4-Ingredient Sponge Cake (Video Recipe)
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I love this sponge cake recipe. It’s easy and you can make hundreds of different cakes with this base. This is a classic European sponge cake (aka Genoise). Once you have this recipe down (you’ll memorize it after a couple rounds), you’ll be baking things that look and taste like they are from a fancy bakery.
This cake base takes on moisture really well from fruit, frostings, liqueurs and syrups. As you can tell from my cake recipes, I’m a sucker for moist cakes. Read on to see 11 marvelous recipes you can make using this sponge cake base.
Over the years, I’ve tested countless different ways to make this cake and this is the best, most fail-proof method for genoise that I’ve tested. This is not like American cakes and readers often question if it can really be that easy and only have 4 ingredients.
I want you to discover this gem of a cake and succeed EVERY TIME you make it. I hope you find this video helpful. We had you in mind! 🙂
Watch How To Make Sponge Cake:
Tips for Success (Read First!):
1. When no streaks of flour remain in the dough, fold a few extra times to ensure you aren’t missing pockets of flour at the bottom
2. Bake the cake layers right after folding in the flour – they should not sit too long
3. Always use a conventional oven setting (not a convection/fan setting)
4. An electric hand mixer will take 2-4 minutes longer to beat the eggs
5. Tip from reader, Hilda: “How do you know u get the right consistency? Lift up your beater (whisk) from the batter. Make a figure “8” using the batter that drip off the beater. Then count to 10 seconds. If the figure 8 still remains on top of the batter, then u have the right consistency. If the figure 8 sinks into the batter before 10 secs, then u need to beat it longer.”
6. Bake in the center of the oven
7. Place cake in a fully pre-heated oven
8. Do not open the oven door to check on the cake until towards the end
9. Let the cake cool in a room without any outdoor draft which can make it seem eggy
Sponge Cake Recipes you can master at home:
Blackberry Lemon Cake – soft and moist and has a fluffy lemon blackberry buttercream frosting.
Charlotte Cake – layers of raspberry mousse, lady fingers and fluffy cake.
Poppy Seed Cake – fluffy and moist with a hint of rum and it’s not overly sweet.
Strawberry Cake – boasts 1 1/2 lbs of fresh strawberries. You’ll love the simple and delicious whipped cream cheese frosting.
Black Forest Cake – A chocolate version of classic genoise with 1 lb of kirsch infused cherries and whipped cream. So good!!
Russian Apple Cake (Sharlotka) – Just 5 ingredients and 15 min of prep then your oven does the rest!
Poppy Seed Cake Roll – Moist, generously filled with a cream cheese frosting, covered with velvety chocolate ganache and pummeled with salted pistachios.
Pomegranate Christmas Cake – With a crown of glistening pom seeds, this one’s a stunner for the holidays.
Story Book Cake Roll – This cake roll is moist, rolled with a vanilla butter cream, covered in decadent chocolate and the cookie crumbs give it a subtle crunch.
Kiwi Berry Cake – If you love fruit, this cake will make your dreams come true. Layer after layer of gorgeous berries.
Tiramisu – if you like tiramisu, you will love this!
I told you I loved this cake base. I’m Completely smitten 🙂
4-Ingredient Sponge Cake (Video Recipe)
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar 210 grams
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 130 grams
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
Instructions
Prep:
-
Preheat Oven to 350˚F. Line bottoms of two 9″ cake pans with parchment paper (do not grease the sides).
How to Make this Sponge Cake:
-
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment (this is the one I have), beat 6 large eggs for 1 minute on high speed. With the mixer on, gradually add 1 cup sugar and continue beating 8-10 minutes until thick and fluffy.
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Whisk together 1 cup flour and 1/2 tsp baking powder then sift this mixture into fluffy egg mixture one third at a time. Fold with a spatula with each addition just until incorporated. Scrape spatula from the bottom to catch any pockets of flour and stop mixing when no streaks of flour remain. Do not over-mix or you will deflate the batter.
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Divide evenly between prepared cake pans (it helps if you have a kitchen scale to weight the pans). Bake at 350˚F for 23-28 minutes (my oven took 25 min), or until top is golden brown. Remove from pan by sliding a thin spatula (here’s the one I love for cakes) around the edges then transfer to a wire rack and remove parchment backing. Cool cakes to room temperature then slice layers equally in half with a serrated knife.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Hi what’s the best sponge cake to make mini cakes for icing for a wedding
Hi Bernadette, are your mini cakes the size of a cupcake or muffin? We’ve had readers use this recipe for cake sizes anywhere from 6″ to 10″. If you are looking for a mini cake – cupcake size, I would try this cupcake recipe HERE.
Hi Natasha,
I would like to try the sponge cake recipe that you have shared. However my oven isn’t conventional. I only have fan-forced bake as an option. Could you advise what temperature to bake on and for how long?
Thanx
Hi Nirish, do you mean that you can only bake in a convection mode? I haven’t tested this in a convection oven but typically, you would either reduce the temperature by about 25°F or shortening the time 10 to 15%.
Hi, Natasha! May I use this recipe to make your tres leches cake? Thank you so much!
Hi Rei, I haven’t tried it, but I think it could work since it is a sponge. I would highly recommend either of our tres leches cakes.
Hi just wondering would this be enough for 3 7inch cakes
Hi Jenna, I haven’t tested it that way, but I think it could work well and is worth testing.
I made this cake several times with different flavors and every time it tasted amazing.Thank you so much.
