Chocolate Sponge Cake with Raspberry Puree

Happy 1 year anniversary! Here's to another year of favorite recipes!

I've never made a sponge cake before but have always wanted to try. I found this online while looking for Valentine's Day dessert ideas. It has very few ingredients, but takes a little work. It turned out beautiful! It's very light and fluffy, almost mousse like. It's very impressive looking and tastes good too. Don't forget the raspberry sauce!

Chocolate Sponge Cake with Raspberry Puree

joyofbaking.com
Cake
1/4 cup plus 2 TBSPs sugar
6 eggs, separated
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 ounces (about 2/3 cup) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, melted
3/4 tsp cream of tartar
Filling
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 TBSP sugar
Raspberry Puree
1 bag (12oz) frozen raspberries(unsweetened)
1/4 cup sugar

Chocolate Sponge Cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter, or spray with Pam, a 17 inch by 12 inch jelly roll pan. Line the pan with parchment paper and then butter and flour the paper (or spray with Baker's Joy). Set aside.
2. While the eggs are still cold, separate the eggs, placing the whites in one bowl and the yolks in another. Cover with plastic wrap and bring to room temperature before using (takes about 30 minutes).
3. In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer) place the egg yolks and 1/4 cup of sugar and beat until this mixture is light and fluffy (about five minutes).(When you slowly raise the beaters, the batter will fall back into the bowl in a slow ribbon.) Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the melted chocolate and beat only to combine. Set aside while you beat the egg whites.
4. In a clean mixing bowl, with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat at medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar until stiff peaks form.
5. Gently fold a small amount of the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture using a rubber spatula or whisk to lighten the batter. Fold in the remaining whites just until incorporated. Don't over mix or the batter will deflate.
6. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan with an offset spatula. Bake until the cake is puffed, has lost its shine, and springs back when gently pressed, about 15-17 minutes. Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool. Cover the cake with a clean, slightly damp towel.

Whipped Cream:
In a large mixing bowl place the whipping cream, vanilla extract, and sugar. Beat the mixture until stiff peaks form.
Once the cake has cooled, spread with the whipped cream and gently roll the cake, peeling off the parchment paper as you roll. Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Raspberry Puree:
Thaw the unsweetened frozen raspberries in a large fine meshed strainer suspended over a large bowl. (This may take a few hours.) Once the berries have completely thawed, force the juice from the berries by gently pressing the berries with the back of a large spoon. All that should remain in the strainer is the raspberry seeds. Throw away the raspberry seeds. Stir the sugar into the strained juice (add more if needed). Store covered in the refrigerator up to a week, or freeze up to a year. Drizzle over cake when serving.