PREPARED BY:

CRIZIA BERNADETTE L. VERGARA

BTVTED-FSM 2

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 CHAPTER 5
FOAM TYPE CAKES

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of module, you should be able to:

1. Define foam cakes
2. Differentiate the nature and characteristics of sponge cake, meringue, and angel cake.
3. Follow guideline and care for mixing type of foam cakes

OVERVIEW

This module explores the topic of foam cakes, focusing on their history, key
types, and characteristics. Foam cakes are light, airy desserts made by incorporating air into a
batter primarily composed of eggs, sugar, and flour, with little to no fat. The module begins
by examining the origins of foam cakes and their development over time. It then delves into
specific types, including sponge cake and angel food cake, highlighting their unique
ingredients, preparation methods, and cultural significance. By the end, students will
understand the techniques and principles behind creating these cakes and their role in
culinary traditions.

DISCUSSION

History of Foam Cakes

The history of foam cakes dates back to the Renaissance period in Europe, where
early versions of sponge cakes were made using eggs as the primary leavening agent. These
cakes became more refined in the 17th century as advancements in baking techniques and the
availability of sugar allowed for lighter, airier textures. Foam cakes, such as sponge cakes
and angel food cakes, gained popularity in the 19th century with the development of
specialized cake pans and tools for whipping eggs. Over time, variations like chiffon cake
were introduced in the mid-20th century, further expanding the category with new techniques
and ingredients.

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 Ancient Middle Eastern cultures made cakes with layers of honey and nuts. The
Romans adopted this concept during the conquests of Europe. Opera cake, a 20th century
recipe, is similar to tiramisu, and it has roots in those ancient layered cakes. During the
renaissance, Italian cooks were hired in France and England. These Italian cooks introduced
the first sponge cakes to the French. When introduced to England, the French biscuits were
unleavened and crispy. To this day, Brits call cookies “biscuits,” and the whipped, lighter
sponge was dubbed a “cake.” In Naples, Italy, Lisbon, Portugal, and Spain, sponges (biscuits)
were baked in small long pans—the first ladyfingers. In the 18th century, sponge cakes were
made in two tin hoops—the first layer-cake pans.

Sponge cake was the first non-yeast cake. In 1615, the first sponge-cake recipe to be
mentioned in a work of literature appeared in the work of an English author, Gervase
Markham. Foam cakes began in ancient history and continue today. Sponge cakes have fed
Roman conquerors during the European campaigns, Queen Victoria during afternoon tea, and
snack-cake fans of today.

FOAM CAKES

Foam cakes are a type of cake that gets its light, airy texture from whipped eggs,
rather than chemical leavening agents like baking powder or baking soda. The air trapped in
the beaten eggs expands during baking, causing the cake to rise and giving it a delicate,
spongy texture. They typically contain little or no fat, making them lighter than butter-based

cakes. Examples include sponge cakes, angel food cakes, and chiffon cakes.

Types of Foam Cake

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1. Sponge Cake

A sponge cake is a light and airy foam cake that contains

three basic ingredients: eggs, sugar, and flour.

A biscuit is the French term for sponge cakes. These cakes are
leavened by air beaten into the eggs.

A sponge cake is prepared by beating room temperature egg yolks

and sugar until they are thick and lemon colored.

Types of Sponge Cake

1. Ladyfingers are a low-density, dry, egg-based sponge shaped much

like a person’s finger. They are leavened with a chemical leavening
agent (along with the separately beaten egg yolks and egg whites).

2. Flourless chocolate sponge cake is made with

chocolate, cocoa, and separately-beaten egg yolks and egg whites.

3. Torte is a rich cake made from layers

of cake and cream. There are several sponge variations and
recipes for tortes.

4. Roulade is any foam cake baked in a jellyroll pan, removed from the
pan, and rolled in a towel while still warm. This allows the cake to
“shape or mold” around the filling without breaking.

5. Petit fours are small, decorative, and layered bite-size sponge

cakes, often covered with fondant or marzipan icing.