But everytime i am having trouble in making layers.my cake is too soft and it crumbles while layering. What i am doing wrong? Can you help me pleae.
Hi Ramya, I don’t typically try to cut this cake into smaller layers since it is very soft. You might try baking it in 4 pans instead or divide it into 3 pans to avoid having to cut it.
Correct me if i am wrong..
I saw in some recipes of you using the same sponge cake and making layers like strawberry cake ,black forest cake ?
Am I confusing?
Hi Ramya, yes that is correct. I use this sponge cake for many different cakes. Some of them are listed in this post and you can also search “sponge cake” in the search bar on my blog and find more.
Yes.but you made layers in that right?but I am not able to cut the layers like you..my cake is too soft and crumbly while layering.
What i am doing wrong?
Hi Ramya, be sure to wait for it to fully cool before slicing and also use a sharp serrated knife which helps to divide cake layers.
Natasha, how should I adjust the amount of ingredients if I was using 8-inch cake pans?
Hi Janice, that might still work if the walls are fairly tall- you will have to make a judgement call based on what my cake looks like in a 9″ pan and how high it comes up on the walls of the pan. If the walls of the pans are shorter, it would be a good idea to scale the recipe down.
My genoise turned out perfectly! Thank you for sharing your recipe! How would we alter it to make a chocolate genoise?
Hi Abby, I recommend reading through a few of the comments for a chocolate version; several of our readers have commented with that. To make a chocolate sponge cake, you basically substitute some of the flour with cocoa. So you could try 1/4 cup sifted cocoa and 3/4 cup flour and sift them together before folding them into the batter.
Are you able to use cake flour for this recipe?
Hi Alex, I have tried cake flour and the cake becomes very soft and airy. It depends on what kind of cake you are trying to achieve but the cake flour makes the cake too soft and light for most frostings.
this was the best cake I’ve ever tasted in my life. Thanks for the recipe.
Hi Bob, I’m so glad to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Dear Natasha
This was such a simple yet GREAT tasting cake. It will become my all-time recipe😊😋.
THANK YOU <3
I’m happy to hear that! Thanks for your awesome feedback.
The taste is perfect but it’s dry. How can i make it super moist?
Thanks for your feedback. If you like a moist cake, simple syrup is always a nice edition. You can lightly brush the layers with syrup since the cake itself is pretty dry without it.
This was super easy and fast and delicious. It seemed sticky after I peeled the parchment paper off but with a little Irish whiskey drizzled on it, I had the perfect trifle base cake. People at Christmas raved about my trifle!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Lin!
I found this very easy to make.
I usually have a shop sponge cake which I didn’t get this time, and was needing to make my Christmas Trifle. Made your recipe on Christmas eve just perfect time.
I’m so glad that worked perfectly! Thank you for that wonderful review!
I just tried this and it came out great! I’ve only ever heard of a Genoise Sponge from the GBB Bake Off so, I wasn’t sure what to expect. It is not like a typical American box cake. It’s light, fluffy, and feel like a cake that needs fresh strawberries and whipped cream. It’s reminiscent of angel food cake. Thanks!
I’m so glad you loved this recipe, Kendall. That would be a great addition to this recipe, feel free to experiment and share with us how you liked it!
Hi, Natasha,
I came across a recipe similar to yours but with one addition ingredient which is Butter (2 Tbsp). what is the difference in taste and texture in your opinion?
Hi there, this cake does not require butter, I’m not sure what the difference is until I get to try that other recipe.
Hi Natasha,
I tried your recipe with 2 additions:
– 2 tbsp melted butter
– 1/2 tsp vanilla
And it came out delicious 😋
Thank you so much for sharing that with me! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe!
Easy to make but I have to agree with other reviewers that it was too eggy. Felt like I was eating egg soufflé rather than cake. I served with strawberries and cream but that didn’t cut it.
Normally this should not taste or smell eggy. The most common reason for that would be under beating the eggs and sugar. I suggest watching the video tutorial to see if your cake looked the same and if not, try to determine where it started looking different in the process. Another reason for an eggy smell would be if the cake was cooled in an area of the outdoor draft – the same thing goes for any egg-based dessert-like meringue or egg-based cakes
Hi Natasha,
Can I add 1 tsp of Vanilla powder to the Sponge cake mix (it’s hard to find a good vanilla extract here).
Hi Ban, I haven’t tried adding powder yet to advise if it would work the same or not. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
Egg flavor too strong for us … the sponge came out good and absorbent. But it definitely tasted too eggy.
I’d recommend making it a 5 ingredient cake and adding vanilla extract to the recipe.
I’ve made this cake in the past by separating the egg whites and yolks and dividing the sugar while whisking. I have to say that version wasn’t so eggy. And the sponge comes out lighter too. More work though to separate the eggs and uses more bowls.
But this isn’t for us, I’ll be back to doing that version.
Hi Nicki, You can add vanilla although usually flavorings are added in syrups for this sponge cake. Normally this should not taste or smell eggy. The most common reason for that would be underbeating the eggs and sugar. I suggest watching the video tutorial to see if your cake looked the same and if not, try to determine where it started looking different in the process. Another reason for an eggy smell would be if the cake was cooled in an area of outdoor draft – the same thing goes for any egg-based dessert-like meringue or egg-based cakes
Hi Natasha,
I halved the recipe and made 2 6″ cakes. Both cakes sank in middle after i took them out of the oven but i overturned the pans (like when you bake a chiffon cake) and let them cool that way. They were some what rescued and i cut off the little bit that was still sunken and got 2 flat layers to work with. i brushed syrup over the cake and they tasted really good, with the perfect texture! i just need to figure out why the cake sank. i did whip the eggs and sugar till thick and fluffy and i don’t think over worked the flour in. Will try again cos it’s really the best sponge cake recipe that i’ve tried so far. Thank you!
