Ruth Goldman Tobias' Orange Sponge Cake

As some of you may know, I have been writing about Holocaust survivor's recipes, from the cookbook Recipes Remembered by June Feiss Hersh.  Some of the recipes I have played with and changed around, but some I have left as is, as they perfect.

Ruth's story takes place in Italy at the start of WWII.  Her parents, both born in Poland and both moved to Germany before the war, where they married and started a life.  Shortly after, the atmosphere changed in Germany and anti-semitism was on the rise. Ruth's parents went to Italy, on their way to Palestine.  However, after a chance meeting, they decided to stay in Italy and move to Milan, where Ruth was born.

In 1940, Germany and Italy became allies.  Shortly after, Ruth was born.  It was also around this time that Ruth's family was sent to an Internment Camp.  Internment Camps are different than a Concentration Camp.  An Internment Camp is a prison, where people are held without due process.  They are held in the camps because of who they are or what they believe in, they are not held because they have done something illegal.  Internment Camps were much more humane than Concentration Camps and had very little deaths.  Concentration Camps are death camps.  Jews, Gypsies and anyone not approved by the Nazi's were sent to the Concentration Camp to die by forced labor or murdered.  During WWII, 6 million Jews and 1 million Gypsies and Artists were killed by the Nazi's in the Concentration Camps.

Ruth's family was sent to an Internment Camp in Potenza, Italy. She describes her childhood with being around friends and family in Italy.  In 1943, Germany took control over Italy and the Internment Camps were closed and Ruth's family found themselves in Tito, Italy.  It was here that the Italian people saved her family.  They took care of the Jews and protected them against the Germans. 

During this time Ruth learned not only Jewish cooking and traditions, but Italian customs and food.  She became an amazing cook and baker.  I am so grateful to the people of Tito for protecting her family, so please rush to make this amazing Orange Sponge Cake.

Ingredients:

  • 6 - Eggs Separated
  • 1 Cup / 7 Ounces / 200 Grams - Sugar
  • 2 - Zest of Oranges (the recipe calls for 1 orange, but I used two, it added more of a deep orange flavor.)
  • Juice of 1 Orange
  • 1 Cup / 4 1/2 Ounces / 129 Grams - All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon - Baking Powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon - Salt (I use the Table Salt)
  • Confection Sugar (Or you can make an Orange Glaze)

I made this recipe using Grapefruits and it was also delicious!  You can use any type of citrus.

Directions:

  • Preheat Oven to 325 degrees.
  • Zest of 2 Oranges
  • 6 eggs separated.

  • In a bowl fitted with a paddle beat yolks and sugar.

  • Add orange zest and juice to the yolk and sugar mixture.
  • Mix together the zest and juice mixture with the yolk and sugar mixture.
  • In a separate bowl, sift three (3) times the flour and baking powder.
  • Add the flour mixture to the yolk, sugar and orange mixture till incorporated.
  • Beat the egg whites with the salt till they are stiff.  Make sure the egg whites are not dry.
  • Fold the egg whites into the flour mixture a third at a time.
  • Fold until all the egg whites are incorporated. Make sure the batter is not deflated.
  • Pour the batter into a tube pan and bake for 40-50 minutes.  (check the cake after 30 minutes to determine how much more time is needed.)
  • You can garnish with either Confection Sugar or an Orange Glaze.





Holocaust Survivor Recipe, DessertsSarah MichaelsComment