Portuguese Sponge Cake (Pao De Lo)

 This is a delicious sponge cake.  There is no extra added fat other than what is in egg yolks.  It is light and yummy!  Perfect with jam or fresh fruit and cream.

Portuguese Sponge Cake (Pao De Lo)

Recipe Source: Food.com

Ingredients

9 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

lemon zest (optional) or orange zest (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F Grease and parchment paper line a 10 inch tube pan, set aside.

Beat the eggs with the salt until light. Gradually beat in the sugar at medium speed and beat for at least 20 minutes, or until (add rind if using). At low speed, add the flour mixture to the eggs one heaping tablespoon at a time, blending well after each addition, and scraping down the sides of the bowl when necessary.

Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted comes out clean (cake will spring back to a light touch). My cake took a little bit longer. Definitely do the toothpick test.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and peel off parchment paper. Let cool completely on rack. Dust with icing sugar before serving if desired.

Chocolate Chunk Kugelhopf Pound Cake

 

A traditional Kugelhopf is made with yeast.   The Kugelhopf is a coffee bread or cake, and it's commonly associated with Germany.  Although the Austrians, French, Swiss, Pole, Greek, Italian and Arab countries have their versions as well.  This is a non-traditional one that I made in the Kugelhopf pan using a luscious pound cake recipe that has been in my family for generations.  Enjoy.
  
Chocolate Chunk Kugelhopf Pound Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease your pan with shortening, then spray release and flour, tap out excess flour

2 sticks room temperature unsalted butter (soften)
2 cups sugar
4 extra large eggs room temperature
3 cups cake flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup full fat heavy cream with 1 tsp. lemon juice added (room temperature)
zest of one orange
1/2 cup chocolate chips or chocolate chunks

Cream your sugar and butter until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at at time and beat well.  Mix all dry ingredients in separate bowl; flour, salt and soda.  Add your extracts to your cream mixture and continue to beat.  Alternating; add flour and then cream in 3 additions.  When mixed well, add orange zest, chocolate chips and mix well.

Spoon into prepared pan and place on cookie sheet.  Bake approx. 70 minutes.  Keep a close eye and do the toothpick test.  After cooling in pan for 30 minutes, flip over onto plate.  Let cool before serving.  Covered well, keeps for a few days.  Delicious with coffee, afternoon tea or a late night snack or breakfast treat.  

Old Fashion Chocolate Cake

My Mama had this recipe since I was a kid, and I haven't been a kid for a long time, so this is pretty old.  Not a dark chocolate cake, but moist and delicious.  Please, have with a cold glass of milk.  My Mama never made frosting for this cake, but just added a thick dusting of powder sugar.  This cake taste better with age.  So make one day ahead if you can hold out, and eat the next day. 

Old Fashion Chocolate Cake

2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt
2 sticks unsalted butter room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter milk (room temperature)
1/2 very hot coffee
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour a 9 x 13 cake pan. In a bowl mix flour, baking soda and pinch salt with a whisk. Set aside. 

Heat coffee until very hot.  Remove from heat source and add 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels.  Mix with spoon to melt chocolate completely.

In mixer beat butter with sugars until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, continue to beat until creamy and fluffy.  On low speed slowly add chocolate/coffee mixture to creamed butter mixture.  Mix well.  Add flour and buttermilk, alternating in 2 batches. Add vanilla.  Mix well.  When batter is thoroughly mixed pour into prepared pan.  Bake for about 35-45 minutes.  Use a tooth pick to test for doneness.  I have baked this cake in a different ovens and it took up to 55 minutes.  So toothpick is recommended.