One Bowl Sponge Cake
Today I’m going to share with you my recipe for an easy and delicious One Bowl Sponge Cake.
HOW TO MAKE ONE BOWL SPONGE CAKE
I’ve used this yellow sponge cake recipe to make cakes and cupcakes alike. This moist cake with a tender crumb is perfect plain or dusted with powdered sugar. It pairs nicely with buttercream, whipped cream, and fruit. Use it to make strawberry shortcakes, trifles, and more.
Have you tried my Swiss Meringue Buttercream? It’s silky smooth and not too sweet. Learn how to make different flavors: Vanilla, Chocolate, Caramel, Strawberry, or Lemon.
INGREDIENTS
This oil-based one bowl cake doesn’t require any special ingredients. You need one mixing bowl and a hand-held or stand mixer to mix the cake batter.
- Flour – all-purpose
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Eggs – large
- Oil
- Lukewarm Milk
- Vanilla Extract
- Cream of Tartar (optional)
HOW TO LINE A RECTANGULAR CAKE PAN WITH PARCHMENT
Lining a rectangular baking pan is super easy.
- I’m using a 9×13 inch cake pan. Spray the pan with a nonstick spray or use a little bit of oil to make parchment stick to the pan (step 1).
- Cut parchment about 2 or more inches longer than the pan, on each side. So, for a 9×13 inch pan, a parchment sheet should be cut to about 13 inches by 17 inches.
- Next place the baking pan on top of the parchment. Center it. Then cut straight slits at the corners. Aligning each cut with the short side of the baking pan (step 2).
- Place parchment with slits on top of the baking pan, fold the cut to form a corner, repeat 4 times to form 4 corners (steps 3-5).
- Butter and dust the pan with flour, shake out the excess (6-8).
ONE BOWL SPONGE CAKE BATTER
Into a bowl pour all-purpose flour, salt and baking powder. Give it a stir with a whisk or a fork.
Now we are going to prepare a cake batter base with eggs, sugar, oil, milk, and Vanilla Extract.
Break room temperature eggs into a large mixing bowl, pour in cream of tartar. Cream of tartar is optional. I use it to stabilize whipped eggs. First, beat eggs for one minute at medium-high speed (steps 1-3). Then gradually add granulated sugar and beat for 5-8 minutes, until pale in color, doubled volume (step 4).
Now, turn the mixer to medium speed and pour in oil in one continuous stream (step 5). Next, pour in lukewarm milk. Beat well for 3 minutes. Lastly, beat in Vanilla Extract (steps 7-8)
TIP: It is important to use room-temperature eggs for the best results. Submerge cold eggs into warm water for 5-10 minutes to quickly bring them to room temperature.
Switch the mixer to low speed and sift in flour mixture in 3 additions. Beat just till combined. Use a spatula to scrape down the bowl, fold in any residual flour sticking to the sides of the bowl (steps 7-8).
Pour yellow cake batter into a prepared cake pan. Tap the pan firmly onto the work surface three times to remove excess air bubbles (steps 1-3).
BAKE CAKE
Bake the cake at 350F for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Immediately after you take the cake out of the oven, tap it on a counter a few times. This little trick helps prevent cake shrinkage. Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes (steps 1-2).
Carefully lift the cake out of the pan. And transfer it onto a cooling rack to cool completely (step 1-3).
BAKING PAN SIZES
- 2 – 8 or 9-inch cake pans
- 3 – 6-inch cake pans
- 1 – 9×13-inch cake pan
HOW LONG DOES THIS VANILLA CAKE LAST?
3 days at room temperature, and up to a week in the fridge.
CAN I USE THIS RECIPE TO MAKE CUPCAKES?
Yes, absolutely. I use a standard muffin pan lined with cupcake liners. Bake cupcakes at 320F(160C) for 15-16 minutes, or until the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
TIPS AND TROUBLESHOOTING
- It is important to use room-temperature eggs for the best results. Submerge cold eggs into warm water for 5-10 minutes to quickly bring them to room temperature.
- Why do I have giant holes and tunnels in the cake? This is usually a result of overbeating. No worries, you can hide them with buttercream.
