Mamon (Sponge Cakes)

Recipe View Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Prepare a 16-cup muffin tin by greasing each cup thoroughly. (5 minutes)

Recipe View In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sifted flour, 1 cup of sugar, baking powder, and salt until uniformly combined. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients. (3 minutes)

Recipe View Add the vegetable oil, egg yolks, orange zest, vanilla extract, orange juice, and water to the well. Mix by hand, using a whisk, until the batter is smooth and free of any lumps. Ensure all ingredients are well incorporated. Set aside. (7 minutes)

Recipe View In a separate, impeccably clean glass or metal mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks begin to form. (5 minutes)

Recipe View Gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, beating continuously until the egg whites form glossy, soft peaks. The peaks should gently fold over when the beater is lifted. Be careful not to overbeat. (5 minutes)

Recipe View Gently fold the flour mixture into the meringue in three additions, using a large spatula. Be careful not to deflate the egg whites; fold until just incorporated, leaving some streaks of white. Avoid overmixing. (8 minutes)

Recipe View Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full. (5 minutes)

Recipe View Bake in the preheated oven until the Mamon are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, approximately 40 minutes. (40 minutes)

Recipe View Allow the Mamon to cool in the muffin tin for 10 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. (10 minutes)