Smart Cake

To prepare a delicious and fluffy cake, we start by melting the butter over low heat, ensuring that it melts evenly without burning. Once melted, we let it cool, as it is important for the butter to be at a moderate temperature so as not to coagulate the eggs. While the butter cools, we take care of the eggs: we carefully separate the egg whites from the yolks, making sure that no yolk gets into the egg whites to achieve a firm and airy foam.

In a large bowl, we mix the yolks with the sugar using an electric mixer until the mixture becomes creamy and pale yellow, almost whitish. This process will incorporate air into the mixture, which will help the cake to be fluffier. Once we have achieved the desired consistency, we add the melted and cooled butter, homogenizing the mixture with a spatula or with the mixer on low speed. We continue by gradually incorporating the milk, mixing constantly to avoid lumps. The next step is to add the grated lemon zest and vanilla essence to bring a pleasant and fresh aroma to the cake.

Separately, we beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until we obtain a stiff foam that forms firm peaks. This step is crucial, as the egg white foam will give the cake an airy texture. We add the egg whites to the yolk mixture, spoon by spoon, gently folding with a spatula using wide circular motions so as not to lose the incorporated air.

After fully incorporating the egg whites, we start adding the flour, sifted in a rain, mixing gently until it is well incorporated into the batter. This technique will prevent lumps from forming and ensure an even texture. We pour the obtained batter into a tall pan lined with baking paper and place it in the preheated oven at 150-160 degrees Celsius. It will bake for about an hour, until the cake is nicely browned on the surface.

After baking, it is essential to let the cake cool in the oven with the door ajar to avoid sudden cracking. Then, we transfer it to the fridge for at least 3-4 hours, but ideally, we should leave it overnight to develop its flavors. Before serving, we dust the cake with powdered sugar and cut it with a sharp knife to get perfect slices. This cake is ideal for any occasion and will surely impress everyone. Enjoy!