Chocolate Sponge - The Foam Cake Quest begins...

I'd already tried the standard ritual of making a plain sponge cake to test the oven when it first came in. So I decided to add a little bit more by adding cocoa to the standard ingredients when I wanted to make the foam cake 'series'.

As a part of my new drive to reduce waste, I have started recycling aluminum foil at least once (if it is not soiled). So I re-used washed and dried used aluminum foil to line the baking tins. 

I started by sieving in half a cup of flour with a quarter cup of cocoa, and ½ tsp baking powder along with ¼ tsp Baking Soda.

I pulsed ½ cup demerara sugar in the grinder to make it more powdery.

Next I separated three yolks and added a whole egg into a mixing bowl.

I whipped the yolks with half the sugar till they almost tripled in volume.

Next I gently sieved in the flour and cocoa mixture and folded everything in taking care not to deflate the foam too much.

This done, I washed the whipping blades, dried them and then whipped the three egg whites with the remaining sugar as well, till they were stiff and I could hold them upside down without dripping.

I folded this in as well and then scooped up the batter into the tins. I added a cucumber and melon seeds to add a little bit of crunch on top and then baked the cakes for about 25 min.

Once done I peeled off the lining and let them cool before slicing it up to take for Subha, Harini, and Peter's 'shop warming' party. :)

Ingredients:
½ cup Plain Flour
¼ cup Cocoa Powder (unsweetened)
½ cup Demerara Sugar
½ tsp Baking Powder
¼ tsp Baking Soda 
4 Eggs

The foam cake quest...

Now that I have started baking I want to try out the various 'basic' cake 'types' too experience the techniques as well as the textures they produce...

I stumbled upon this nice site that very succinctly defined the basic cake families and nudged me onwards towards the quest 

My research told me that I have always made (and had) Butter or Shortened Cakes.
Now, Butter cakes, also called shortened cakes or creamed cakes, are supposed to contain butter, margarine or vegetable shortening, which contribute to a finely textured, tender and moist cake.

So now, I want to make Foam Cakes. Strictly speaking, a foam cake contains no leavening or fat other than what is there in the eggs. Baking powder and baking soda are not necessary in these recipes. These cakes need to be baked as soon as they are ready or the egg whites will probably deflate.