Make Ahead

Sobel Family Passover Sponge Cake

by:
March 26, 2011
4.3
9 Ratings
  • Serves many slices
Author Notes

Not Jewish herself, my Grandma Val (who used to sleep with jug of bathtub gin to hide them from raiders) married into a Jewish family in the early 40's. I think she struggled with acceptance at first, as many new brides still do. She never converted (lapsed Catholic herself) but she did embrace many traditions, mostly in food. Her Passover sponge cake was legendary, passed from her sister in law (Great Aunt Edna) to her and made without fail every year. It often showed up on Passover and Easter because it is just that good. She has a 9 egg and a 12 egg version, I present the 9 egg version here. It was always served with strawberries that had been steeped with little sugar for a few hours and whipped cream. My mom makes it and so do I. —testkitchenette

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 9 eggs
  • 1-1/4 cups sugar
  • 1 lemon, juiced and zested
  • 1/4 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed if possible
  • 3/4 cup matzoh meal
  • 1/4 cup potato starch
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F and make sure your angel food cake pan is clean and dry.
  2. Separate the eggs and place the whites in the refrigerator. Beat the yolks until lemon colored and thick. Add the sugar gradually.
  3. Sift matzoh meal and potato starch together. Gradually add to the yolk and sugar mixture. Beat the egg whites until they hold a stiff peak and fold them into the yolk mixture.
  4. Bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and invert (carefully) pan immediately. Cool completely before removing from pan
  5. Serve with strawberries and whipped cream.
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8 Reviews

Shari
Shari March 30, 2018
You didn't say when to add the lemon and orange juice. I added it into the egg yolks after the sugar. Unfortunately my cake did not rise. Any idea why that might happen?
 
Anne G.
Anne G. April 10, 2017
when do you add the lemon and orange juice ? wish I hadn't measured everything out ! now i am stuck. :-(
 
testkitchenette
testkitchenette June 24, 2011
Remy, whoa, that was a big oversight on my part! Thank you for pointing that out! Bad recipe editing on my part. I have a version where I use almond meal...that what was intended to be shown here!
 
remygoldberg
remygoldberg June 24, 2011
unfortunately matzo meal is NOT gluten free.
 
Daniela E.
Daniela E. April 11, 2017
Actually, Yehuda makes a gluten free matzo meal. I bought it to make this recipe.
 
testkitchenette
testkitchenette March 26, 2011
Thanks, drbabs! I will be making your cocktail sauce at a gathering my mother is having at her house tomorrow for some visiting Brazilian Rotarians!
 
drbabs
drbabs March 26, 2011
How cool--I hope you all like it!
 
drbabs
drbabs March 26, 2011
I think I'm going to try this for Passover this year--thanks!