Cake week started yesterday in class and my primary duty was making Le Génoise, or sponge cake. And there was definitely something amok with my sponge cake. This happens to be a line from the movie Two Weeks Notice with Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant, that I completely adore due to it’s semi-mindless-but-nonetheless-brilliant humor.
But back to the dreadful sponge cake… it rose with reasonable height in the oven, browned as it should, and actually looked quite nice until I removed it from the pan. The top third was light, airy and golden brown. The rest of the cake, however, was dense and totally egg-ridden with the consistency of the sole of your favorite pair of Tevas. Amok. To be sure.
And looking back over the recipe I realized at least one rookie mistake: in my haste I misread 12 ounces of whole eggs as 12 whole eggs (which would likely be fairly close) and 6 ounces of yolks as 6 yolks. Six ounces of yolks is closer to ten or twelve yolks than six. Big oops!
But the upside is that I’ll get to go in early today and give this sponge cake another crack. And then the fun begins of assembling all the various cake preparations and icings we made yesterday.
So I’m off. And hopefully there will be nothing amok with this sponge cake…
It’s amazing how easily these mistakes can be done – I for one have made similar errors far too many times than is forgivable. Lovely photos at the very least
You’re right, Lucy! Live and learn
Glad you enjoyed the pics, and thanks for stopping by!
Oh dear! It worked out in the end though??
Yes, with a re-do
Just went in a little early the next day to make it again… much better. And the bad one was still good for icing practice. Or for a frisbee. 
LOL!
I love those yolks, they look like a flower! Glad to hear I’m not the only one who occasionally gets bitten for having skimmed the recipe too quickly….
Oh, yes! Haste makes…
Glad you liked the yolks too- tough they were kind of pretty somehow.
Heh heh, I’m not fussy! I’d still eat both given a chance!!!
You’re sweet, but I’m not so sure on this one
Really was frisbee-esque!
Hahaha! Not laughing at you, just laughing with you. I’ve done this! So sorry, but I bet your next cake will be perfect.
I love others laughing with me
Round two was definitely an improvement 
Cake Week 2012!!!
: ) And I didn’t even bring any home
Maybe we can do a pizza crust and cake day soon 
ahhh.. Yes. Sponge cakes are tricky business! I’ve had my share of sponge cake failures! But mistakes are great because you learn from them anyways! hehe.. Took me a couple sponge failures to be somewhat… decent? hahaha..
I’m sure your sponge cakes are better than decent!
Definitely a live and learn. Slow down, Deb… read the recipe, hehe 
Whoops! That’s an easy mistake to make, especially when you are anxious to see the final product! Take two!!