Hi Wendy, this cake relies on the volume of the eggs to rise so overmixing with flour could have caused it, but I also suspect that it could be due to the way it was cooled. I haven’t tried leaving it in the pan upside down to fully cool.
Hi Natasha. Quick question. Would it be possible to bake this cake in a square tin or pyrex? Like a 9×9 or 8×8? Thanks!!
Hi John, without testing in your particular pan, I could only guess. I did bake this in one springform pan in the past for 30 minutes. This was from our coffee cake.
Hiii, can this cake be used with different extracts to create different flavors?
Hi Sarah, I haven’t tried that yet but I imagine that should work. It sounds like a good idea, if you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes!
How would I adjust the time/temp to bake it in an 8”x14” glass pan?
Hi Donna, I haven’t tried it in an 8×14, but here is where I made the strawberry layer cake in a 9×13, but it required a double recipe and making the batter in 2 separate batches (or it would overwhelm the mixer).
Can I freezer this cake?
Hi Natasha, I would cover and refrigerate for 2 days. They keep really well in the refrigerator. You can freeze them for longer.
Thank you! 🙂
Hi Natasha can I use this recipe to make a rolled Yule log?
Hi Debbie, I haven’t tried that yet but I imagine that should work too. I also have a Tiramisu Yule Log recipe here.
Hi Natasha,
Thank you and I just saw the recipe. Going to make it for the holiday. Happy Christmas
Debbie
I hope you love this recipe Debbie!
Hi Natasha ,
Would This cake work in a bundt pan?
Thank you
Hi Leah, I haven’t tried this in a bundt pan but I imagine it would be very difficult to get it out of a bundt pan as this cake has no oil or butter in it and requires that you loosen it from the pan with a spatula.
Right! I wound up using the springform ( as you had suggested in a comment below) and worked great! TY !!
Is it possible to bake this cake in one pan instead of two ?? If yes would the time of baking change?
Hi Erica, if using one pan, you would need one with tall walls like a springform pan. We did that in our older Tiramsu layered cake recipe.
Hey! How many days does the cake last in the refrigerator?
Thanks!
Hi Kim, I would cover and refrigerate for 2 days. They keep really well in the refrigerator. You can freeze them for longer.
Hi. Love your recipes. I don’t hv 2 rd pans. Alternatives pls.
Hi Irma, if using one pan, you would need one with tall walls like a springform pan. We did that in our older Tiramsu layered cake recipe.
Hi Natasha,
I’ve done this cake and is so easy and delicious so thank u, I had a question, if I add crushed hazelnuts on the bottom of the cake pan will the cake rise still?
Thank you
Hi Aleksandra, thank you for your good feedback. I have not actually tried doing that process yet to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
May I know the measurement of egg in weight rather than numbers
Sorry but I don’t measure the eggs by the weight
hi Natasha
i would like to try this cake my question is do you cook it only on pre-heated oven, meaning you do not turn the oven on at all?
thanks
oshenia
Hi, definitely keep the oven on. I meant to say that the oven should be fully preheated when you put the cake into the oven and then bake at that same temperature.
Hi
Usually I use 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of flour and always had excellent results. How come the ingredients in grams have a different measure?
Hi Sandra, the grams are by weight. Check out our post on how we measure which may help.
Thank you so much for the recipe! Already made it 2x .turned out beyond perfect. The 2nd time I used Bobs Red Mill 1:1 and substituted 1/4 cup of sugar for Lakantomonk fruit granulated sweetener. turned out perfect. One day I’ll try to make entirely with Lakanto.
Thanks for your great comments and feedback, Vicky. I’m so glad you loved it!
Hi Natasha!
I have made this before and it turned out great. Would it still turn out the same if I made it into cupcakes?
Hi Baylee, I have not tried that yet but I imagine yes it should be the same and it should be great. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes!
hi Natasha
good day
may i ask you what went wrong why my sponge cake defalted? can you give me tips to bake it again perfectly please.
thank you 😊
Hi Nela. Since the cake relies on the volume of the egg and sugar to rise, it is critical to follow every step in the recipe and use the right tools. Under-beating the eggs and sugar or over folding after adding flour will result in a flat cake. I suggest reading the troubleshooting section in this post and watching the video to see where things started to look different.
I dont blame you if this does not come out well my sister was supposed to make it and shes just putting in dollpos of stuff here and there, mixing, and expecting it to turn out a cake. Sorry I could not try out this recipe. I promise I w\ill try it later
Best cake ever made. Perfect even after Refrigerating for 24 hrs
Highly, highly recommend.
Love it! Thank you for your nice words and feedback.
Hi best sponge cake ever so easy and fast👍🏼❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️👍🏼
I just made this cake and it’s delicious! Do you have tips on keeping the cake from sinking in? I followed the instructions but must have done something wrong at some point. Thank you!
Hi Tiffany, It’s best not to open the oven on this cake – the heat escaping quickly can cause the cake to sink in the center. Also, try mixing another couple of minutes – if you are using a hand mixer or anything other than the highest speed, the cake won’t rise properly since it relies on the volume of eggs and sugar to rise. I hope that helps!
