Genoise Cake with Berries

Step 1

Set oven to 350°F and wait for the indicator light or beep to confirm it has finished heating, about 10 minutes.

Step 2

Brush the inside of a 9-inch round cake pan with melted butter, coating the bottom and all sides evenly.

Step 3

Sift the flour into a small bowl by pouring it through a fine-mesh strainer, tapping the side gently so the flour passes through and becomes aerated.

Step 4

Place the 4 eggs in a medium bowl and add the sugar, then set the bowl over a pot of gently simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should touch the water but not sit in it).

Step 5

Whisk the eggs and sugar constantly for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is pale, thick, and reaches 120°F on an instant-read thermometer (it should feel warm to the touch, like bathwater).

Step 6

Remove the bowl from the heat and use an electric mixer on high speed to whip the warm mixture for 5 minutes, until it is pale, fluffy, and has roughly tripled in volume.

Step 7

Gently pour the sifted flour onto the whipped eggs in two additions, folding each batch with a rubber spatula by lifting batter from the bottom and folding it over the flour, rotating the bowl a quarter turn each time, until no flour streaks remain.

Step 8

Drizzle the 3 tablespoons of melted butter around the edge of the batter, then fold it in the same way (folding in the butter last prevents the air from deflating too much).

Step 9

Pour the batter into the buttered cake pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula to even it out.

Step 10

Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 18–22 minutes, until the top is pale golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.

Step 11

Remove the pan from the oven and let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack or clean cutting board to cool completely, about 8 minutes.

Step 12

Arrange the berries on top of the cooled cake in a single layer, mounding them slightly in the center.

Step 13

Sift the powdered sugar evenly over the berries and cake using a fine-mesh strainer, tapping gently to create an even dusting.