White Chocolate Genoise (Italian Sponge Cake)

Submitted by LoversDream

"From Wiki: A Génoise Cake is an Italian cake named after Genoa that does not use any chemical leavening and instead uses air suspended in the batter during mixing to give volume to the cake. It is called a Genoise sponge cake to differentiate itself from other sponge cakes that beat their yolks and whites of the eggs separately. This style of cake lends itself to using extracts for flavoring more so than any whole ingredient as the mixture is a delicate balance between the moisture, volume and structure of the cake; however, when the cake is finished baking it can be sliced into two or three layers and filled with chocolate or fruit whipped cream."

 

• Ready In: 35mins
• Ingredients: 7
• Yields: 1 cake

ingredients

• 3 ounces fine quality white chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1⁄2 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1⁄3 cup sugar

directions

1. Line the bottom of a greased 8 1/2 inch springform pan with wax paper, grease the paper and dust the pan with flour, knocking out the excess.
2. In a metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water melt the white chocolate with the butter, the vanilla and 3 tablespoons water, stirring until the mixture is smooth.
3. Remove the bowl from the heat and let the mixture cool.
4. Into a bowl sift together the flour and the salt.
5. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat the eggs with the sugar on high speed for 5 minutes, or until the mixture is triple in volume and forms a ribbon when the beaters are lifted.
6. Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture until the batter is just combined and fold in the white chocolate mixture gently but thoroughly.
7. Pour the batter into the pan, smoothing the top, and bake the cake in the middle of a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.
8. Transfer the cake to a rack, run a sharp knife around the edge, and remove the side of the pan.
9. Invert the cake onto another rack and remove the wax paper.
10. Reinvert the cake onto the rack and let it cool completely.

Reviews

[sheena_kitz]

Great recipe,I made it last night. I had white chocolate I wanted to use up and liked the idea of the genoise cake, absolutely lovely flavour. I ended up whipping the eggs until fluffy and airy, but then I just threw the rest of the ingredients in and mixed with the beaters so it didn't rise a lot since I destroyed the air bubbles. Don't ask me why I did it knowing full well what would happen lol, so even though it didn't rise much it still had a great texture soft and spongy with a great flavour. I iced with a chocolate meringue frosting and it was pretty damn good.<br/> Thank you for the recipe it is a definite keeper. In fact I'm going to make another one today :)