Pan Di Spagna (italian Sponge Cake )

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• 5 egg yolks
• 5 egg whites
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/4 cups pastry flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh lemon rind (optional)

Recipe

• 1 place egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until lemon colored.
• 2 add flour, a little at a time, blending it in well.
• 3 add vanilla and lemon rind (if using it).
• 4 beat egg whites until stiff but not dry and fold into cake mixture.
• 5 butter and flour a 18inch square (or a 9 x 13 x 3, or a 11 x 17 x 2inch half-sheet) cake pan**.
• 6 pour cake batter into prepared pan and bake at 375°f for 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• 7 remove cake from oven and turn out (of pan) onto a cake rack to cool.
• 8 when completely cool, cake may be sliced horizontally to form 2 or 3 thin layers.
• 9 cake can be tightly wrapped and frozen (up to 3 weeks) for future use.
• 10 **please check your oven size, to make sure pan will fit properly.