Makes 12 servings.
Light, spongy, and delicious, this cake keeps well refrigerated or frozen. I serve it plain or with berries or sorbet.
INGREDIENTS:
5 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
¾ cup sugar
½ cup extra dry light sherry
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus ¾ tablespoon for greasing the pan
Grated lemon zest from 1 lemon
1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons for dusting the pan.
2-3 tablespoons confectioners sugar for dusting the cake.
PREPARATION:
Brush well with oil a 12 cup Bundt pan. Dust with flour, invert and tap to remove excess flour.
Preheat the oven to 325 F.
Beat the egg yolks in the bowl of an electric stand mixer using a balloon whisk attachment, at medium speed, adding sugar gradually, until pale and bubbly, about 4 minutes.
Whisk in gradually the sherry and oil. With a large rubber spatula add the lemon zest and gradually the flour, combining well.
Beat egg whites, at high speed until stiff.
With a rubber spatula fold half of the whites into the batter. Then the rest of the whites. Gradually fold the batters together making a motion like a figure 8 until all the whites have disappeared.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 minutes, or until the cake is golden and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack. It will fall a bit.
Release the edges and transfer to a serving plate. Dust with confectioners sugar.
NOTE:
To make this cake quicker, you can bake it in a parchment lined rectangular pan (9x13) for 35 minutes.
