Recipe: Vanilla Sponge Cake

Vanilla Sponge Cake
Source: Southern Living

1 c Cake flour; sifted
1/2 c Sugar; divided
4 Egg yolks
1/2 ts Vanilla extract
10 Egg whites
1 ts Cream of tartar
1/2 ts Salt
3/4 c Sugar
1/2 ts Vanilla extract

Sift flour and 1/2 cup sugar together 3 times; set aside. Beat egg yolks at high speed of an electric mixer 4 minutes or until thick and lemon colored. Add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract; beat at medium speed an additional 5 minutes or until thick. Set aside. Beat egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt; beat until soft peaks form. Add 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time; continue beating until stiff peaks form. Sprinkle one-fourth of flour mixture over egg whites; gently fold it in. Repeat procedure with remaining flour, adding one-fourth of the mixture at a time. Fold 1/2 teaspoon vanilla into the egg white mixture. Gently fold beaten egg yolks into egg white mixture. Pour the mixture into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Invert pan carefully. Let cake cool in pan 40 minutes. Loosen cake from sides of one 10-inch cake.