Sponge cakes are usually made without using fats, such as butter or oil, and leaveners, such as baking powder. This cake resembles an angel food cake, but you can use both the whites and the yolks. This is an easy and quick recipe using cupboard staples to make a sponge cake. Sponge cakes are delicious when eaten plain, served with sweet fruit, or covered with plain icing.
- Preparation time (Simple): 30-40 minutes
- Cooking time: 30-35 minutes
- Total time: 60-75 minutes
Ingredients
Simple Sponge Cake
- 2 large eggs or 3 small eggs
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1/4 cup cold water or milk
- 2 teaspoons developer powder
-
A little butter (optional)
Easy American Sponge Cake
- 6 eggs, separate the yolks from the whites
- 1 cup sifted cake flour
- 1/4 teaspoon developer powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup powdered white sugar, share
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons of water
- Lemon or orange peel
-
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Easy Sponge Cake European Version
- 1 cup self-rising flour, sifted
- 1 teaspoon developer powder
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Step
Method 1 of 3: Baking a Simple Sponge Cake
Step 1. Prepare the ingredients
Before you start, make sure all the ingredients are ready. Sponge cakes are time sensitive cakes, so you shouldn't still measure the ingredients or wait for the oven to heat up while you're mixing them.
- Sift the developer powder and add it to the flour before you start. Put it on until you need it.
- Preheat the oven to 190ºC.
- Grease the pan with butter before you start. As an alternative to butter or spray oil, use parchment paper. Parchment paper is oil and moisture resistant paper. When using parchment paper, there is no need to use butter or oil spray because cakes, cookies, or other baked goods will no longer stick. This also helps with the cleaning process, as there is no more butter left in the pan to clean. If using parchment paper, cut a sheet of paper into the shape and size of the bottom of the pan. You can also line the sides of the pan with parchment paper, or you can use oil or butter spray.
Step 2. Crack the eggs and put them in a mixing bowl
Use an electric mixer and beat properly. You can use a hand mixer or a standard standing mixer.
Make sure the eggs are at room temperature when you cook them. Remove the eggs from the refrigerator 30 minutes before you make sure they are at room temperature. Do not leave the eggs out of the refrigerator for more than 30 minutes
Step 3. Add sugar
Use a hand mixer and beat well until the mixture is pale yellow and creamy in texture.
You can also mix the sugar and eggs together using the electric whisk attachment
Step 4. Add cold water
Beat while adding water to the mixture. Slowly sift the flour into the mixture and beat the mixture until it's smooth.
- Sift all-purpose flour to create an airy cake, just like what you need to make a sponge cake. Sift the flour as you measure it initially, then sift it again as you pour it into the sized bowl before you mix it.
- Baking soda is added when using all-purpose flour because this type of flour does not have any yeast added to the flour, unlike self-expanding flour.
Step 5. Pour into cake pan
You can use a round pan, angel food cake pan, or any type of pan. Bake at 190ºC for 30 to 35 minutes.
Step 6. Keep an eye on the cake
Every oven is different, so when the cake is in the oven for almost 30 to 35 minutes, you should start paying attention. Check to see if the cake is done by lightly touching it with your hand. If the cake returns to its original place then the cake is done. If you're still unsure, insert a toothpick or fork into the center of the cake. If no cake rises, then the cake is done.
Step 7. Allow to cool
After removing it from the oven, let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes before removing the cake from the cake pan. If you are using butter or oil spray in a baking dish, loosen the sides with a knife, then turn the cake over, and place it on a serving plate.
Method 2 of 3: Baking an Easy American Sponge Cake
Step 1. Prepare the space for baking
Before you start working on making the dough, you must prepare the ingredients first. Preheat the oven to 190ºC. Make sure your workspace is clean so you have enough space to cook.
- Grease your pan with butter or oil spray. If you don't want to use butter or oil spray, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Sponge cakes can be very time sensitive, so don't waste any more time sifting the flour or heating the oven.
Step 2. Separate the eggs
Prepare 2 bowls: one for the egg whites, and one for the yolks. Crack the egg over your hand. Spread your fingers wide enough for the egg white to flow down, and the yolk to stay on top of your hand. If the yolk starts to crack, close your fingers to separate the yolk and egg white. Put the egg yolks in a different bowl.
- Try looking for ways to crack eggs on our site.
- Separating the eggs should have separated an hour before you start mixing the ingredients. Eggs are easier to separate when cold, as the whites and yolks retain their shape better. Leave the eggs outside for half an hour so they can drop to room temperature before starting the recipe. A little bit of oil, or egg yolks can keep the egg whites from hardening.
