to set on the cake.
To provide
For six people, two layers: 7 eggs and ⅓ pound sugar, about ⅔ glass About ⅙ pound flour, about ½ glass | ¾ glass jam Glaze separately |