Air Cake

I take a break from posting photographs this week, by posting this recipe. The reason is, this is one of the few documents that I have showing my Grandmother Rose Forrai Bockay's handwriting. I remember letters Grandmother wrote in Hungarian, but few in English. I am sure that this cake was a favorite of my father, and mother asked Grandmother to write it down for her. You see, Grandmother Rose did not use written recipes. All of her recipes were stored in her mind. I am so glad that my mother and other relatives asked her to write them down. Otherwise, they would be lost forever.

The "OVER" on the bottom left is my mother's handwriting and on the other side was written, "Remove from pan as soon as cool. Do not leave in pain overnight."  I don't remember any incident, but the only reason mother would write such a note was she left the cake in the pan overnight, and it was very difficult to remove the next day. She certainly was not going to make that mistake twice!

I remember this cake being called Hungarian Air Cake. I remember my relatives making it quite often. I also remember mother making it, and using it as a birthday cake. Most of the time it did not have frosting, just a sprinkle of powder sugar, but I also remember chocolate frosting on the cake from time to time.

If you would like to try a historical cake from my past, I have transcribed it below:

6 Egg Yolks
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Lukewarm Water
1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 1/2 Cup Cake Flour
6 Egg Whites
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Beat yolks until thick, add gradually 1 Cup Sugar and beat well, add water, salt, vanilla, and mix. Fold in Flour, whip egg whites not dry, add 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1/2 Cup Sugar gradually, beat until stiff and fold into egg yolks. Bake in angel food pan. Bake 325 for 1 hour.

And don't forget to remove from pan once cool...... it will be difficult to do if you leave it cool over night!