Meskouta (Moroccan sponge cake)

Method

1. 1

   Whisk the eggs with the sugar using an electric mixer until pale, fluffy and fairly thick.

2. 2

   Gradually add the vegetable oil and milk while still whisking, until the mixture is completely smooth.

3. 3

   Sift the flour with the baking powder and the pinch of salt, then fold it gradually into the egg mixture with a spoon (not the whisk) so you don’t knock out the air.

4. 4

   Add a little vanilla and pour the batter into a cake tin greased with butter and dusted with flour.

5. 5

   Bake in an oven preheated to a moderate temperature for 35–40 minutes until fully cooked, risen and spongy (a wooden skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean), then serve sliced for breakfast or with tea; this simple sponge cake is one of the most common everyday home bakes in Morocco.