Serves: 8
Cost: ~€2.50 – €3.80 (depending on the eggs used)
Preparation and cooking time: ~70 minutes
Calories: ~215 per slice
Hi folks, I thought I’d share with you today a surprising discovery – a delightful recipe from almost 100 years ago! The very snappily named “Manual for home storage, pickling, fermentation and salting vegetables, with directions for making potato starch, fruit pastes, butters, etc“, first published in 1917 by the “National Emergency Food Garden Commission” dealt with all kinds of things related to war-time food preservation and usage of said preserved food.
One such technique it teaches in the book is how to make potato starch, and thus then lists several uses for your cache of potato starch. The recipe which caught the eye of my wife during her read-through of the book was actually the “Potato Starch Sponge Cake” – which incidentally happens to be gluten free and has no added fat. The original recipe calls for a little lemon, though I would recommend increasing this to turn it into a real lemon cake, as opposed to just a “faintly lemon-flavoured” cake. Preparation couldn’t be more simple though care must be taken when combining the beaten egg whites with the rest of the mixture. This cake owes its fluffy, airiness to your success when whisking the whites. If this step fails then I suspect the result may be a rather sorry-looking pancake!
I don’t tend to bake many gluten-free things. Fortunately, I’ve never needed to follow a gluten-free diet, and ultimately I’ve never really seen the point of just cutting gluten out for the sake of it, especially when you need to add in curiously-named things like “psyllium husk” as a gluten replacement. Seriously – doesn’t that sound like something you’d find in a movie about aliens?
Sir, sir – we’re on their mothership and we’ve made our way into the hatchery. The eggs seem to have all hatched, there’s psyllium husk all over the floor… dear God! <crash> <static>…
Anyway, this doesn’t have any funky-sounding stuff inside – we’re talking literally eggs, potato starch, sugar and lemon here. It can’t get more simple than this, and the result is a springy, fluffy, incredibly light cake. You should aim to eat the cake the same day as it will go dry, though storage in an air-tight container should help extend the life by a day or so. Alternatively, if you have dry cake left over, you could do what my wife did and make a delicious trifle with it!
The original recipe calls for baking in an angel-cake pan, or a “deep, narrow pan”. I unfortunately had neither, so just used my regular 22cm pan, though you should make sure the pan is quite deep as the cake will rise a lot! My photos aren’t ideal and don’t truly reflect how spongey and delicious this cake is. Photographing slices of cake isn’t my forte, but I hope you’ll decide to give it a go anyway – let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Gluten Free Lemon Sponge
Adapted from an original recipe here
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Ingredients
- 220g Sugar
- 150g Potato Starch
- 6 large Eggs
- Grated zest from 1 Lemon, and 2tbsps Juice
Instructions
- Start off by preheating your oven to 150 degrees Celsius. Separate the eggs and then whisk the yolks and sugar in a large bowl until pale yellow in colour.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff and dry in appearance. Fold half the whites carefully into the yolks, and fold in the remaining half when completely combined. Add in the lemon zest and juice and stir gently before sifting in the potato starch, stirring very gently as you sift it in to prevent clumping.
- Grease an angel-cake tin, if you have one. If not, use a deep, narrow tin, preferably with a removable bottom. Pour the mixture in and then place into the oven.
- Bake for 1 hour until the cake is well-risen and golden. The cake’s surface will be crispy, and when you stick a skewer into the cake you will see that it doesn’t quite come out cleanly – this is nothing to worry about. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 15 minutes or so.
- Remove from the tin and enjoy. Frost it if you wish, or top with cream and fresh fruit. I found it enjoyable to just eat it with powdered sugar on top.
Some gluten-free recipes are surprisingly simple with outstanding results.. I’m with you, I’ve no need to eat gluten-free but will try a recipe if it doesn’t have any of that strange sounding stuff added in. This is a pretty cake.. and so quick to bring together, I’ll be pinning this one:)
Thanks Barb – long time no see too! It’s a really simple cake, and fun to make… I always like whisking egg whites… it’s a very satisfying activity!
