Vietnamese Vanilla Sponge Cake (Bánh Bông Lan)

• servings: 1 serving
• active time: 25 minutes
• total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

5 large eggs (separate yolks and whites and bring to room temperature)

1/2 cup granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla paste

1/4 cup whole milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Powdered sugar (optional; for dusting)

Directions

Preheat

Set oven to 350°F.

Whisk and combine

Whisk together egg yolks, sugar and vanilla. Add oil and milk and whisk until combined.

Sift dry ingredients

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to the egg mixture. Mix until all batter is evenly incorporated. Set aside.

Make the meringue

Use either a hand mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment to whip the egg whites and cream of tartar. Start on the medium low setting then gradually increase speed until egg whites become frothy. Continue whisking until you get stiff peaks.

Add meringue a third at a time to the batter

Incorporate the meringue slowly with a folding motion. Avoid overmixing as that will deflate the meringue.

Prepare the pan

Coat a 10-inch cake pan with a non-stick baking spray and cover bottom and sides with parchment paper.

Add batter

Pour batter into pan and even out the top. Give the pan a gentle drop to release any air bubbles. Place the pan into a larger pan that will function as a water bath. Fill the water bath pan 1-inch with water and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Check for doneness

Insert a long skewer into the center of the cake. When it comes out clean, cake is done. Turn off the oven and open the oven door to allow the cake to cool down gradually. Otherwise, cake will deflate rapidly.

Remove cake and serve

Once cooled, gently tilt the cake pan to its side to release the cake. Peel off the parchment paper around the cake and the bottom. Transfer cake to a serving platter and lightly dust with powdered sugar (optional).