I have 2 8 in round cake pan how long do u think this will be for the oven?
Hi Korina, I have only tested this in a 9-inch pan to advise. I recommend checking it for doneness closer to the end of the bake time listed.
Would I be able to make this into a chocolate sponge cake ?
Hi Cris, I recommend reading through a few of the comments for a chocolate version, several of our readers have commented with that. To make a chocolate sponge cake, you basically substitute some of the flour with cocoa. So you could try 1/4 cup sifted cocoa and 3/4 cup flour and sift them together before folding them into the batter.
Made this in the strawberry version for my step daughters 17th birthday. It was out of this world. Thank you times a million! Your recipes are always wonderful.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Made this for my step daughters 17th birthday and everyone was blown away! We were sick of store bought cakes that we’re overly sweet ! Made this And it was a huge hit. Wish I could share a pic. It was beautiful and so tasty. Thank you Natasha . Your recipes never disappoint !!
That’s just awesome Nisreen! Thank you for that great review!
Hi Natasha
If we have medium size of eggs we should add another one or not?
Would you please tell me the wight of each egg?
You should be ok with med-large eggs however, always trust your gut!
Is there any way to make this with less sugar? Or modify with something like lemon juice w/o deflating it? My husband liked it but I found it too sweet.
Also pro tip for readers, for quick room temp eggs, leave your eggs in a bathwater-warm bowl of water for 10 mins.
This ratio of eggs to sugar is pretty standard for this classic European sponge cake and for a 2-layer cake is a fair amount of sugar. Most of our cakes are not overly sweet but I guess it depends on taste preference. I haven’t tried this cake with less sugar since this cake does rely on the volume of eggs and sugar to rise but we think it is not too sweet several of our readers have commented it is a perfect balance.
i was hoping to put them in ramekins, how long would i put them in the oven for?
Hi, I have not tested this recipe in ramekins but here is what one of our readers wrote: “I halved this recipe and baked it in 6 ramekins. I served them topped with cherry pie filling and whipped cream. They were a huge hit and so simple!” I hope that is helpful!
I love the simplicity of this recipe. However, I have 8” pans. What changes in temperature and/or baking time should I make.
Hi Rose, I haven’t tested this in an 8″ pan. I’m thinking it will fit but I also don’t want to lead you astray without testing it myself.
Hi Natasha… the recipe looks so yummy! I am going to be making this soon for a friend. But I wonder if this cake will taste too eggy with a lot of eggs. My friend doesn’t like cakes where the taste of eggs pops out distinctly. Please let me know!
Hi Gayu, I haven’t had that experience to advise. I do recommend reading through comments also to check on reader feedback.
Can you bake this on a cookie sheet?
Hi Melissa, I would suggest following the instructions from our sponge cake roll It’s not the ideal sheet cake as you do have to remove it to remove the parchment paper underneath or it would stick badly to the pan.
Hi Natasha!
Love this recipe but I always have issues with it for some reason.
1- the cake deflates and comes off the sides right after I take it out of the oven. Even tho I’m following every step.
2- Additionally, I notice its VERY sticky. I have tried baking for longer but it doesn’t work – its sticky to the touch but cooked completely, any idea why?
3- The two points above make it very difficult to cut the cakes into layers, i have crumbs everywhere. How do I prevent this?
Thank you!
Hi, a very sticky cake is usually due to under beating the eggs and sugar. Since the cake relies on the volume of the egg and sugar to rise, that step is critically important. If the cake doesn’t rise properly, it would be sticky, can deflate, and be difficult to cut since it’s more moist and flat. I highly recommend watching the video tutorial above to see where things started to look different.
Hi, can use both baking powder and baking soda,butter and milk
Hi, that would be a different cake.
Hi Natasha. I’m trying to bake this cake & I really want to bake it looks soo pretty. But the flour lumps keep forming when I add it, and when I mix it too much I risk deflation. What am I doing wrong…. please advice
Hi Neeti, it may be the type of flour. I do recommend sifting it in if you keep experiencing this.
Can I add food coloring to this sponge cake?? If I can, at what step would I add it? Thank you
Hi Yana, I haven’t tried adding food coloring but it should be ok as long as you don’t overmix after adding it so you don’t deflate your batter.
I made with my friends cake pan; worked perfectly. Just made again with my new pans supposed to be non stick- did not work. If you aren’t sure grease & flour pan to avoid my problem. Cake is delicious!!
Thank you so much for sharing that with us! I’m happy you enjoyed that!
Hi
I made the cake, the tast was delicious.
I have a question, if I want to make cake just with one pan that is 23,24 cm I should use half of Ingredient?
And if I want to use pan with 20 cm how many eggs I should use? Also about the other Ingredient?
Thanks
HI Eli, I haven’t tested it that way so you would have to experiment.
Can I bake this in a single 9x3in pan? Or should I half the recipe and make it twice? Thanks! My oven only fits one pan.
Hi, I baked this in a single springform pan when we made our original coffee cake. It works, but you will have more even and an overall taller cake baking them separately. This batter does not do well sitting out so it’s best to make and bake it right away.
My cakes keep sinking, and I do not know why. I have lowered the over temp. and I have tried to keep my family quite when the cake is in the oven. I am out of ideas so what should I do? However, the cake taste great everytime.
Hi Isa, the main culprit of the cake sinking is often under-beating the eggs and sugar. Did you start with room temperature eggs and use a high powered stand mixer to beat together the eggs and sugar and then fold the flour in with a spatula so as not to deflate the batter? I sure hope that helps some.