Great gluten free recipe- I’m bookmarking this for when I need a good gluten free recipe.
Thanks BA! 🙂
I enjoy reading gluten-free dessert posts for curiosity’s sake but won’t likely make it as I don’t have any other use for potato starch and can’t see myself making it from scratch. 🙂 Your lemon sponge cake is remarkably light and fluffy looking. I’d be happy to have a regular sponge cake that looks that good. That said I DID buy tapioca starch a few days ago to make Brazilian cheese bread but it wasn’t a dietary concern.
Incidentally, I HAVE used potato starch … to separate blood and serum proteins via starch gel electrophoresis when I used to work in a lab at the university.
Heh, I had no idea potato starch was used for such things! 😮
I have a huge bag of it… I saw it once in a store… a 1kg bag I think and my first thought was “omg, YES!”… and then I took it home and realised that I don’t actually use it that much. I’ve used half of it so far… not sure what else I can do with it, but this is a good use!
Potato starch, reagent grade, got so expensive over the years that I was working with it, that it got crazy.
http://goo.gl/50Gfgs
LOL, just edited your comment to run the link through a URL shortener… the original link completely broke my page layout! 😀
Charles! Saw this on twitter and on youtube. Looks wonderfully delicious- I really cannot believe it has zero fat zero gluten zero nasties- is that even cake?! Liek you, I have nothing against gluten, though I do like a recipe when it’s got none of the weird sounding gums and shitz added- and of course, looks as yum as this. I am not the best baker but this is one recipe I am going to save and do once I get a bit more time on my hands!
(p.s. and when I get that bit more time on my hands, I will also sort my paris photos and send you the gorgeous photos of your food and lovely Willie)
x
Haha, I laughed when I first read it and again now at your remark about the “weird sounding gums and shitz”, LOL! 😀 Thing is… I don’t care one bit if the “gums and shitz” are completely natural… they just sound disgusting. Seriously… I don’t want to make a cake with “gum” inside. That sounds way too funky.
Charles, this is one I’ll definitely be making very soon! I love lemon cakes, and this one has the added “bene” of being “interesting”!
Thanks Jean – Would have been a good one for your GF month – I think you’ll like this one… it’s incredibly good, and oh so light. You can at 3 slices without even realising it!
People during the war and the depression had to be so resourceful. I guess recipes like this allowed them to have something for dessert or afternoon tea even if they didn’t have the right rations. I’ve never thought of making a cake with potato starch and this does look like it would be very good in a trifle xx
Absolutely – that whole book is really interesting. I was reading about other things that happened and the government in England recommended people to eat rhubarb leaves as a way of getting more green leaves in their diet during rationing. Yikes! Sadly, it resulted in illness for a lot of people, and even the deaths of one or two small children :(… so sad!
We don’t need to keep gluten free either but I think I’d like to try this cake!
Definitely Maureen – it’s so light too… bit like eating air!
I love lemon desserts, this cake looks like such a treat!
That it was Laura, that it was! 🙂
I should be eating gluten free but I am not. Can’t bring myself to give up bread! This looks so light and airy, lovely! I love lemon sponges. The problem with most GF products is that they do dry up quick, that’s probably why all those weird things are added. I prefer this cake to any store bought. And trifle’s a great use!
Nazneen
Hi Nazneen! I can understand going GF if there’s a real, medical reason to do so but why is it such a “thing” at the moment, do you know? Everyone’s ditching gluten but I don’t know why… it’s delicious and makes for great bread and cakes!
I have a very similar recipe, although not made for a long time. The gluten intolerant brother in law is no longer on the scene!! Anyway, the recipe calls for potato starch or cornflour. I never had any potato starch to hand and always used cornflour with good results.
