There are some recipes that become part of your family's story.

This sponge cake is one of those recipes for us.

Growing up, my mom made this cake for just about every celebration I can remember. Birthdays, Mother's Day, summer family barbecues, and almost any time strawberries were in season. Sometimes we'd pick fresh berries, other times we'd pull frozen ones from the freezer, but it never seemed to matter. This cake, piled high with strawberries and freshly whipped cream, was simply part of our family.

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For years, I never really thought about it. It was just what Mom made.

My mom has now been living in a long-term care home with dementia for over eight years now. I honestly can't remember the last time she baked this cake herself. But as I stood in my kitchen making it today, and later took that first bite with strawberries and whipped cream, it felt as though she was right here with us again.

Food has a wonderful way of doing that. It brings people back, if only for a little while.

So today, instead of simply sharing another recipe, I'm sharing one of hers.

If you're one of my mom's nieces or grandchildren and you happen to be reading this, I hope you'll tuck this recipe away. Someday, make it for your own family. Serve it with strawberries and whipped cream, and tell your children about the woman who made it so many times before you. Tell them how she had a way of making people feel welcome, and how she truly loved everyone.

And if you're simply here looking for a wonderful sponge cake, I hope it becomes part of your family's story too.

A Few Tips Before You Start

The secret to this cake is the eggs.

Take your time beating them until they're very light, fluffy, and noticeably increased in volume. This step adds the air that gives the cake its beautiful soft texture, so it's well worth the extra few minutes.

Once you begin adding the dry ingredients, switch gears. Mix gently and only until everything is just combined. Over mixing can knock out all that lovely air you've worked so hard to create, so it's much better to err on the side of under mixing than over mixing.

The result is a wonderfully light sponge cake that's perfect for soaking up sweet strawberries and generous spoonfuls of freshly whipped cream.