Easy Sponge Cake

This Easy Sponge Cake recipe is delicious and quick to make. My light and moist vanilla sponge cake is super versatile. It can be used to make layered birthday cakes, strawberry shortcakes, trifles, icebox cakes, mini desserts and more.

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Updated post from 2011.

• TABLE OF CONTENTS
• Sponge Cake Ingredients.
• How to make Meringue?
• What is Ribbon Stage?
• Folding Sponge Cake Batter.
• Bake Sponge Cake.
• How long does sponge cake last?
• Can I freeze sponge cake?
• My Cake is dense.
• My Cake din’t rise.
• Cake sank in the middle.
• My Sponge is dry.
• Why do I have giant holes and tunnels in my cake?
• What is the best icing for sponge cake?

HOW TO MAKE EASY SPONGE CAKE

This simple Vanilla Cake is favorite with kids and adults alike.

Fill it with Whipped Cream, Swiss Buttercream, German Buttercream, Ganache, Chocolate Mousse, Cream Cheese Frosting, Chocolate Ganache Frosting or jam. Or enjoy it dusted with powdered sugar with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream.

CAKE INGREDIENTS

• Flour – all purpose, for super tender crumb use cake flour
• Granulated Sugar
• Salt
• Baking Powder
• Eggs – separated, at room temperature
• Oil
• Warm Water or Milk
• Vanilla Extract

BAKING PANS

You can use round, square, rectangle baking pans to make your sponge cake.

Preheat the oven to 350F and prepare a baking pan. Spray the pan with a nonstick spray and line it with a parchment and spray again with a non stick spray. Or alternatively brush with melted butter and dust with flour.

Today I doubled my recipe and I used a 10 inch pan. To make sure my 10 inch cake baked evenly I also used a heating core/flower nail that I sprayed with a nonstick spray.

DRY INGREDIENTS

In a large bowl whisk together all purpose flour (for a super fine crumb you can use cake flour), baking powder and salt. Set aside.

MERINGUE

Start by bringing eggs to room temperature. Leave eggs on the counter for about 30 minutes. Or you place eggs into a warm water. They will be at room temperature in about 5 minutes or so.

Next, separate egg yolks and egg whites. I always start with with a clean, grease free bowl. With a wire attachment beat egg whites with a pinch of cream of tartar (or use 1/2tsp lemon juice or vinegar) until foamy. Then gradually beat in about half of the granulated sugar listed in the recipe. Beat egg whites until stiff and glossy peak is formed.

OVER WORKED MERINGUE

It’s easy to over work meringue. It is best to stop the mixer few times while whipping meringue and test if stiff peak is formed. When meringue is over mixed it becomes grainy. Grainy, over worked meringue will make your cake dry.

Scrape out stiff, glossy meringue out into another bowl. Next we’ll prepare egg yolks. No need to wash the mixer bowl.

RIBBON STAGE – EGG YOLKS AND SUGAR

Into a bowl add egg yolks and remaining granulated sugar. Beat on medium-high speed till pale in color and doubled in volume. Scrapping the bowl few times to ensure egg yolks are thoroughly blended in. Beat until mixture reaches ribbon stage.

RIBBON STAGE

Ribbon stage is a baking term that refers to batter consistency. It is reached when batter lifted up with a whisk, spoon or a spatula falls back down into a bowl slowly forming a ribbon. It should hold it’s shape for a few moments, slowly disappearing, blending into the mixture.

After you reach ribbon stage it’s time to add oil. Slowly in one continuous pour beat in oil on low to medium speed. Blend well. Then pour warm water into a measuring cup. And gradually, slowly in one continuous pour beat in warm water. Scrape the bowl few times to ensure mixture is homogeneous. I’m using warm t water to make sure all of the sugar crystals are completely dissolved.

With the addition of water, mixture will become thinner. Next, you can beat in Vanilla Extract and continue beating for 2 minutes, until mixture becomes very light in color and aerated.

SPONGE CAKE BATTER

Gradually fold sifted flour alternating with meringue into the egg yolk mixture. Do not stir. It is important to fold the ingredients into the yellow egg yolk mixture. Stirring will deflate the cake batter significantly resulting in a dense cake batter.

