CITRUS SPONGE CAKE

Auntie Pui-King is my undisputed favorite aunt. She showed me the joy of feeding others and was the first one who taught me how to bake. Her specialty was her sponge cake. It had no adornment—not even a dusting of confectioners’ sugar—but it was beautiful. When Auntie Pui-King visited, she’d whip up the batter using my mom’s only baking appliance—an ancient Hamilton Beach hand mixer. She would endlessly beat the egg whites, and then the yolks, in dented metal bowls. As soon as the cake came out of the oven, she would set the tube pan upside down on the counter to cool, balancing it on its rickety feet. The cake hung there for what seemed like forever. Finally, she would unmold it by gently sawing a knife around the edges, base, and center tube and flipping it onto a plate, on which it seemed to float like a cloud.

The first time I wanted to attempt the cake on my own, I called Auntie Pui-King for the recipe. She’s an instinctive baker, not someone who cooks by the book. Still, she did her best. After years of trial and error based on my notes, I finally came close enough to her original to try my own variation. I’ve kept the eggy essence of the cake, while accenting it with hints of whole wheat, nut, and citrus. Like the version that inspired it, it’s lovely on its own, but it’s also nice with whipped cream and orange slices.

TIP: If you don’t have a classic tube pan with a removable center and bottom, you can use one of the new nonstick ones, but the cake won’t rise as high and the outside will darken considerably more than is ideal for a sponge cake. It’s better to use any light-colored (not nonstick) cake pans you have: two 2-inch-deep 9-inch round pans or one 9-by-13-by-2-inch pan. Line the bottom(s) with parchment, but don’t grease anything. You should still cool it upside down in the pan(s) on a rack, then run a knife around the edges to release the cake.

makes one 10-inch tube cake

dairy-free

1. Separate the cold eggs, putting the whites in a large bowl. Let stand until room temperature.

2. Position a rack in the center of the oven (remove any racks above it) and preheat to 325ºF. Have an ungreased 10-inch tube pan with a removable center and bottom ready.

3. Sift both flours and the baking powder into a medium bowl. Whisk the oil, juice, and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Whisk the egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until foamy. Gradually whisk in 6 tablespoons (78 g) of the sugar, then raise the speed to medium-high and whisk until medium-soft peaks form. When you lift the whisk, the egg white mixture will rise and then the tip of the peak should curve back down.

4. Whisk the egg yolks in another large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed to break them up. Gradually beat in the remaining 6 tablespoons (78 g) sugar, then raise the speed to medium-high and whisk until the yolks are very pale yellow, airy, and tripled in volume. Reduce the speed to medium-low and add the oil mixture in a steady stream, beating just until fully incorporated.

5. Sift the dry ingredients onto the yolk mixture and gently fold until all traces of flour disappear. Add one third of the egg whites and fold to loosen the mixture, then very gently fold in the remaining whites until no streaks of white remain. Transfer to the tube pan and gently spread in an even layer, without deflating the batter too much.

6. Bake until the cake is golden brown and risen high, about 1 hour 5 minutes. When you press the top, the cake should almost spring back.

7. Invert the pan onto a heatproof surface or wire rack, balancing it on its feet to allow room for air to circulate under the cake. Cool completely.

8. When you are ready to serve, run a long serrated knife between the edges of the pan and the cake, using a sawing motion. Using the same sawing motion, run a narrow knife around the center tube. Lift out the cake holding onto the center tube. Place a serving plate on top of the cake and invert the plate and pan base together so the cake slides onto the plate. Lift off the base. Dust off any errant crumbs and serve.

MAKE AHEAD

Uncut, the cake will keep at room temperature for up to 2 days. Once cut, it is best served the same day.