I’ve been in the kitchen again, baking a batch of delicate vanilla almond sponge cakes.
The warm scent of vanilla bean and almonds filled the room as I worked.
This project was inspired by a drawing my daughter Quill made for me on Mother’s Day. She packed the illustration with everything sweet and bakery-related, exactly what I love.
The picture made me nostalgic for childhood memories of watching the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and humming the Candy Man tune.
I was particularly taken with the little muffin-shaped hat the character wore and decided to recreate that cozy, petite cake.
These needed to be light, airy, and uncomplicated—perfect candidates for a sponge cake.
Begin by whipping the egg whites with a little cream of tartar until soft peaks form, then set them aside in a large bowl.
In another bowl whisk together blanched almond flour, cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the egg yolks, milk, and vanilla bean paste and mix until smooth.
Gently fold this batter into the whipped egg whites, taking care not to deflate the mixture.
The combined batter should be light, slightly frothy, and a bit thin.
Fill paper liners about three-quarters full with batter.
Bake at 350°F for roughly 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
I like topping each warm cake with a single freeze-dried raspberry—no artificial colors, no added sugar. Maraschino cherries or small candies work well too if you prefer.
Lightly press a raspberry into the top of each cake as soon as they come out of the oven; it will adhere as the cake cools.
My batch made 14 cakes. Since my muffin pan holds only 12, I lined two small custard cups with parchment for the last cakes—they baked beautifully. Trim the paper after filling for a tidy finish.
A small sponge cake with a few sweet candies makes a charming Valentine’s Day treat or a simple afternoon indulgence.
These little cakes brought back memories of candy treats and classic movie moments—fun to bake and even more fun to share.
Enjoy!
- 3 large eggs, separated
- 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
- 1/2 c. blanched almond flour
- 1/2 c. cake flour
- 1/2 c. granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt
- 1/2 c. milk
- 1 T. vanilla bean paste
- Freeze dried raspberries (maraschino cherries or small candies work too)
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners.
- Place egg whites and cream of tartar in a mixer and beat on high until soft peaks form. Transfer the whipped egg whites to a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In the mixer bowl, add the egg yolks, milk, and vanilla bean paste and mix on medium for about three minutes. Pour this mixture into the bowl with the whipped egg whites and gently fold until combined.
- Fill the lined muffin cups three-quarters full. Bake 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and immediately press a freeze-dried raspberry onto each cake. Allow to cool before serving.