- Can I use powdered sugar? Yes, you can use powdered sugar if you don’t have granulated sugar. Use 2 cups of powdered sugar.
MORE SWEET RECIPES
- Chocolate Cake Recipe with Oil
- German Chocolate Buttercream
- Cream Cheese Frosting – from Live Well Bake Often
- Whipped Cream (how to color whipped cream)
- Madeleines – from Sally’s Baking Addiction
TO MAKE ONE BOWL SPONGE CAKE YOU NEED
- TOOLS
- Find all the tools in my Amazon Shop (Baking Tools Section)
- 9×13 Baking Pan
- Parchment Paper
- Handheld Mixer
- Mixing Bowls
- Spatula
One Bowl Sponge Cake Recipe
Ingredients
ONE BOWL SPONGE CAKE
- 5 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200grams)
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar (optional)
- 1/2 cup oil, canola, sunflower, or try a mild olive oil (120ml)
- 1/2 cup lukewarm milk (120ml)
- 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 cup all-purpose flour (286-290grams)
- 1 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
ONE BOWL SPONGE CAKE
- Preheat oven to 350F(180C).
- Prepare a baking pan, line it with parchment, butter, and dust with flour. Set aside.
Cake Batter
- In a medium mixing bowl whisk together flour (2 cups, 286-290grams), salt (1/4 teaspoon), baking powder (1 teaspoon and 3/4 teaspoon). Set aside.
- On high speed, in a large mixing bowl beat whole large eggs (5 eggs) with cream of tartar-optional (1/2teaspoon) for 1 minute. Then gradually beat in granulated sugar (1 cup, 200grams). Beat for 5-8 minutes, until pale in color and doubled in volume. Beat in Vanilla Extract (1 tablespoon).TIP: If you are using medium eggs, use 6 eggs.
- Gradually pour in oil (1/2cup, 120ml), beating well, then pour in lukewarm milk (1/2cup, 120 ml). Beat well for 2-3 minutes. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Lastly, sift in flour mixture, in 3 additions. Mix it in with a mixer on low speed. Mix just until combined. With a spatula fold in any residual flour sticking onto the bowl.
Bake
- Pour cake into a prepared baking pan(s). Tap the filled cake pan on the counter 3 times to remove excess air bubbles.Bake at 350F (180C) until the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Immediately tap the pan with a baked cake on the counter. This helps to prevent shrinkage.9×13-inch pan takes about 18-20 minutes, depends on the oven.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes. Then transfer onto a cooling rack, allow to cool completely before filling.
Notes
- CAN I FREEZE THE CAKE? Yes, freeze up to 2 months.
- CAN I USE OTHE FLAVORINGS? Yes, try almond, and lemon, or other flavors.
- WHAT FROSTING WOULD YOU RECOMMEND? I like to use Whipped Cream, Cream Cheese Frosting, Whipped Ganache, German Buttercream, Fruit Frosting or fresh fruit,
- CAN I USE THIS RECIPE TO MAKE CUPCAKES? Yes, absolutely. I used a standard muffin pan lined with cupcake liners. I poured 1/4 cup measure into each cavity. Bake cupcakes at 320F(160C) for 15-16 minutes or until the toothpick inserted in the cupcake comes out clean.
Did you make this recipe? Tag @hanielas on Instagram and hashtag it #hanielas
Can I use a heart shape cake pan to make this recipe and will the temperature and baking time be the same or different?
Yes, the only thing is the cake batter might come up higher than in a round pan, so it may take a minute or two longer to bake.
I made this today and think that is the perfect sponge cake.
I am using it as the foundation of a raspberry trifle which includes a double recipe of Delia Smith’s “proper custard”. It is enormous and feeds at least fourteen people .
Thank you so much for sharing this with us !
Hello Poppy,
Your raspberry trifle sounds amazing!
Enjoy.
Thank you so much for your kind words.
Have a great day! Hani
Hi! I just baked this cake, but the recipe calls for baking soda, but your instructions say baking powder. I went ahead and used BP, but can you fix it? Thanks!
Thank you Rebecca, I just fixed the typo.