Nice – I wonder if they’re interchangeable… in fact I wonder if any GF flour can be chucked in… chestnut flour for example. It’s not as fine as potato starch or cornflour but it’s worth a try!
Oops forgot to mention that the recipe I use is called “Feather Cake”.
I never tried potato starch before in baking, looks like a very viable option. Got to try this one out
Hope you can Raymund! Do let me know if you do!
This does look like a beautiful, fluffy cake; and I couldn’t agree with you more about the added lemon. My brother has gone gluten free because it apparently affects your immune system so this cake will be perfect for the Thanksgiving weekend we spend with them. I may even do a sour cherry version so my brother can enjoy the cherry squares (remember my guest post from last year?). The potato starch is a very interesting substitution for flour; and I’m with you, the addition of the weird ingredients is not worth the trouble, not to mention the alien bits!
Hi Eva – I hope you’ll be able to try this… if there are a lot of you, you might want to make two because seriously – you can plough through 3 slices of this without even noticing, it’s that light! 😀
Charles, you’re hilarious! Love the mothership scenario…my personal favorite in the gluten-free hemisphere is xanthan gum (followed by guar gum). Though I think most will prefer your account ;-), psyllium husk actually has potent health benefits globally. Far from being inert, it is possibly the most effective natural fiber source on the planet and has been shown to both lower cholesterol and regulate blood sugar (so there may indeed be a point to these things even when you’re not gluten intolerant :)).
Your cake looks absolutely delightful Charles, and I’ve got some serious love for lemon so this sounds right up my happy alley. (I also think your slices look super – full of light and fluffy).
Interesting – I had no idea it was so great, I guess there is a reason people eat it after all indeed, although I should start a campaign to have it renamed.
Yikes, though – something the FDA wrote about it though: “Taking this product without adequate fluid may cause it to swell and block your throat or esophagus and may cause choking. Do not take this product if you have difficulty in swallowing. If you experience chest pain, vomiting, or difficulty in swallowing or breathing after taking this product, seek immediate medical attention”.
Ehm…. I suppose there’s downsides to almost every food, but I don’t fancy the risk of something ballooning up in my throat and choking me :s.
Haha! Yes, what people aren’t always aware of is that when you increase your fibre intake you have to also increase your water intake otherwise, ironically, you can end up causing further distress from the swelling action without a liquid source to move it along, as it were. When it comes to a fibre as potent as psyllium (I actually like the name – has a lovely ring, a little bit like ‘Celia’) it becomes even more important. It’s not really scarier than that though (a nutritionist would explain all that to you ;-)).
This cake looks so light that I bet it just melts in your mouth. I’ve never cooked with potato starch but you have definitely pique my curiosity. I love 100 year old recipes and this one looks like a real winner. Definitely will be buying some potato starch on my next visit to the market!
I hope you can MJ – It was so much fun to make, and indeed – I love cooking old recipes, it’s so much fun!
Lol! The snappy title of the book had me in stitches 🙂 But what an interesting cake which you have made look so light and fluffy I want to use it like a trampoline (whilst eating it of course). I bet it is utterly addictive. Infact, you have made my tummy rumble as it is that tired part of the day when a pick me up slice of cake would do wonders….. xx
Hi Anneli – definitely addictive, if only because it’s so light. You can eat multiple slices in a row without even realising it!
This looks wonderful! This doesn’t look gluten free and my friend who has on gluten free diet surely love it! I liked your video too. Well done!
Thanks Nipponnin – do let me know if you give it a try… glad you liked the video too 🙂
Ouffff… I have thought for a moment you went on a gluten-free diet (it’s so fashionable recently and even those who have no intolerance start eliminating gluten). The cake looks fabulously soft and tangy. I must prepare it next time a friend who is on such a diet comes to visit me.
Actually I have seen some regional potato cakes and even breads in an English cookery book recently! They were not labelled as gluten-free of course but just another kind of cakes.