Hi, I was just wondering why the grams for the sugar and flour were different even though they are both one cup. I made it once with equal measurements because I did not notice the different grams and it was still amazing.
Thank you!
Best Sponge Cake ever!
Hi Milly! That’s a great question! Although the recipe calls for one cup of both the sugar and flour, one cup of sugar will be heavier than one cup of flour. I hope that helps. Also, here’s a post we did on measuring that can better explain this.
Hi there, can I make this 1-2 days ahead and wrap in foil until frosting? And should I sizzle with syrup before frosting ? Thank you
Hi Vicki, I would cover and refrigerate for 2 days. They keep really well in the refrigerator. You can freeze them for longer.
Hi, I was just wondering why the grams for the sugar and flour were different even though they are both one cup. I made it once with equal measurements because I did not notice the different grams and it was still amazing.
Thank you!
Hi Kimmy, 1 cup of sugar will weigh more than 1 cup of flour. The grams are a weight measurement.
Love your recipes and tips. my sponge cake always gets heavy and dense. I’m new in baking.
Now i’ll try this.
Hi Asma, I hope you love this recipe! I do recommend reading through all of our tips and tricks! Also, this post on measuring is super helpful.
Tried it today.
Doubled all ingredients. Came out great!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
How do I halve the recipe? please help.
What size of pan will you be using?
Hi Natasha,
I was wondering if I could make the batter ahead of time and bake the next day?
Thanks,
Nina
Hi Nina, It is bet baked right after mixing. This cake relies on the volume of the eggs and sugar and that volume will deflate as it sits.
Hi Natasha my sponge cake got deflated in the centre I did beat the egg and sugar 10 mins then folded in the flour for a min with a spatula but it still had a sunken centre . Any idea what I could have done wrong
Thank you
Hi Radhika, Since this cake relies on the volume of the eggs and sugar to rise, it is critical to follow every step in the recipe and use the right tools. Under-beating the eggs and sugar or over folding after adding flour will result in a flat cake. I suggest reading the troubleshooting section in this post and watching the video to see where things started to look different.
I made this cake and used it in an English Trifle recipe and it was perfect with the soaking of Marsala and the spread of raspberry jam on the cut up pieces on it. Thank you for a great recipe!
You’re most welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed it, thanks for sharing!
Hey Natasha, i loved all of your recipes i tried so far. Now i want to make your vanilla Cupcakes and the Key lime Coconut Cake but also as Cupcakes, i´m planning on following this Recipie but not to cut the cupcakes in half, i thought of making a hole in the middle of each cupcake, putting the filling in and then close it and frost it. Do you think it will work out?
Greeting from Germany
Hi Julia, I haven’t tried that but I suspect it may stick badly to the liners. Have you tried our perfect Vanilla Cupcake Recipe before? I’d love to know how this turns out if you experiment!
Hi Natasha…
Your recipes have worked out for me….
I want to try out this sponge cake, but had a query…
Instead of two separate pans, can I use just one pan..
Would it affect the texture of the crumb…,
time taken might be longer…
Hi Sarah, if using one pan, you would need one with tall walls like a springform pan. We did that in our older Tiramsu layered cake recipe.
Natasha, you must get physically ill at having to answer the same questions about this cake every single day! You are a patient woman…
We enjoy interacting with and responding to these comments! But thank you Patricia, I appreciate the compliment!
Hi Natasha, Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipes. I have made your beautiful sponge cake a few times now in my two 8″x3″ pans. i follow your instructions to the T with the figure 8, 10 second test. It cooks in 20-22 minutes as you mentioned. I have two questions for you:
1. when in the oven, the cake rises well but when it comes out, it immediately sinks creating a crater. Though the tastes is amazing, I was wondering why is that and if adding a pinch or two of cream of tartar would help?
2. I have not baked your black forest recipe yet but was wondering how the vanilla sponge cake recipe would result with the added butter (like the black forest)? If it can be added, how much would be needed? Thanks.
Much love!
Hi Naya, the main culprit of the cake sinking is often under-beating the eggs and sugar. Did you start with room temperature eggs and use a high powered stand mixer to beat together the eggs and sugar and then fold the flour in with a spatula so as not to deflate the batter? I sure hope that helps some. Let me know if I can help troubleshoot some more. This cake does not require any butter and to be honest baking it such a science I wouldn’t be able to make that recommendation with out testing it.
The first time I tried this recipe the cake turned out perfect! So in all confidence, this time I added a tsp of vanilla…and the whole thing collapsed!! Can anyone tell me why because I have made other sponge cakes before and this has never happened.
Hi Rachel, it could be due to overmixing. I haven’t had it collapse from vanilla either. Maybe someone else can share some insights?
Hi Natasha!
I am planning on making this cake but there’s no butter or oil in this recipe. Will it still taste okay without it?
Yes it tastes great without butter
Hi. Can I use cake flour rather than all purpose flour for this recipe? If so, how much more cake flour should I use? Thanks very much. Love your website.
Hi Christine, I have tried cake flour and the cake becomes very soft and airy. It depends on what kind of cake you are trying to achieve but the cake flour makes the cake too soft and light for most frostings.
I am planning on baking this in a sheet pan. How long will that take?
Hi Kina, I would suggest following the instructions from our sponge cake roll It’s not the ideal sheet cake as you do have to remove it to remove the parchment paper underneath or it would stick badly to the pan.
