Mom's Extra Tall Sponge Cake

Today I'm joining my favorite group of holiday food bloggers to discuss a topic that's near and dear to everyone's hearts - my mom.  OK, maybe my own mom is only near and dear to me but I'm sure you all have your own moms to focus on and celebrate when Mother's Day comes.

Cooking for a holiday that doesn't have any specific food associated with it is more challenging but I decided that the only logical recipe for me to make and share with you is my mother's signature cake.  She'd be the first to tell you that she had a very small baking repertoire but this cake appeared on our table often.  I have happy memories of dipping it into hot cocoa in the winter and spooning ice cream over it in summer.  Through the years I've seen lots of recipes for sponge cakes and many for sale at bakeries but none were ever as tall as hers because of the stiffly beaten egg whites.  As it happens, separating eggs is one of my least favorite kitchen chores but it was totally worth it to recreate this cake.  And yes, of course, I shared it with my mom.

I realize I've never spoken much about her and, at this point, you're welcome to skip down to the great recipe and then to the tasty offerings from my fellow cooks.  But I'm going to take a moment and honor my mother.

She was born in a Jewish village in Russia in 1933 as the seventh child, but her mother did not survive childbirth.  In 1945, when the Nazis came, the villagers scattered as bombs went off.  She was separated from her father and siblings, none of whom survived the attack.  A group of Russian solders found her wandering in the woods, hungry and cold in the Russian winter.  They kept her with them by the fire they built, gave her food and told her stories.  In the morning, they got her to a caravan headed toward the ships that were leaving with the fleeing people.

Her ship was headed to Palestine but the British refused them entry and she spent a year in an orphan detention camp on the island of Cypress.  It was through the efforts of future Prime Minister Golda Meir (my personal hero) that the children were released and allowed to come into the future Israel.

She was sent to live on a Kibbutz that took in war orphans.  She told me many stories of how the starved children would steal food and stuff it into their pockets, still unsure that another meal would be coming.  The kibbutz staff knew but said nothing and allowed the children to settle and become comfortable with the fact that they were now safe and cared for.  When she grew up, she moved to Tel Aviv where she met my father, a German war refugee.  They married and eventually settled in New York where I enjoyed a childhood far safer and more privileged than either of them ever had.

My mother never had a maternal example to follow and many reasons for the fear and nightmares that always plagued her.  But she loved me more than she loved herself and she did the best job she could in raising me.  Her best was damn good and I love her dearly.  Happy mother's day to my wonderful mom and all the other wonderful moms in the world.  Now, let's get to that cake.  Enjoy!






Ingredients
6 Eggs, separated
1 Cup sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1 Cup all purpose flour
1 Teaspoon baking powder
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon lemon juice (orange juice would be fine, too)

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with a stand or hand mixer until they've reached stiff peaks.

In a second bowl, beat together the egg yolks and sugar until they're fully incorporated and lightened in color.  Mix in the vanilla and lemon juice.  Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and beat into the egg mixture.

Gently fold in the egg whites, careful not to deflate them.  Pour the batter into a buttered and floured tube style pan and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.  Allow to cool fully before removing from the pan.  Makes approximately 10 servings.

Be sure to check out all the other Mother's Day deliciousness our group has to offer.

1. Coconut Cupcakes from That Skinny Chick Can Bake

2. German Apple Cake from Magnolia Days

3. Baked Lemon Pasta with Broccoli and Shrimp from What Smells So Good

4. Cinnamon Pear Cake from Roxana's Home Baking

5. Strawberry Whiskey Sour from Girl in the Little Red Kitchen

6. Huevos Rancheros from Crumb Blog

7. Triple Lemon Cake from Created by Diane

8. Banana Chocolate Chip Bread from Chocolate Moosey

9. Lemon Thyme Shortbread from Jen's Favorite Cookies

10. Pineapple Coconut Sweet Rolls from Pineapple and Coconut

11. Caramilk Stuffed No-Knead Brioche from Gotta Get Baked

12. Mom's World Famous Sponge Cake from Hungry Couple NYC

13. Brown Butter Pecan Fudge Ripple No-Churn Ice Cream from Cupcakes and Kale Chips