Genoise

Recipe View Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8-inch round cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper, and grease the paper as well. Lightly flour the pan and paper. (5 minutes)

Recipe View Sift together the cake flour, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, and salt onto a piece of parchment paper or wax paper. This ensures a light and even distribution of the dry ingredients. (3 minutes)

Recipe View Place the eggs into a mixing bowl set over a saucepan of simmering (not boiling) water, creating a bain-marie. Add the 1/2 cup of granulated sugar to the eggs and whisk constantly until the mixture feels warm to the touch, about body temperature (around 100-110°F or 38-43°C). Be careful not to overheat the eggs. (8-10 minutes)

Recipe View Remove the bowl from the heat and place it onto a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until the mixture becomes pale yellow in color and forms a thick ribbon when the whisk is lifted. The ribbon should fall back into the bowl and hold its shape for a few seconds. Stir in the vanilla extract. (5-7 minutes)

Recipe View Gently fold in the sifted flour mixture in three additions. Use a large rubber spatula and be careful not to deflate the egg mixture. Fold until just combined, ensuring no streaks of flour remain. (5 minutes)

Recipe View Take about 1 cup of the batter and gently fold it into the bowl containing the melted butter. This helps to temper the butter and prevent it from sinking to the bottom of the cake. (3 minutes)

Recipe View Pour the butter-batter mixture back into the main batter and fold gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. (2 minutes)

Recipe View Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. (1 minute)

Recipe View Immediately bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 25-30 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (25-30 minutes)

Recipe View Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Then, invert it onto the rack to cool completely. It is best to invert it again onto another rack so that it cools with the top up. This prevents the cake from becoming soggy. (2 hours)