Classic Light Sponge Cake for Fruit (1981)

• 
  7 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
• 1 cup plus 1 tbspn sugar
• 1 tbspn boiling water
• 1 tspn vanilla extract or 1/2 tspn freshly grated lemon rind
• 3/4 cup cake flour, aerated
• 1/4 cup cornstarch, aerated

Lightly grease and flour 2 9-inch cake pans. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. 

Place the egg yolks in a mixing bowl. Using the electric mixer, beat for about 30 seconds, or until eggs being to thicken. Gradually beat in 1 cup sugar and continue beating until very thick, or 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water and flavoring. Gently fold in the flour and cornstarch, about a third at a time. 

In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer. When frothy, add the remaining tablespoon of sugar and beat until soft peaks form. Stir about a quarter of the whites into the cake batter to lighten, then fold in the remaining whites.

Divide the batter evenly between the 2 pans. Place them, not touching, on the oven middle rack and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the cake springs back when pushed lightly with your finger.

Remove from the oven and cool in pans on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Run a spatula or knife around the outer edges of the cakes to loosen. Turn out onto the rack to cool completely.

More "Lost" Cakes

Classic Blueberry Pound Cake (1978)

Tennessee Plum Cake (1978)

(Origin - "American Food and California Wine" by Barbara Kafka, published by Irena Chalmers Cookbooks, Inc, 1981.)