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6. Boston cream pie is a two-layered (minimum) sponge cake filled with a vanilla pastry
cream and topped with a chocolate glaze (or, sometimes, a dusting of powdered sugar).

 The Sponge Method

The sponge method is a technique used in making foam cakes, such as

sponge cakes, where the primary leavening comes from the air trapped in
beaten eggs. This method is all about creating a light, airy structure. Here’s
how the process typically works:

Step 1

Whip Eggs and Sugar: Eggs (whole, yolks, or whites) are beaten with sugar
until they become thick and pale, increasing in volume. For a typical sponge
cake, whole eggs or egg yolks are often whipped with sugar.

Step 2

Incorporating Air: The whipping process incorporates air into the egg mixture, which is
essential for creating the cake’s structure. The foam created holds the air, which helps the
cake rise during baking.

Step 3

Folding Dry Ingredients: Once the eggs and sugar have been whipped to the desired
consistency, dry ingredients (like flour, baking powder, etc.) are carefully folded into the
mixture. It's important to be gentle to avoid deflating the whipped eggs.

Step 4

Adding Fat (Optional): Some sponge cakes, like genoise, may include a small amount of
melted butter or oil, which is folded in gently after the dry ingredients. This adds richness and
moisture but must be done delicately to maintain the airy structure.

Step 5

Baking: The batter is then poured into prepared cake pans and baked. The trapped air in the
foam expands in the oven, causing the cake to rise.

Key Considerations:

 Temperature of Eggs

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 Overmixing

 Consistency

2. Meringue Cake

Meringue is a flourless foam cake prepared from a mixture

of stiffly-beaten, room-temperature egg whites and sugar (or sugar
syrup).

Meringue mixtures are often stabilized with cream of tartar

and contain no fat. There are three basic types of meringue:
French, Swiss, and Italian.

3 basic types of Meringue

1. French meringue is the most commonly prepared and the least stable
type of meringue (until baked). All preparations are
completed without heat, until the egg-white mixture
reaches stiff peaks.

2. Swiss meringue, the egg whites are gently beaten with sugar over a
double boiler. It’s smoother and silkier in appearance than French meringue.

3. Italian meringue is a base for many buttercream

frostings.

3. Angel Cake

Angel (angel food cake) is a foam cake characterized by

a feather-light, delicate, airy texture that is made with egg
whites, flour, sugar, and no fat. Angel cakes contain no egg
yolks, no chemical leavening agents, and no butter or oil.

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 They contain more sugar than any other foam cake, but they are cholesterol free
(because they contain no fat and no egg yolks). It is basically a meringue with flour added.

Types of Angel Cake

1. Stuffed Angel Food Cake - a variation of angel food cake filled

with cream, fruit, or other sweet fillings to add flavor and texture.

2. Layered Angel Food Cake- a version where the cake is sliced

horizontally into layers and stacked with fillings like frosting,
whipped cream, or fruit in between.

3. Trifle- a dessert made by layering pieces of angel food

cake with custard, fruit, jelly, and whipped cream in a
dish, often served chilled.

SUMMARY

A foam cake is a light, airy, spongy cake with little or no fat. They have a high
proportion of eggs to flour and are leavened primarily by air beaten into eggs. Foam cake
categories are sponge, chiffon, meringue, and génoise. Primarily, foam cakes are leavened by
whipped eggs and steam. The three most important ingredients in a foam cake, in order of
importance, are eggs, sugar, and flour. Most foam cakes are drier than butter cakes because
they contain little or no butter or oil.

A unique piece of equipment used with foam cakes is the tube pan. It is frequently
used with angel and chiffon cakes. There are four basic foam cake preparation methods,
including sponge, chiffon, meringue, and angel. Common foam cake preparation techniques
include folding, whipping, and the ribbon stage.

ACTIVITY

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Teamwork Activity: Foam Cake Concept Creation

Objective:
In this activity, students will work in teams to design their own foam cake. They will apply
their knowledge of foam cake types, history, and ingredients to create a unique cake concept.

