10-inch genoise cake
MAKES 3 LAYERS
- 11 eggs
- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (see Baker’s Note)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottoms of three 10-inch round cake pans with rounds of parchment or waxed paper but do not grease them.
- Lightly beat the eggs in a large heatproof bowl. Gradually whisk in the sugar and set the bowl over a larger pot of barely simmering water. Whisk constantly until the egg mixture darkens slightly and is warm to the touch, 100 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla. With an electric mixer, beat on medium-high speed until a slowly dissolving ribbon forms when the beaters are lifted, about 6 minutes.
- Sift about a third of the flour over the top of the batter. Quickly and gently fold it in. Repeat 2 more times with the remaining flour, folding just until no white streaks remain. There will be 15 cups of batter; gently pour 5 cups into each of the 3 prepared pans.
- Bake the cakes for 21 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to wire racks and let the layers cool completely in their pans. To unmold, run a blunt knife around the edge to release the cakes. Carefully peel off the paper liners.
- • All-purpose rather than cake flour is used here because you want the cakes to be sturdy enough to stand up to all the moisture of the syrup and custard and still slice well.