Thread by @lifesafeast

I promised you the recipe for my Lemon Sponge Cake that I used to make my Lemon Mousse Charlotte. It's a variation on my vanilla sponge, chocolate sponge, and the chocolate orange sponge cake recipes.

This one is lemon.

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For the Charlotte, bake this in 2 jelly roll pans.

But this can also be baked in an ungreased 10-inch tube pan for 55 - 60 minutes until risen, golden brown and completely set (test by pressing on the top of the cake near the center tube; it should feel firm & set,

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rather like a marshmallow, not foamy).

INGREDIENTS

6 eggs, separated
Zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ¼ cup (250 grams) sugar, divided
Juice of 1 lemon (about ¼ cup / 62 ml) + water to make ½ cup (125 ml) total liquid
1 ¼ cups (160 grams) flour

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Preheat the oven to 325°F (170°C).

Lightly butter 2 jellyroll (15 x 10 x 1-inch) pans/baking sheets, line with parchment paper and lightly butter the parchment.

Separate the eggs. Put the whites in a very clean bowl, preferably plastic or metal, add a drop or two of

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lemon juice & a few grains of salt to stabilize the whites & set aside.

Place the yolks & 1 cup (200 grams) of the sugar in a large mixing bowl & beat on high speed for about 5 minutes until thick & creamy, pale & doubled in volume.

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Add the vanilla & the lemon zest and beat to combine.

With the mixer on low speed, beat the flour into the batter in three additions alternating with the lemon juice/water in two. Give the final mixture one good spin to make sure it is thick and blended.

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With very clean beaters, beat the egg whites on high speed until foamy & starting to turn opaque. Continue beating while gradually adding the remaining ¼ cup (50 grams) sugar until you have stiff peaks.

Using a spatula, gently fold in about a third of the whites into

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the cake batter to lighten it. Then gently fold in the rest of the whites in two additions until all the whites are folded in and it is well blended (no chunks of whites remaining).

Divide the batter evenly between the 2 prepared jellyroll pans/baking sheets & gently

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spread until smooth & even.

Bake the cakes for about 15 minutes until the cake is golden brown & set.

Remove from the oven & slide the parchment off of the hot pan & onto a table or work surface & allow to cool completely.

This is when to prepare

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the Lemon Mousse or another filling for the charlotte.