You catch the smell through the steam vent and suddenly you are starving. There's just something about that warm scent that pulls you over to the kitchen. You remember those cozy mornings when sponge cake was always part of the table, kinda soft and comforting.
It works real good for Passover cause it's so light but still moist and tender. You get the zest from lemon and a splash of orange juice that kinda brighten up each bite. It's not your everyday heavy cake, you know.
Making it in a pressure cooker is a game changer. You get this nice broth depth of heat that bakes the cake evenly without drying it out. You gotta listen for that valve hiss and then let it do a natural release before opening. Those steam cues are your friends here, seriously.
The Real Reasons You Will Love This Method
- Fast baking with pressure means your sponge cake is ready way quicker than the oven.
- Pressure keeps the cake super moist so you get a tender pull every time you slice.
- No hot oven heating your kitchen when it's already a hot day.
- Easy cleanup since you only use one pot for most of this.
- The steam inside acts like an extra layer of love, keeping your cake fluffy.
- You can multitask while it's cooking without worrying about it drying out.
What Goes Into the Pot Today
- 9 large eggs (separated yolks and whites)
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon (reserve 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon juice)
- 250 grams sugar divided (about 1¼ cups)
- 63 grams Passover cake meal (½ cup)
- 95 grams potato starch (½ cup)
- ¼ teaspoon table salt or fine sea salt
- 62 grams orange juice at room temperature (¼ cup)
- A bit of grease and flour for your tube or bundt pan
- Toothpick for testing doneness
- Pressure cooker with rack
Each ingredient plays a part in creating that perfect crumb. The lemon and orange juices add brightness while the cake meal and potato starch replace regular flour nicely for Passover needs. Eggs give it volume and lift up that batter so you get a beautiful rise once pressure cooking starts.
Walking Through Every Single Move
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F. K, I know we're pressure cooking but you wanna prep the pan first, and sometimes you finish the cake in the oven if ya need. Grease and flour your tube or bundt pan so the cake doesn't stick.
Separate your 9 eggs into two bowls. In the yolk bowl, use half the sugar, about 125 grams, and whisk it with yolks until the mix is pale and kinda fluffy. Add the lemon zest, reserved lemon juice, and orange juice then blend it all together real good.
Mix together your dry ingredients in another bowl: the cake meal, potato starch, and salt. Slowly stir that into your yolk mixture just till combined. Don't overdo it or your cake might get dense.
Beat egg whites with a mixer until soft peaks form. Then add the rest of the sugar bit by bit and keep beating till stiff and glossy peaks show. This is key to keeping your cake airy.
Gently fold the egg whites into the batter in three parts. Be careful not to push all the air out here, so use a folding motion that keeps those bubbles alive. Pour the batter into your prepared pan and give it a little shake to even everything out.
Place the pan on the rack inside your pressure cooker. Add enough water so it won't touch the pan but gives you that perfect broth depth. Seal the lid, turn heat on high till you hear the valve hiss. Then reduce to low and cook for 30 minutes. Let it come down with a natural release before you open the lid and pull out your cake.
Time Savers That Actually Work
- Pre-separate eggs the night before and keep them in covered bowls. Saves time and stress for your bake day.
- Use room temp juices so your batter mixes smoothly without clumps.
- Grease and flour your pan ahead and keep ready to pour the batter right in without waiting.
These small tricks let you get the batter in the pot fast so you can focus on the waiting and the sweet smells filling your kitchen.
Your First Taste After the Wait
When you finally slice into that cake you notice the tender pull on your fork, kinda soft with that moist crumb. It feels lighter than regular cakes, and the citrus notes kinda dance on your tongue.
The crust is thin with just a little chew, a perfect contrast to the fluffy inside. You feel the gentle sweetness and refreshing lemon-orange flavor that makes this cake a perfect Passover treat.
Each bite reminds you it's not just cake, it's a neat balance of softness and brightness that's kinda hard to find in other recipes. You'll wanna make this one a regular in your holiday rotation.
How to Store This for Later
Wrap leftovers tightly in plastic wrap and keep at room temp if you plan to eat within 2 days. This keeps your cake moist and soft just like fresh out of the cooker.
For longer storage, put the wrapped cake in an airtight container and stash it in the fridge. It'll stay good about 5 days but comes out better if you let it warm at room temp before serving.
You can also slice and freeze the cake in a zip-top bag for up to a month. Thaw slices overnight in the fridge or on the counter to enjoy that same tender pull you love.
What People Always Ask Me
- Can I use regular flour instead of cake meal and starch? You probably could but then it wouldn't be Passover friendly. The combo helps keep it light and fluffy without gluten.
- Is it okay if I don't have orange juice? You can skip it but it adds a nice citrus balance to the lemon. Using just lemon juice works too but the flavor might be a bit sharper.
- What if my egg whites don't get stiff? Sometimes that happens if they're old or if the bowl has any grease. Make sure it's clean and dry, and your whites are fresh cold eggs.
- Can I double this recipe? You can, just use a bigger pan and cook a bit longer. Watch that valve hiss and don't rush the natural release.
- Do I have to bake the cake after the pressure cooker part? Not usually, but sometimes a quick 5-10 minutes in the oven can firm the crust if you want.
- Why does the cake sometimes sink a little? Opening the valve early or over-mixing the batter can cause it. You gotta wait for natural release and fold carefully.
Passover Sponge Cake Recipe You Gonna Love
Equipment
- 1 Pressure cooker with rack
- 1 Tube or bundt pan
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 9 Eggs large, separated yolks and whites
- 1 Lemon zest and juice, reserve 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon juice
- 250 grams Sugar divided, about 1¼ cups
- 63 grams Passover cake meal ½ cup
- 95 grams Potato starch ½ cup
- ¼ teaspoon Salt table salt or fine sea salt
- 62 grams Orange juice at room temperature, ¼ cup
- Grease and flour for your tube or bundt pan
- 1 Toothpick for testing doneness
Instructions
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour your tube or bundt pan.
- Separate your 9 eggs into two bowls.
- In the yolk bowl, use half the sugar, about 125 grams, and whisk with yolks until pale and fluffy.
- Add the lemon zest, reserved lemon juice, and orange juice to the yolk mixture and blend well.
- Mix the cake meal, potato starch, and salt. Stir into yolk mixture just till combined.
- Beat egg whites with a mixer until soft peaks form.
- Add the remaining sugar gradually to the egg whites and beat till stiff and glossy peaks form.
- Gently fold egg whites into batter in three parts.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and shake to even the batter.
- Place pan on rack inside pressure cooker, add enough water to avoid touching the pan.
- Seal the lid, cook on high heat until valve hisses, then reduce to low and cook for 30 minutes.
- Let it naturally release before opening the lid, then remove your cake.
