New Zealand Billy Sponge

This is from "Jo Seagar's New Zealand Country Cookbook". The author says that it used to be cooked in a billy in a camp oven or coal range. She said it makes a nice dessert with fresh or poached fruit and ice cream or whipped cream. Also great with bacon, bananas and maple syrup for brunch or breakfast. I guess what makes this one is the cracked sugar coating and the "rather chewy texture". I have not made this, but I want to do so. I don't think I would use Pam spray for this because I'm not sure it would create the crackly sugar coating she talks about. I'd use butter. ETA: One reviewer said that a family member really liked this with lemon sauce.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Yields: 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 4  eggs
• 1  cup sugar (plus more for coating tin)
• 1  cup flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder

Directions

1. Grease a 12x23 cm loaf tin. (And grease it well.) Sprinkle sides and base with sugar.
2. Beat eggs until pale and fluffy. Slowly add sugar. Fold in flour and baking powder. Pour into prepared tin. Sprinkle extra sugar on top. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius (350 F.) for 35-40 minutes until top is golden and crunchy and the loaf is cooked through.
3. Remove from tin and cool on wire rack.