Serves8
- Active time:35 min
- Start to finish:2 hr (includes cooling)
April 2006
Concord-grape winea traditional part of the Passover feastgives this delightful spongecake a fruity, almost floral note.
For cake
-
1/2
cup
matzo cake meal
-
1/2
cup
potato starch
-
1/4
teaspoon
salt
-
2/3
cup
medium-dry Concord-grape wine
-
3
tablespoons
fresh lemon juice
-
6
large eggs, separated, at room temperature for 30 minutes
-
1 1/2
teaspoons
finely grated fresh lemon zest (see Tips)
-
1 1/4
cups
granulated sugar
For strawberries
-
2
lb strawberries (2 qt.), trimmed and quartered (6 cups)
-
1/4
cup
medium-dry Concord-grape wine
-
4
teaspoons
granulated sugar
Make cake:
-
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
-
Whisk together matzo cake meal, potato starch, and salt in a bowl. Stir together wine and lemon juice in another bowl or a glass measure.
-
Beat yolks in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until smooth, then add zest. Add 1 cup sugar gradually, beating, and beat until mixture is very thick and pale, 2 to 3 minutes.
-
With mixer at low speed, add half of matzo cake meal mixture to yolks, then all of wine mixture. Add remaining matzo meal mixture, mixing until just combined.
-
Beat whites with a pinch of salt in another bowl with cleaned beaters at medium speed until they hold soft peaks. Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar a little at a time, beating, and beat until whites just hold stiff peaks. Fold one fourth of whites into yolk mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.
-
Pour batter into ungreased tube pan and rap pan firmly three times on work surface to eliminate any large air bubbles.
-
Bake spongecake until top is golden and springs back when it is pressed gently, 35 to 40 minutes. Immediately turn pan upside down on a rack and cool completely, about 1 hour. Run a knife around inner and outer edges of cake to loosen, then remove from pan.
Macerate strawberries:
-
While cake cools, gently stir together strawberries, wine, and sugar until sugar is dissolved, then let stand at least 30 minutes.
-
Dust cake with
Passover confectioners sugar and serve with strawberries.
Cooks’ notes: - Cake can be made 1 day ahead, cooled and removed from pan, then kept, covered with foil, at room temperature.
- If you can't find matzo cake meal, finely grind regular matzo meal in a blender or coffee/spice grinder.