Little Jam Cakes

These little jam cakes hide a spoonful of gooseberry jam in the center of a light, airy sponge batter, and when you bite through the golden top, you hit a warm, fruity pocket that is an absolute surprise.

The batter is a classic separated-egg sponge: yolks beaten thick with sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice, then flour and melted butter folded in alternately, and finally stiffly whipped egg whites stirred through for lift. That folding technique is what keeps these cakes tender and cloud-light instead of dense. No baking powder, no baking soda. The whipped whites are your only leavening.

Assembly is simple: a spoonful of batter on the bottom of each paper cup, a heaping teaspoon of jam in the center, then more batter on top to seal it in. The jam sinks slightly during baking and creates a gooey layer right in the middle.

Pro Tips

• Fold the egg whites in gently with a rubber spatula. Stirring or beating them in deflates the air and you end up with flat, heavy cakes.
• Do not overfill the cups. The batter rises quite a bit from the whipped whites, and overfilled cups run over and stick to the pan.
• Use a thick jam, not a runny jelly. Thin preserves leak through the batter and burn on the bottom of the cup.
• These are done when the tops spring back when lightly touched. Overbaking dries out the delicate sponge.

Variations

• Swap the gooseberry jam for raspberry, apricot, or strawberry for a more widely available option.
• Dust the cooled cakes with powdered sugar for a finished look.
• Fill with lemon curd instead of jam for a bright, tangy center.