Step 3. Sift dry ingredients
When measuring flour, sieve it as you pour it into the measuring cup. This will allow the flour to air up and expand more – which is a must when making sponge cakes. Then, sift the salt and baking powder with the flour. Otherwise, you can also sift the salt and baking powder into the flour. Shut up first.
Step 4. Mix the egg yolks
Place the egg yolks in a bowl and beat with a high-power electronic mixer. Little by little, add 2/3 cup of nutmeg to the bowl as you mix. Beat until thick, fluffy, and lemon-colored – about 5 minutes. When finished, the dough will be poured into a bowl in the shape of a ribbon.
- Then, whisk together the vanilla extract, water, and lemon zest.
- The outer part of the lemon peel is the outer flavor of the citrus peel, such as lemons, oranges, and limes. In lemons, the outside is the yellow part; In citrus fruits, the outside is the orange part. To remove the outer rind, use a lemon zest, a lemon grater (or cheese), a vegetable peeler, or a small knife. Make sure you only take the topmost layer. If the whites have been picked up, you've gone too deep.
- Be sure to beat the egg yolks in a bowl large enough to add the flour later.
Step 5. Beat the egg whites
In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites on high speed until the egg whites form a foam, and then add the cream of tartar and continue beating until the tops are very soft. The top will rise again when the stirrer is lifted.
Don't beat the eggs too much. If the egg whites start to split and separate, or look dull instead of shiny, the egg whites have been beaten excessively
Step 6. Sift flour into egg yolks
Sift about 1/3 of the flour into the egg yolk mixture, and then gently and quickly fold the flour into the egg yolks. Add another 1/3 of the flour, fold in, and then sift the last 1/3 of the flour into the butter, and then fold again.
To fold, start at the back of the bowl and cut into the dough with a spatula until it touches the bottom of the bowl. Lift the dough up to the very top of the ingredients. Then, turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat. Make sure to slide the spatula along the sides. This method will slowly mix the ingredients together
Step 7. Put the egg white into the dough
When the flour has been incorporated into the dough, add a little egg white to the dough. This will make the dough lighter. Then, add the egg white side, stirring constantly, folding until everything is combined.
Don't mix too much. This can deflate the cake and make it hard
Step 8. Bake for 30 minutes
Put the dough into the pan. Use a spatula to flatten the top of the cake. Bake for about 30 minutes at 176 degrees Celsius in the center of the oven rack. Watch the cake closely as it approaches 30 minutes because every oven is different. Try to see if the cake is done by placing a toothpick or fork into the center of the cake. If the toothpick or fork is clean when removed / there is no dough left, the cake is done.
Step 9. Allow to cool
After removing the cake from the oven, let it rest for almost an hour. Then use a spatula or knife to separate the cake from the sides of the pan, then transfer to a serving plate.
Method 3 of 3: Easy Sponge Cake European Version
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius
Grease a baking sheet with oil and let it rest. If you don't want to use butter or oil spray, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2. Sift flour and baking powder together
Sift dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. This will allow the flour to contain air. Lift the sieve higher to ensure that the flour contains more air.
Step 3. Mix butter and sugar
In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar. Mixing butter and sugar is a type of mixing method. Start with room temperature butter. Use an electric mixer and beat the butter on low speed until the texture is smooth. Add sugar and mix on high speed. Stir until the color is pale and the mixture is smooth. Don't forget to scrape the sides of the bowl while stirring/mixing.
To bring your butter to room temperature, remove it from the refrigerator 30 minutes before you start. Room temperature butter should be soft, but not melted
Step 4. Beat in the eggs
Slowly add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture. Add vanilla extract. Keep mixing until the mixture is thick and swells.
Step 5. Add flour
Sift the flour and add to the mixture, and using an electric hand whisk, mix the flour and mixture for about a minute, until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
If you don't have an electric hand whisk, you can add it to the flour. Add a spoon to the mixture, and then lift the dough to the top. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat. This method will mix gently into the flour without losing air
Step 6. Pour the batter into the cake pan
Bake for 25-30 minutes. Check to see if the cake is done by inserting a toothpick or fork into the center. If the toothpick or fork remains clean after removing it, it means the cake is done.
If you want to add a layer of fruit jam, or frosting, divide the recipe into two equal pans to make a layered cake
Step 7. Allow to cool
After you remove the cake from the oven, let it rest for a few minutes. Use a knife to loosen the edges of the cake from the sides of the pan. Then, place them on a wire rack to cool completely.