Hi, should I just halve the recipe if I have a 7″ cake pan. I’m only making one, so I was worried that I would end up with extra batter. Would it work if i made it taller and increased the baking time?
I haven’t tested this in an 7″ pan. I’m thinking it will fit but I also don’t want to lead you astray without testing it myself.
I halved this recipe and baked it in 6 ramekins. I served them topped with cherry pie filling and whipped cream. They were a huge hit and so simple!
So great to hear that, Diane. Thanks for your good comments!
Hi Natasha
Is it ok to add yogurt / sour cream into this cake? How should I adjust other ingredients? Thanks!
Hi Danielle, I haven’t tested that in this cake and to be honest, we don’t think it needs it. If you happen to experiment though I would love to know how you like that.
I halved this recipe, baked in 8 inch round pan and it fell during baking. Any suggestions, recommendations?
It may have needed a longer bake time being in a smaller pan.
Hi Natasha, I only have 1 cake pan. Is it possible to half the recipe? Or use the whole recipe with a longer bake time?
Hi Victoria, if using one pan, you would need one with tall walls like a springform pan. We did that in our older Tiramsu layered cake recipe.
Hie Natasha
Can i use self rising flour instead.
I honestly haven’t tried this cake with self-rising flour so I can’t say for sure how it would affect the rise. I searched all 824 comments and couldn’t find any reports of using self-rising flour. If you experiment, please let me know how it goes.
Hi Natasha, do you know which gluten free flour would work best here? I’ve made this cake several times and only once did it come out right…
Hi Sarah, I have had several readers say that this cake works well using gluten-free flour. I don’t recall if they mentioned specifically which brand of GF flour but everything else stayed the same and they were able to use gluten-free flour in place of all-purpose flour.
Have you tried this recipe with a little vanilla or almond extract?
I haven’t but others shared this “I added some vanilla extract and lemon. I also used almond flour to make it gluten free. It was delicious!”
Hi Natasha,
I did your cake and turned out to be great. Thank you! I just had one issue when I was cutting the cake, it was too crumbly. Any idea why is that ?
Hi Sirine, make sure you add a syrup – this cake is meant to be enjoyed moistened with a syrup or it can seem dry.
Hi is the quantity enough for 3 6″inch cake ?
Hi Almas, I haven’t tested this in a 6″ pan but it may work if divided into three pans.
My wife hates frosting on cakes (she scrapes it off to eat the cake without it!), so for her birthday yesterday I made your Berry Tiramisu Cake. She – and all of us at the party – loved it! Delicious without being too sweet. So refreshing after a big BBQ dinner … just outstanding. I followed your directions and tips exactly.
Thanks for yet another great recipe, Natasha!
That’s just awesome Rick! Thank you so much for sharing that with me! Happy Birthday to your wife!
Hi Natasha,
Can I half the recipe
I wanted to make this in 2 6 ” pans and also can the batter can rest on the counter until the other one bakes
I have not tested this in two six-inch round baking pans to say for sure. It sounds like you are on the right track but I would guess that 4 eggs might work better or the cakes may be a little flat. Let me know if you experiment since others may have the same question.
I’ve made this cake in 6” pans many times.. but I used 3 pans for the full batch of batter.. and bake it a little bit longer. They come out nice and tall.
Hi Natasha,
Is this too much of quantity for 2 6 inch pan. I am planning to make a two layered cake for my daughters Birthday and as need height. Will it work with 2 6″ pan. What do u recommend.
How much Vanilla extract can be added
Can you recommend frosting I stay in Dubai and its very hot and humid here without eggs and not too sweet
Hi Almas, I have not tested this in two six-inch round baking pans to say for sure. Let me know if you experiment since others may have the same question.
Hi Natasha! Do I need to make any adjustments for altitude? I believe that I followed all the directions and kept the eggs nice and fluffy, but my cakes were nice and high in the sides, but fell in the middle. I’m in Colorado at 7000 feet.
Hi Anita, Besides altitude issues, the main culprit of the cake sinking is often under-beating the eggs and sugar. Did you start with room temperature eggs and use a high powered stand mixer to beat together the eggs and sugar and then fold the flour in with a spatula so as not to deflate the batter? I sure hope that helps some. Let me know if I can help troubleshoot some more.
Hi Natasha,
Is this too much of quantity for 2 6 inch pan. I am planning to make a two layered 6″ cake for my daughters Birthday as need height. Will it work with 2 6″ pan. How much Vanilla extract can be added
Can you recommend butter cream without eggs and not too sweet
Hi, I would go with 1 tsp of vanilla and fold it in at the end. I haven’t tried this in 6″ pans so it would have to be an experiment. I think it would overflow if you didn’t cut it down. Without testing it, I could only guess. I have a new buttercream recipe that I will be posting next week.
I made this cake heater ago for my friends and it was a hit. I tried again last night and for some reason the topsof the cakes were really sticky. I don’t recall this happening the first time around. Any tips to ensure proper baking? Thanks!
Hi Jo, I’ll do my best to troubleshoot – do you live in a high altitude area? I wonder if that would affect baking temp/time on this one. Also, are you in a high humidity area? The top normally doesn’t turn sticky so I’m not sure why else that would be…
Hi, if i use 1 9″ springform pan to bake the batter, do i still bake at 350˚F for 23-28 minutes? If butter is not use, will the cake has no taste and will the cake be hard?
Hi Valerie, we used to bake this cake in a springform but you won’t get the same height and rise as you would baking in two separate cake pans. It was 30 minutes of bake time. This cake does not require any butter.
