Simple Sponge Cake Recipes

HOW TO MAKE PERFECTLY LIGHT & FLUFFY SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F and spray the bottoms of two 9-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper
• In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add the eggs and beat on medium-high for 1 to 2 minutes to break them up
• Gradually pour in the sugar, then add vanilla and salt and continue to whip the eggs until pale yellow, fluffy, and the mixture falls back on itself in a ribbon, 8 to 10 more minutes on medium-high speed
• Once finished whipping, the mixture should be pale yellow, fluffy, and should fall back on itself in a ribbon
• Remove mixing bowl from base and add sifted flour and baking powder in two batches, gently folding between additions until there are no more streaks of flour
• Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the top lightly, and bake until golden brown on top and a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 28 minutes
• Cool in the pans for 20 minutes, then run a sharp knife around the edge of the pans to loosen and transfer cakes to a wire rack to cool completely

SIMPLE SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease an 8 or 9 inch round cake pan.
• In a medium bowl, whip together the eggs and castor sugar until fluffy. Fold in flour. Pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top of the cake springs back when lightly pressed. Cool in the pan over a wire rack.

SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 325 degrees. If making a roulade, brush the bottom of a 10-by-15-inch jelly roll pan with a light coating of oil. Do not brush the sides, as the cake needs to be able to cling to the pan as it rises. Line only the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment paper, smoothing to eliminate air bubbles. If baking in a 9-inch springform pan, leave the pan ungreased and unlined.
• In a wide, medium bowl, combine the egg whites, 1/4 cup sugar, the kosher salt and cream of tartar. Beat the mixture with a hand mixer fitted with the beaters on medium-low speed until the mixture looks frothy, then start to slowly increase the speed to medium-high. Continue to beat the egg whites until you have a dense, voluminous, glossy foam that forms stiff peaks, about 4 minutes. When you lift the beaters out of the bowl, the egg whites should come to a straight point that doesn't droop. Don't beat beyond this point, or the whites will become dry and lumpy. Set the bowl aside.
• In a separate wide bowl, combine the egg yolks and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Beat with the hand mixer (no need to wash it after you beat the egg whites) on medium-high until the mixture is very pale and fluffy and forms a slowly dissolving ribbon as it falls off the beaters back into the bowl, about 4 minutes. Slowly stream in the 1/4 cup oil, beating constantly to ensure it emulsifies into the yolk mixture, until you have a smooth, light mixture that looks like mayonnaise.
• Reduce the mixer to the lowest speed, add half of the flour and mix just until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon water, mix until incorporated, then add the remaining flour and mix just until it disappears. The mixture will have thickened and look a bit like cake batter.
• Fold the yolk mixture once or twice with a large flexible spatula to make sure it's evenly mixed, then scrape about a third of the egg white mixture into the yolk mixture and thoroughly fold in the whites until the mixture is loosened. Working more gently, fold in half of the remaining egg whites until only a few streaks remain. Fold in the remaining whites, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl, until you have a light, smooth, evenly mixed batter.
• Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth into an even layer. Firmly rap the pan on the surface once or twice to pop any large air bubbles. Bake the cake until it's golden brown, firm and springy to the touch across the entire surface, 25 to 30 minutes for a jelly roll and 30 to 35 minutes for a 9-inch cake. Remove the cake from the oven and immediately invert the pan onto a wire rack. Let the cake cool completely upside down to prevent it from collapsing.
• Reinvert the cooled pan and cut along the sides with a small offset spatula or paring knife to loosen the cake. It will sink a bit, which is normal. If making a jelly roll, turn the sponge out onto the wire rack and peel off the parchment. If making a 9-inch cake, remove the ring of the springform pan, invert the cake onto the rack, and carefully peel off the bottom of the pan (it should come away cleanly, leaving behind just a thin film).
• Use the sponge as desired. The unfilled sponge cake will keep at room temperature, tightly wrapped, for several days, but will become sticky after the first day.

