makes one 6”, 15cm cake, around 6 servings

I use this recipe obsessively – it’s super versatile and is a great base for other recipes. I made some (very!) minor tweaks to the original recipe here, but my version can be found below:

ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• 35g veg oil
• 50g cake flour
• 50ml milk
• 3g (1 tsp) vanilla
• 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
• 60g sugar

steps

1. Preheat the oven to 300F/ 149C.
2. Separate out the egg whites from the egg yolks into two separate bowls (The egg whites in a large bowl/stand mixer bowl, and the egg yolks into a small bowl).
3. In a different large bowl, add cake flour and oil, and use a whisk to combine the two ingredients with a zig zag motion.
4. Once combined, add milk and vanilla to the large bowl with the cake flour and oil, and combine.
5. When fully incorporated, add in the egg yolks and continue the zig zag motion until everything is mixed together.
6. In the large bowl with the egg whites, add the cream of tar tar.
7. Using a stand mixer, whip egg whites on high speed (level 6-8) until white and foamy. Once foamy, add 1/3 of the sugar.
8. Keep whipping on high speed (level 6-8) until the egg gets to a soft peak, then add another 1/3 of the sugar.
9. Switch to medium speed (level 6), and whip the mixture until a soft-medium peak. Then finally add the remaining 1/3 of the sugar.
10. Switch to medium-low speed (level 4-6), and whip the egg whites until stiff peak.
11. Once at a stiff peak, take 1/3 of the egg white mixture and fold it into the egg yolk mixture.
12. When there are no more white streaks in the batter, add the remaining egg white mixture to the egg yolk mixture until fully incorporated.
13. Pour the batter into a 6” pan.
14. Bake at 300F/149C on the lowest oven rack for 50 minutes.
15. After 50 minutes, turn off the oven and let the cake sit for another 10 minutes before taking it out.
16. After taking the cake out of the oven, let the cake set upside down on the counter until cool.

notes

• Make sure to bake the cake on the lower rack of the oven. I have always had issues with the cake deflating when baking the cake on the middle rack.
• I have made this cake on a 1/4 sheet pan with no issues. Just be sure to keep at eye on it during baking so the cake doesn’t over-bake!
• Doubling this recipe will make an 8inch/ 20cm cake, or two 1/4 sheet pans
• I usually pair this cake with my stabilized whipped cream recipe to make a strawberry shortcake, but it can easily be paired with any other frosting