Hi,
When I scale it down or up using the slider the measurements in the metric system do not change. Do I simply divide or multiply your recipe? As I know that there are recipes that when scaled up or down they don’t necessarily work because of proportions.
Hi Anne, with baking it is tough to say. The slider is configured to the non-metric measurements. You can halve this recipe,
several of our readers have done so successfully
Hi! I am getting ready to start baking some of this. My question is about the baking pans you use – can I use springform pan or do you recommend using the round ones you use?
Hi Aldina, I’m using cake pans that are about 1 3/4 inches tall. If using a springform to make one tall cake you can use a 9″ springform that is 3″ tall.
hi Natasha is it just 1cup flour?
That’s right! We used one cup of flour for this cake.
I wanna know how well this will go as tree leches base? What’s the difference in texture in this one and the one is your tree leches base ?
Thanks
Hi Sana, I haven’t tried, but I think it could work since it is a sponge. I would highly recommend either of our tres leches cakes.
hi, i really want to make this cake but unfortunately i don’t have an oven, can you tell me how do i make this on a stove?
Hi, Unfortunately, I don’t think this one can be made on a stove.
Thank you… This recipe is phenomenal… Thank you Natasha…
I’m so happy you enjoyed that! Thank you!
Hi natasha
I want to make the cake but I dont have this stand cake mixer just a normal mixer
Pl help
Debbie
Hi Debika, if you have an electric hand mixer, it will take longer to mix. I would give it an extra 3-5 minutes of mixing time depending on how much power your mixer has and definitely on high speed.
Hi Natasha,
I was wondering if I could use this recipe in an 8 inch round pan.
Hi Marti, I haven’t tested this in an 8″ pan. I’m thinking it will fit but I also don’t want to lead you astray without testing it myself.
Hi Natasha,
How long do you recommend cooking this cake if I halve the recipe? Are the beating times still the same?
Thanks!
Hi Olivia, you can halve the recipe and just use one 9″ pan. I hope that helps.
May I use this recipe for sponge cake cupcakes? I want to fill them with pastry cream and then top with chocolate glaze.
Hi Loria, this cake base does not work well for cupcakes since it will stick badly to the wrappers as there is no butter or oil in the cake.
Hi Natasha I look forward to making this as I trust your skills, having done a favorite recipe from you- the strawberry jello.
For this cake recipe, I would like to use my dark square pan, what would you suggest I do with baking time and temp, more time and lower temp you think?
Thanks for sharing as always.
– Cha
Hi Maria, without testing in your particular pan, I could only guess. I did bake this in one springform pan in the past for 30 minutes. This was from our coffee cake.
Hi Natasha, i made the genoise cake. Just a question, why did my cake get hard. The taste is good but the texture is chewey. Where did i go wrong?
Hi CM, the primary culprits are either under beating (make sure to use a stand mixer on high speed with whisk attachment), and overbaking could also be a culprit.
Can i use this recipe to make Tresleche cake
Hi Ramya, I haven’t tried, but I think it could work since it is a sponge. I would highly recommend either of our tres leches cakes.
Thank you.
Can I make this recipe in 13*9 square pan
Hi Ramya, it would be a fairly skinny cake. Here is an example where I made this a 9×13 cake but I doubled the recipe and made the cake layers separately.
Natasha, do you think it would be possible to use this recipe in one big round pan (12”).. (trying to make a big cake)
Hi Natasha, I haven’t tested that with an 12 inch pan but I have doubled this recipe for a 9×13″ cake pan before. Without doubling it may be a fairly skinny cake depending on your pan size. Anyways, also note that each batch of batter needs to be beaten separately unless you have an industrial electric mixer, otherwise it will overwhelm the mixer and not whip sufficiently for the cake to rise properly.
Hi Natasha, I’ve tried this recipe and love it! I’m going to make it again for this weekend and once it’s baked I’m going to soak it with a little fig syrup to give it a different flavor. Will let you know how it goes! Thanks for the awesome recipes!!!
Yum! We use this base for most of our cakes! I’m so glad you enjoyed that!
It came out perfect!! I mean absolutely delicious! Thanks again for your awesome recipes!
You’re welcome, Martha! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
Hi Natasha
What is the height of the 9″ pan u used please?
Hi Mary. I’m using cake pans that are about 1 3/4 inches tall. If using a springform to make one tall cake you can use a 9″ springform that is 3″ tall.
Hi Natasha,
I have tried this cake and came out so well.thank you so much. Is it fine if i add 1/2 cup of milk and one tspoon vanilla to it. I have used 9″x 3.5″ height pan (it filled almost 3/4th of pan) and baked it at once for 35 mints as i didnt have two baking tins. Is that fine that way and cut it in two. Does it make any difference if I bake it at 9″ pan. Or if i use a rectangle pan, what will be right size. I have one with 10.5″ i guess. please advise
Hi Mary, I probably wouldn’t risk adding the milk or it will likely deflate. I have baked this in a tall springform pan but it takes a little longer to bake and never really creates as tall of a cake as when it’s baked in separate pans.
Hi Natasha
Can this recipe be used for bakig in a loaf pan?
Hi Sal, I think that would be ok to cut the recipe in half and just bake in 1 pan or use a non-stick loaf pan (line the bottom of it also) so it can grow taller and you can cut it in half.
thank you Natasha for the prompt reply. I am going to make one this weekend and do frosting for my son’s birthday. To be frank, little confused whether to go with your tres leches cake, (i have not tried it though) or go with this simple recipe.