BASIC SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325.
• Grease only the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan and cover with a circle of parchment paper. Do not grease the sides of the pan.
• In a large bowl, beat egg yolks until light, gradually adding in the sugar. Add in vanilla and lemon and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy, about 1 minute at high speed, then beat in the salt and cream of tartar. Continue beating until the eggs reach soft peaks. Fold egg whites, working in 3 or 4 batches, into the yolk mixture.
• Sift the flour over the egg mixture, again working in 3 or 4 batches, and gently fold it inches When the batter is uniform, pour into prepared cake pan and bake unil a tester comes out dry and the top of the cake springs back when gently pressed, about 35-45 minutes.
• Allow cake to cool in the pan before cutting around the sides with a sharp knife and turning it out.
• Slice the cake into 2 or 3 layers (or squares) and fill as desired.

SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans or two 12-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheets. Line bottoms with parchment; butter parchment and flour pans, tapping out excess flour. Whisk together egg yolks and 1 cup granulated sugar in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and thick enough to form a ribbon that dissolves onto itself, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla and salt; transfer to a large bowl.
• Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar and beat on medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 2 minutes. Fold one third of egg whites into yolks, then gently fold in remaining whites. Sift flour over top and gently start to fold in. When nearly all is folded in, pour melted butter down side of bowl and fold just until incorporated and smooth.
• Divide batter among pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes for rounds, or 15 minutes for sheets, rotating and switching racks halfway through. If baking in round pans, immediately invert cake and remove parchment, then reinvert and cool right side up. If using baking sheets and making a rolled cake, immediately invert cake onto a kitchen towel dusted with confectioner's sugar. Dust top of cake with confectioner's sugar and roll up in towel. Let cool completely, about 1 hour, before unrolling and spreading with filling.

TRADITIONAL SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Let eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Sift flour and salt; set aside. , In a large bowl, beat yolks until slightly thickened. Gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating until thick and lemon-colored. Blend in water and vanilla. Add dry ingredients to yolk mixture; mix well. , In another bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Fold a fourth of egg whites into the batter, then fold in remaining whites., Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake on the lowest oven rack until cake springs back when lightly touched, 55-60 minutes. Immediately invert the pan; cool completely. , Run a knife around side and center tube of pan. Remove cake to a serving plate. If desired, serve with ice cream topping.

SIMPLE SPONGE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to gas 5/190 C/ 375 fan.
• Firstly sift your sugar into the bowl. Add the butter then mix until light and fluffy.
• Put an egg into the bowl and quickly whisk in. Repeat this with the second egg.
• Sift in the flour and whisk into the mix.
• Add a splash of milk and a few drops of vanilla essence.
• Grease a small baking tin with a little butter/line a cake tray with 12 cake cases.
• Fill each case about 3/4 full/put all of the mix into the tin.
• Put the cupcakes in the oven for 14 mins or until golden-brown. Put the single sponge in for 30-40 mins or until golden-brown.
• Take out and leave on a wire rack to cool. Decorate as you wish or serve plain.

VANILLA SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square baking dish. Line bottom with parchment paper; butter parchment. Dust with flour, and tap out excess; set aside. Sift together flour and cornstarch into a small bowl; set aside.
• Put yolks, vanilla, and 1/2 cup sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until thick and pale, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Put egg whites and salt into the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the clean whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. With mixer running, add remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a slow, steady stream. Continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Using a rubber spatula, fold egg white mixture into the yolk mixture. Fold in reserved flour mixture in 3 batches. Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top with an offset spatula.
• Bake until a cake tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Turn out cake onto rack. Cake can be wrapped well in plastic and stored at room temperature up to 2 days.

SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4, butter and line the base of two 20cm spring-form cake tins with baking parchment.
• Using an electric whisk beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Crack the eggs in one at a time and whisk well, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Add the lemon zest, vanilla, flour, milk and a pinch of salt. Whisk until just combined then divide the mixture between the two tins.
• Bake in the centre of the oven for 25-30 mins until a skewer inserted into the middle of each cake comes out clean. After 10 mins remove the cakes from their tins and leave to cool completely on a wire rack. Fill how you like. My personal favourite is a good dollop of lemon curd and some fresh cream, then dust the top with icing sugar. Will keep for 3 days.