Dessert

Passover Sponge Cake

Meat/Dairy Pareve

Time > 60 Minutes

Difficulty Intermediate

Health & Allergies Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free

Ingredients

7 eggs, separated
1 whole egg
1 cup potato starch, sifted twice
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 1/2 cups sugar

Directions

Separate eggs. Add the whole egg to yolks, then beat whites until stiff gradually adding sugar. Set aside.
In separate bowl, beat yolks. Add lemon juice. Gently fold yolks into whites. Gradually fold potato starch into batter.
Pour into ungreased tube pan and bake at 350 for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Invert cake to cool.

Excerpted from Spice and Spirit, The Complete Kosher Jewish Cookbook, published by Lubavitch Women's Cookbook Publications

Note: All processed foods used for kosher cooking must bear kosher certification, leafy greens and other veggies must be checked for infestations, and all cooking must be done on kosher utensils, with meat and dairy kept separate.

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58 Comments

Sara April 14, 2022

When cooking it does it deflates? Reply

Hadassag April 5, 2023

in response to Sara :

I dont know Reply

Yehudis Esther August 22, 2019

When to add sugar? Tried making this, but noticed one step missing: when are you supposed to add the sugar?
Did anyone else find it way too sweet?
The way we made it, it ended up clumping at the bottom.
Any tips or recipe corrections would be super appreciated
Thanks so much! Reply

Anonymous NORTH PLAINFIELD August 23, 2019

in response to Yehudis Esther :

Add the sugar to the beaten egg yolks. You need to make sure the egg yolks are extremely well beaten, almost a lemon yellow, before adding the sugar. Then add the zest and juice, then the potato starch. FInally, gently (but completely) fold in the stiffly-whipped egg whites. Reply

Anonymous Stephens October 4, 2017

umm......it tastes like playdoh
so, for that i used honey and it was really yummy
but, it felt like cardboard,hard and powdery
What should I do? Reply

Marsha Sumal New Brunswick April 18, 2017

I love dry cakes. Mom always served some fresh fruit with it. Reply

Sharon Matten Chicago April 9, 2017

Outstanding! I added a little bit of lemon zest as well and the came came out beautifully. Thanks for this great recipe. Reply

Phyllis April 8, 2017

are there any Passover sponge cake recipies that do not use potato starch? Reply

Anonymous NY April 19, 2019

in response to Phyllis:

Yes, you can use matzoh cake meal. However, if you are very observant, you cannot because it is gebrochts. If like me, you eat matzoh brei during Pesach, then you are fine to use matzoh cake meal. Reply

Anonymous North Plainfield April 23, 2019

in response to Anonymous:

I thought the recipes that use cake meal use a portion of potato starch as well????

One presumes that some other starches might be substitutable (tapioca starch, for example)? Reply

Anonymous April 23, 2019

in response to Anonymous:

The Passover lemon sponge cake I make does not use any starch, just matzoh cake meal, sugar, OJ, lemon juice, rinds of orange and lemon, salt, and eggs. Reply

Eileen Bucks county,pa March 28, 2021

in response to Anonymous:

What’s your recipe ? That sounds delicious
Thanks Reply

Stella uk April 27, 2015

Just my view I do not eat cakes, since they have that which is not natural for the body to consume i.e. eggs.

I often wonder when food is heated, it is killed. Therefore can dead food really feed the body?

Eggs cause High Blood Pressure besides other diseases.

Peace to all - no offense intended, just my view. Reply

Leah Lederman April 14, 2020

in response to Stella:

Thank you That’s interesting. How nice of you to share your opinion. Reply

Tara Mission March 29, 2021

in response to Stella:

Actually science says eating eggs can help reduce high blood pressure do to peptides. And the cholesterol in eggs does not raise your cholesterol. As someone who raises chickens and ducks I end up with tons of eggs in the spring and summer so I eat a lot more . My day starts at 5 am and I usually am not done my chores till 8 pm this time of year with a lot of physical work . I seem to do better then kids half my age. I contribute that to Hashems blessing of the all natural foods I have here Reply

Anonymous North Plainfield April 26, 2015

Potato Starch, Cake Meal Ellen: this recipe does not use ANY cake meal. There are Passover sponge cake recipes that do. One reason to not use cake meal is if one wants the cake to be gluten-free; another is if you practice non-gebrokts.

Angela: not sure if Bob's Red Mill is kosher for Passover or not (IIRC it's all right the rest of the year). Reply

Ellen M Burnstein Alexandria April 24, 2019

in response to Anonymous:

Then this cake is not for me. My grandmother made the best Passover sponge cake there is and I know she used cake meal. Thanks for your reply. Reply

Ilene Ny May 5, 2021

in response to Ellen M Burnstein:

What is the recipe with cake meal-my mother used to make it and I only remember 6 eggs separated Reply

Angela Massachusetts April 1, 2015

Potato Starch My grocery store had Bob's Red Mill potato starch in the section with vegan, gluten free foods. Reply

Marsha March 29, 2015

Ellen: Perhaps this recipe only uses the potato starch making it more like a chiffon cake..... Reply

Ellen M Burnstein March 27, 2015

Passover Songe Cake Recipe In the list of ingredients there is no mention of cake meal anywhere. I have no idea how much to use per the amount of potato starch and eggs given. I am guessing 1/2 cup. Please would someone let me know the amount? Thank you. Reply

Betty Durmeier March 17, 2013

Where can a person buy potato starch?/ When amt. called for is small, I used instant potato.,,and it worked Reply

Chabad.org Staff March 17, 2013

You should be able to freeze the sponge cake. Reply

Lesley london March 17, 2013

can I freeze the passover sponge cake (plava)? Reply

Lynne Montreal March 12, 2018

in response to Lesley:

Can I freeze Passover sponge cake? Thank you Can I freeze Passover sponge cake, thank you Reply

Beverly marsh Westport, Ct. via chabadofwestport.com April 23, 2012

Stevia Stevia is very sweet; use less. I got used to it after a time. Reply

Anonymous Sherwood Park April 22, 2012

RE: Passover Sponge Cake I am insulin-dependent-diabetic ... I quit using sugar a long time ago ... would NEVER use Splenda or Equal or any other artificial sweetner, but I also find Stevia to be tooooo sweet (reminds me of that old Sacrine stuff) ... IS HONEY OK TO USE IN THIS RECIPE? WOULD IT WORK? Reply

Jay Simpson April 17, 2025

in response to Anonymous:

You can use OJ, or any type of fruit juice. Reply

Beverly Marshall Westport, Ct. via chabadofwestport.com April 19, 2012

Splenda Most medical professionals do not know a lot about natural products; nor do they have a lot of knowledge about nutrition---drugs, yes! You asked the wrong person. Reply

Anonymous North Plainfield, NJ April 19, 2012

Splenda v. Stevia Splenda is made in a factory. Stevia comes from a plant. For some folk, that's the crucial difference. Reply

Faygel Kingston, NY USA via chabadulstercounty.org April 18, 2012

Re: Splenda What makes Stevia good and Splenda poison!
You might be a nutritionist however I, personally, think you are mistaken. Members in the medical field are not in agreement. Reply

Bev Marshall clinical nutritionist WeStport, Ct . via chabadofwestport.com April 16, 2012

Sugar

Sugar is poison

Splenda is poison

Stevia good Reply

Passover Sponge Cake

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