With this cake Cheese frosting would be great ryte?
Thank you Natasha, now my weekends starts with your breakfast recipes .
Hi Natasha, one more question..can we use the 3 milk syrup in this simple sponge cake ?
Hi Mary, I haven’t tried that with this one. I always go with the Tres Leches base for the 3 milk mixture.
Hi Mary, they are very different recipes and have completely different flavor profiles. The Tres Leches Cake is one of my all-time favorites.
Hi Natasha, I tried the sponge cake for my son’s birthday and it came out super soft and moist. everyone loved it. thank you.
You’re welcome. I am so happy to know that you loved it!
I’m trying to follow a keto diet so I made this cake using fine almond flour, and Swerve shite sugar replacement – it was amazing, I’ve used this recipe about six times with regular flour and sugar and there was no difference in taste!
Hi Natasha I am loving your recipes.. tried this sponge cake came out really good .. but I baked it in a 9” and3.5” height cake tin all at once as I didn’t have two trays and baked for 35 mints. Is it fine if I use 10x7x2.5 square tin all at once. I got also 2 tins of 6.5 x 1.5 round tray. Will that work? I think it’s too small
I am so glad you loved it and that worked. I have not tried using a smaller tray to advise, sorry!
Thank you for this recipe Natasha. It was absolutely easy and turned out well.
I halved the ingredients from the recipe and used a single 8 inch springform cake tin to bake for 25 minutes at 350F. The colour was pale brown and just as you did, I used a spatula to lightly peel it off the cake tin. It did not stick and the parchment peeled off clean.
I was a little concerned when beating the eggs with sugar as I used a powerful hand mixer and did not want it to turn to turn to a stiff peak. It feels soft, light and airy and as I was cutting it into half to frost, I could feel the moist through the body of the cake. Off to add cream cheese frosting!
Thank you for sharing that wonderful feedback with us Roni! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
I was wondering though, when you say the cake should cool with no outdoor draught, do you mean the cake can be left to cool in the oven?
We leave it out on the counter. Try not to have it by an open window or door with a draft.
I made this today. The cakes came out incredibly flat. I’m trying to figure out what I did wrong. Any ideas?
Hi Stephanie, it should rise enough to fill most of the pan. Since this cake relies on the volume of the eggs and sugar to rise, it is critical to follow every step in the recipe and use the right tools. Under-beating the eggs and sugar or over folding after adding flour will result in a flat cake. I suggest reading the troubleshooting section in this pot and watching the video to see where things started to look different.
Thanks for replying! The only thing I can think of was I over mixed after adding the flour. It still tasted great! I will have to try another round and test my theory!
I made this yesterday and it’s fantastic! My question – can you bake this in a smaller pan for a higher cake? I halved the recipe and made just one layer (turned out delicious) but would love to make this in a loaf pan or smaller pan.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that Randee! I have not tested this in smaller pans to advise but one of our readers mentioned they were going to try two six-inch round baking pans. It sounds like you are on the right track with halving the recipe. I think that would be ok to cut the recipe in half and just bake in 1 pan or use a non-stick loaf pan (line the bottom of it also) so it can grow taller and you can cut it in half.
My second time making this wonderful recipe this week. My 14 yr old son (who doesn’t like to be in the kitchen :() was helping me and he said,”That’s it?” He couldn’t believe it was simplewith minimal ingredients. Thanks so much!!
That is the best when kids love what we moms make. That’s so great!
Is there a cross section photo of what the cake should look like inside? I made this by hand (manual whisk) and it looks pretty much like it does in the video. But the cake itself is rather dry, not sure if its is because it wasn’t whipped enough. Otherwise it tastes great and I’ll be making it again!
Hmm! Great question, I do not have a photo of that but if you look at some of the cakes we mention in the recipe post they do have cut cakes using this sponge. Also, If you like a moist cake, simple syrup is always a nice edition. You can lightly brush the layers with syrup since the cake itself is pretty dry without it.
Hey Natasha,
How do you prevent the cake from cracking on the top?
Thank you in advance
Hi! I haven’t had any experience with this cake cracking. Was anything altered in this recipe to help better pinpoint what caused the cake to crack.
I haven’t tried this recipe yet I will be doing it tomorrow. However, with the other cakes the top of the cake cracks maybe due to the cake rising unevenly.
Hi Natasha, I halved the recipe. It came out super sponge but it smells eggy while eating. Where and what went wrong. Can you please tell me. TIA
Hi Jyothi, if everything else was the same, I wonder if maybe you got a bad egg in the mix? Also, was there outdoor draft when you took it out of the oven. With any egg-based cake or meringue, an outdoor draft amplifies an eggy smell. I hope that helps!
Perfect recipe,it made me remember my childhood cake forgot the recipe taught by my aunt .. though was little bit scared 2 find the traces of flour in bottom but kept on mixing was interrupted many tm by my 3 year old princess who wants to know what mama is doing not paying attention 2 her baking this for sm friends daughter who requested me & I couldn’t refuse
Want 2 know how to store it should I cut top & edges before frosting
Hi Paru, Yes, you can make the cake base ahead of time and store it either in the fridge or at room temperature for a day or 2 or wrap and freeze up to 3 months.You do not need to cut the top or sides for this case.
So great to hear that you loved the cake. Thanks for your great review!
Hi Natasha
I really liked this! it was simple and delicious. my sister helped make this cake and loved it, thank you for this recipe
I’m so glad you enjoyed that Katie!