Japanese sponge cake

To make Japanese sponge cakes, start by mixing the egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl. I like to add the sugar little by little to achieve better integration.

Next, melt the butter in the microwave and add it to the egg yolk and sugar mixture along with the milk and vanilla extract.

Mix the flour and cornstarch separately and then sieve into the above mixture. Sifting is very important, it guarantees a really light, airy cake.

Now beat the egg whites until stiff. Don't forget to add a pinch of salt, this helps to make them nice and fluffy. Then carefully add the beaten egg whites to the cake mix, taking care not to deflate the batter.

Pour the cake batter into a greased cake tin and bake at 160 degrees Celsius for around 40-50 minutes. Keep an eye on the cake while it is baking - if it browns too quickly, simply cover it with aluminum foil.

Once the Japanese sponge cake is cooked, turn the cake out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely. Finally, sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar and serve.