This classic simple sponge cake has been in the repertoire of Portuguese cooks for hundreds of years -- specifically, since refined sugars first appeared on the scene in the wake of the great waves of New World exploration that began in the 1500's.

There are two main types of Pão-de-ló -- the "easy one" (which this recipe represents) and the Pao de lo de Alfereizo, which isn't that much harder to make but has a far higher egg content.

The Alfereizo variation has attached to it one of those stories purporting to explain why the Pão-de-ló usually collapses a little in the middle (as you may be able to see our example did). The original recipe was supposed to have been sourced from the Convent of Kos some time in the 1600's. Apparently King Carlos was scheduled to visit them one day, and the convent's baker was preparing a sponge cake for the event. But the King turned up early, and the cake had to be served before it had time to bake all the way through -- and when it came out of the oven, naturally it collapsed. However, the extraordinarily high egg content meant that even the failed cake was attractive -- spongy on the outside but warm and creamy on the inside -- and since then, "the wrong way" or "the hard way" has been the preferred way to make the more involved cake. 

The "easy way" version, though, is a lovely cake and doesn't stand in its eggier cousin's shadow at all. Our recipe is derived from that of a Portuguese cook who prepares the cake in various sizes by weighing the eggs and altering the amount of dry ingredients accordingly.

(By the way, both these cakes were chosen as Portugal's official contribution to the roll of honor of 54 European Union Birthday Cakes.)  

Our Portuguese associate, as stated above, assembles the ingredients this way:

Decide how many eggs you're going to use. Weigh them.

Then measure out the same weight of flour, and the same weight of sugar. For four eggs, use one teaspoon of baking powder: for six to eight eggs, use two: for ten to twelve, add three.

If you don't want to get involved with weighing things, use the following ingredients instead.

• 6 large eggs (room temperature)
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 cups granulated sugar (or you can mix it half and half with soft brown sugar if you like)
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour or cake flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
• Confectioners' sugar / icing sugar to dust the cake after baking
  

Preheat the oven to 350°F / 170 C.

Grease a 10 inch tube pan; set aside.(If you prefer, this cake can also be baked in a springform pan. However, you should line the bottom and sides of this with baking parchment. When lining the sides, make sure to allow the paper to project at least three inches above the top rim of the pan.)

Add the salt to the eggs and beat: then begin adding the sugar at medium speed. When it's all been added, increase the beating speed and continue beating until the mixture is light and lemon-colored -- as fluffy as you can get it. Note: if your kitchen is cool, this will take longer. 

In a separate bowl, stir the flour and baking powder together. Then take the bowl off the miixer and, by hand,  start carefully folding in the flour mixture, a half-cupful or so at a time. Proceed very gently, as you want to keep the air in the batter after you've spent so much time getting it there by beating it in.

Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 40 minutes. The cake should spring back when pressed lightly.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Don't panic if it starts to fall in: almost every Pão-de-ló does this. When it's cool, remove from the pan and (if you used it) carefully peel off the parchment paper. Let cool completely on rack.

Dust with icing sugar before serving if desired, or glaze with an icing of confectioners' sugar and lemon juice or water. Or some bakers prefer to drizzle warmed fruit jelly or jam over the top. (Probably not a traditional approach in Portugal, but it tastes terrific.)