Instructions:

1. Divide the class into small teams (3-4 students per team).

2. Each team will create their own "concept" of a foam cake by answering the following
questions and tasks:

3. Draw Your Cake: Draw your cake on a piece of paper, showing the shape and layers. Be
creative with the design!

4. Name Your Cake: Choose a name for your foam cake.

5. Ingredients: List all the ingredients needed for your cake (considering it is a foam cake,
think about eggs, sugar, flour, etc.).

6. Cake Type: Decide which type of foam cake your creation is (Sponge Cake, Meringue
Cake, or Angel Food Cake).

7. Describe the Layers: If your cake has layers, describe what each layer contains (e.g.,
cream, fruit, frosting).

8. Special Features: Is your cake a specific type of sponge or meringue cake? For example,
does it use ladyfingers, a roulade shape, or a Swiss meringue?

9. After 15 minutes of preparation, each team will present their foam cake concept to the
class.

Criteria:

40% - Creativity in cake design

25%- Correct application of knowledge regarding the different types of foam cakes

35%- Clarity in explaining the ingredients and layers

____

100%- Total

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 ASSESSMENT

I. Multiple Choice (encircle the correct answer)

1. What is the primary ingredient that gives foam cakes their light, airy texture?

a) Butter

b) Flour

c) Eggs

d) Milk

2. Which cake is known for being made with no fat, relying only on eggs, sugar, and flour?

a) Sponge cake

b) Angel food cake

c) Meringue cake

d) Torte

3. Which of the following is a type of sponge cake?

a) Ladyfingers

b) Pound cake

c) Cheesecake

d) Brownie

4. What is the main difference between a flourless sponge cake and a regular sponge cake?

a) It uses more eggs

b) It does not contain any flour

c) It uses butter

d) It has no sugar

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5. A roulade is a type of:

a) Angel food cake

b) Sponge cake

c) Meringue cake

d) Trifle

6. Which of the following is a type of meringue?

a) Swiss meringue

b) Butter meringue

c) Pudding meringue

d) Curd meringue

7. Which meringue is made by cooking egg whites and sugar over heat before whipping?

a) French meringue

b) Italian meringue

c) Swiss meringue

d) English meringue

8. What is typically used to fill a stuffed angel food cake?

a) Chocolate

b) Fruit or cream

c) Jelly

d) Nuts

9. Which of these is a characteristic of angel food cake?

a) High in fat

b) Made with heavy cream

c) Very light and airy

d) Dense and rich

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10. What is a trifle made of?

a) Layers of sponge cake, cream, and fruit

b) A single layer of meringue

c) Angel food cake and chocolate chips

d) A single layer of angel food cake

II. True or False

1. Sponge cake is made with eggs, sugar, and flour, but does not typically contain fat.

True / False

2. Angel food cake contains a lot of butter to create its soft texture.

True / False

3. Meringue cake can be made using either French, Swiss, or Italian meringue methods.

True / False

4. A roulade is a type of meringue cake.

True / False

5. Ladyfingers are a type of sponge cake used in layered desserts like tiramisu.

True / False

REFERENCES

Types of Cake Explained: Foam Cakes vs Butter Cakes. (2023, January 17). Imperial Sugar.
https://www.imperialsugar.com/blog/types-of-cake-explained-foam-cakes-vs-butter-cakes

Biscuits and Sponge http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodcakes.html#

sponge Sponge Cake History

https://whatscookingamerica.net/History/Cakes/SpongeCake.htm

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Victoria Sponge Cake and History http://teainengland.com/2012/12/the-victoria-sponge-its-
history-and-a-recipe/

ANSWER KEY

I. Multiple Choice

1. c) Eggs

2. b) Angel food cake

3. a) Ladyfingers

4. b) It does not contain any flour

5. b) Sponge cake

6. a) Swiss meringue

7. c) Swiss meringue

8. b) Fruit or cream

9. c) Very light and airy

10. a) Layers of sponge cake, cream, and fruit

II. True or False

1. True

2. False

3. True

4. False

5. True

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