Oh God no… I don’t understand this GF-craze sweeping the world… well, I think it’s mainly America isn’t it? Gluten is fabulous and it does wonderful things to bread and cakes. It’s been a part of baking for hundreds of years, makes no sense to me to suddenly decide to cut it out, and not even for a medical reason!
Sorry for crashing your page with the link I posted, Charles. I’m just not tech savvy enough to even consider that it could have happened or to post a shortened link in order to share the info re: price of reagent grade potato starch. All the best.
Ah no, don’t be – it didn’t crash anything per se… it just stretched faaaaar out to the right of the page, which made everything look funny 😀
Whew… that’s good to know. 🙂
I’m still amazed how tall and fluffy this gluten-free cake looks. My mom would have referred to the texture as looking like ‘pamuka’. I always thought the word was Romanian for ‘cotton’ but it turns out the word is of Turkish origin. Amazing how the language develops when you have so many nationalities living in close proximity and having to do business with each other on a daily basis, I guess.
It was surprisingly fluffy… I wasn’t expecting anything like it at all. Definitely something to make again 🙂
Is “pamuka” at least the Turkish word for ‘cotton’, or does it mean something completely different again? 😀
This lemon sponge cake looks delicious! So fluffy and well I really love citrus flavor in dessert, so I’d definitely enjoy this with a cup of tea. Now that we made a few videos, I appreciate your video even more (and time consuming to edit!). 🙂
Thanks Nami – it worked really well… definitely recommend it!
Re: the videos… oh yeah… now I have 71 videos, assuming I spent ~3 hours on editing, narrating and finishing each one, that’s 213 hours spent just on making the videos… yikes!! Almost 9 complete days!
Re: Pamuka = cotton
Yes, pamuka DOES mean cotton in Turkish. I had to fiddle with the spelling a bit when I checked Google Translate because I thought it was spelled p?muc?. It turns out the Romanian word for cotton is bumbac.
Of course my Romanian mother made baklava and crepes so I shouldn’t be surprised about the language/culinary cross-overs.
Wow – this sponge looks scrumptious! Love the small ingredient list too!
Thanks a lot Shashi – it’s very moreish!
This looks divine! I love anything with lemon
It totally rocks, doesn’t it?! 🙂
hehehe that can totally be at an alien movie!
I don’t bake gluten free except when I use oat flour which I love because I love oats. If I can find some potato starch I will definitely give this a go.
On a different naming note, don’t you think old cookbooks had terribly long names?
Mm, I never tried oat flour myself… I must look into it!
Crazy long names, yeah! They weren’t fans of making something sound “interesting” it seems 😀
This looks delicious and so simple! We can’t have gluten, dairy or sugar here. Do you think it would work with a non-refined sweetener like honey or maple syrup?
Hi Jessica, sorry I didn’t reply. You know, someone asked the same thing on my YouTube channel. I couldn’t say for certain I must admit, but I think it would probably be ok. It might be a little bit “heavier”, but it’s very light already so I don’t think it would be necessarily a bad thing!
Want to try this but conversion chats show different oz for 150grams
Could you convert this to ounces
for me
Hi Sandy. 150g is a little more than 5oz. Using 5oz should be fine, but you will get a more faithful conversion if you use a tiny bit more (5.25oz for example). Hope that helps!
Just have to share that this is my 12 year old son’s all-time favorite cake. He has requested it for his birthday 3 years running!
Sorry, just saw your comment now – I’ve been rather lax with working on this site… but that’s SO cool to hear, I’m so happy he enjoys it that much!
Hi. My dad has IBS so he has to adhere to a strict gf diet. Is there a substitute for the potato starch coz we don’t get it ere where I stay? Thanks. Your help will be much appreciated
Really couldn’t say for sure, but it’s super easy to make potato starch. Try it the next time you’re cooking with potatoes… this should help:
https://www.leaf.tv/articles/how-to-make-potato-starch/