Once no more flour streaks are visible in the cake batter give it 3 more folding strokes. Especially go with the spatula all the way to the bottom of the bowl to ensure batter is thoroughly mixed.

BAKE SPONGE CAKE

Pour sponge cake batter into a prepare cake pan. Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes. Check the cake after 30 minutes, if the top is browning too much quickly place foil over it to prevent over browning. (This is usually not an issue with 8 or 9 inch cakes.) And continue baking for additional 5 minutes. Cake is done when a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean, without any crumbs attached to it.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes then invert the cake onto a cooling rack. Use a kitchen towel to handle a hot baking pan. Remove the flower nail.

Let the cake cool till lukewarm then wrap it in a plastic wrap and let cool completely at on the kitchen counter.

HOW LONG DOES SPONGE CAKE LAST ?

Stored in the fridge, covered, in a container or bakery box cake lasts for 5 – 6 days. You can keep unfilled sponge cake at room temperature for 2-3 days.

CAN I FREEZE SPONGE CAKE?

Freeze sponge cake right after it cools, tightly and well wrapped in a food plastic wrap. I prefer freezing it without the filling. You can freeze a sponge cake for up to 3 months. Let it thaw on the counter.

WHY IS MY SPONGE CAKE DENSE?

Sugar crystals were not completely dissolved. Also under-mixing can be an issue. Stirring instead of folding of the batter at the last stage of mixing.

MY SPONGE CAKE DIDN’T RISE, WHAT HAPPENED?

Check the raising agent expiration date. It can also mean that cake wasn’t baked long enough.

CAKE SANK IN THE MIDDLE, WHY?

• Opening oven door in early stages of baking can cause the cake to sink in the middle.
• Closing the oven door too abruptly.
• Cooling the cake too quickly. Don’t move your freshly out of the oven baked sponge cake to a cool, drafty room.
• Batter that sits too long before it goes into the oven.
• Over-beating of the batter at the last stage.

MY SPONGE CAKE IS DRY, WHY?

Over-beated egg whites. Over baking. To amend a dry sponge, use simple syrup.

WHY DO I HAVE GIANT HOLES AND TUNNELS IN A CAKE

This is usually caused by over-mixing. Quick solution, fill the holes with buttercream.

WHAT IT THE BEST ICING FOR SPONGE CAKE?

There are number of icing/frosting that work well with a sponge cake. My personal favorites are: Whipped Cream, German Buttercream, Lemon or Raspberry Curd, Chocolate Ganache Frosting (especially white chocolate frosting is delicious with raspberries), jam or any fruit filling such as Strawberry Mousse.

CAN I MAKE A 2 TIER CAKE USING THIS RECIPE?

Yes, you can. Be sure to use a proper stacking method. Don’t stack a really heavy cake on top of a sponge cake. For example, don’t stack a pound cake on top of a sponge cake.

I often make a double batch of my sponge cake recipe and bake it in a 9x13x2 (33 x 23 x 5 cm) inch cake pan.

TO MAKE EASY SPONGE CAKE YOU NEED

• TOOLS
• Find all the tools in my Amazon Shop
• Baking Pan
• Bowl
• Hand Held Mixer or Stand Mixer
• Parchment
• Spatula
• Cooling Rack
• Mixing Bowls
• Mesh Sieve – to sift dry ingredients

MORE DELICIOUS CAKE RECIPES :

• Pumpkin Pound Cake
• Delicious Cheesecake Recipes
• Chocolate Banana Icebox Cake
• Chocolate Mint Stracciatella Cakeroll

Print

Easy Sponge Cake

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

 

This recipe makes one tall 9 inch inch cake. If using 8 inch cake pan line the sides of the pan as cake will be little taller than 9 inch cake. You can double this recipe to make 10 inch cake or 9×13 rectangular cake. Be sure to use heating core if using 10 inch round cake pan.

