The only recipe for homemade baking that I know by heart, although I love baking very much, know how to do it, and bake something at home almost every week. I can't say when or where it appeared in our family, but definitely before me. So it's at least fifty years old, and how many times it's been made over that time!
For the sponge cake batter, you'll need:
- 4 eggs;
- a third of a cup of starch;
- two-thirds of a cup of flour (a regular large mug of about 250-300 ml will do, or you can use an American cup—it's not critical);
- a cup of sugar (you can use less, but not less than half);
- 4 medium-sized apples.
These are the main and necessary ingredients. I often use vanilla, cinnamon, and cardamom as well.
Just beat the egg whites with sugar until stiff peaks form, add the yolks, flour with starch, mix everything together (the same whisk that beat the whites will do just fine). You can also add a little ground cardamom and vanilla to the batter.
In a detachable tin about 26 cm in diameter (I have a ring-shaped one—it just so happened historically that Charlotte is made in such a mold at our house), greased with butter, cut the apples—it's better to use sour and firm varieties, but it will be tasty with any. Optionally sprinkle with cinnamon on top, pour the batter, and place in a preheated oven at 160℃ / 320 °F for 40 minutes. Check for doneness with a wooden skewer—if it comes out of the sponge cake dry, it's done.
Good luck! And enjoy your meal!