Course: Breakfast, Cake, Dessert

Cuisine: American, Czech, French, Slovak

Keyword: easy sponge cake, low fat cake, sponge cake

Servings: 10

Hanielas.com: Hani Bacova

Ingredients

EASY SPONGE CAKE

• 4 eggs egg whites, separated, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour (200grams)
• 1 cup sugar (200-210grams) -divided
• 4 tbl oil
• 4 tbl warm water
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of cream of tartar (or use 1/2tsp lemon juice vinegar) – it helps to beat the egg whites into their full volume and helps with over beating, too.

Instructions

EASY SPONGE CAKE

1. Preheat oven 350F. Butter and flour your baking pan, line the bottom with parchment. Or use nonstick spray and line the bottom with parchment.

2. In a large bowl whisk together flour (1 and 1/2cup), salt (1/4tsp) and baking powder (1tsp), set aside.

Meringue

1. In a clean bowl, whip egg whites ( 4 egg whites) with a pinch of cream of tartar or 1/2tsp lemon juice/white distilled vinegar(optional). Beat until foamy. Then gradually add 1/2 of the granulated sugar (1/2cup). Beat until stiff, shiny and moist peaks are formed. Don't over beat of meringue will be dry.

2. Gently scrape the meringue into another bowl. Set aside. Now we are going to prepare egg yolk mixture, no need to clean the mixer bowl.

Egg Yolks and Sugar – Ribbon Stage

1. Place egg yolks (4 egg yolks) into the mixing bowl you just used for making the meringue. It is okay, it doesn't have to be spotless. Add remaining granulated sugar (1/2cup) to the egg yolks. Beat using wire whip attachment. Beat the egg yolks at medium-high speed. Scrapping the bowl once or twice to ensure all egg yolks are well blended in. Beat until ribbon stage is reached. About 5-6 ,minutes. Mixture will be thick, doubled in volume and pale in color.

2. Gradually in one continuous pour add oil, mix well. The gradually add warm water. Scrape the bowl in between. Beat in vanilla extract and beat for 2 more minutes. Turn off the mixer.

Sponge Cake Batter

1. Using fine mesh strainer  sift about 1/3 of flour mixture into the egg yolk mixture and carefully fold the flour in with a spatula, then add about 1/3 of meringue and fold in. Continue with the rest of the flour and meringue until no streaks are visible. Then make last 3 folds, making sure you go with the spatula all the way to the bottom of the bowl. Be gentle and don't over mix. You are looking for a light and airy batter.

Bake

1. Fill your prepare baking pan and bake until tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. 10 inch can take up to 35 minutes to bake.

2. Let the cake cool for 5 minutes in the pan. Invert it on a cooling rack and let cool completely. Wrap the in a food safe plastic wrap.

Storage

1. Store undecorated/unfilled cake covered in the fridge for up to 5 days until ready to use. Or fill the cake with your favorite frosting. Store in the fridge for 5 days. If using whipped cream make sure to use some gelatin to stabilize it so whipped cream doesn't weep.

Recipe Notes

MY SPONGE CAKE DIDN’T RISE, WHAT HAPPENED?

Check the raising agent expiration date. It can also mean that cake wasn’t baked long enough.

CAKE SANK IN THE MIDDLE, WHY?

• Opening oven door in early stages of baking can cause the cake to sink in the middle.
• Closing the oven door too abruptly.
• Cooling the cake too quickly. Don’t move your freshly out of the oven baked sponge cake to a cool, drafty room.
• Batter that sits too long before it goes into the oven.
• Over-beating of the batter at the last stage.

MY SPONGE CAKE IS DRY, WHY?

Over-beated egg whites. Over baking. To amend a dry sponge, use simple syrup.

WHY DO I HAVE GIANT HOLES AND TUNNELS IN A CAKE

This is usually caused by over-mixing. Quick solution, fill the holes with buttercream.

WHAT IT THE BEST ICING FOR SPONGE CAKE?

There are number of icing/frosting that work well with a sponge cake. My personal favorites are: Whipped Cream, German Buttercream, Lemon or Raspberry Curd, jam or any fruit filling such as Strawberry Mouse or use Swiss Buttercream.

 

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I updated this post from 2011 with brand new process pictures and written text.

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