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:
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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
Berry Tiramisu Cake Recipe 
Layered Strawberry Cake Recipe 
Blackberry Lemon Cake Roll (VIDEO) 
Storybook Cake Roll Recipe 
Tres Leches Cake Recipe (VIDEO) 
Poppy Seed Cake Recipe 
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
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 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.
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!
Hii Natasha,
If you were you add icing and add fondant on top, how long should the cakes cool? Will the cake be stable if I add fondant?
Hi Amirah, It may be a little soft for fondant unless you put a stiffer buttercream over it first – that may work.
what type of buttercream should i use?
Hi Amirah, have you tried this buttercream here?
Hi, can I mix the eggs and sugar just by using a whisk? I don’t own electric or hand mixer
Hi Jenny, I can’t say for sure that it would work. This cake really relies on the volume to rise so that beating step is critical.
Hi, is this recipe suitable for a 6″ pan with 3″ height? If not how I can manage this? What about oven temperature and for how long time?
Thanks
Hi Marie, yes you would halve everything proportionally if you would like to use 2-6″pans.
This recipe is around medium-level difficulty, like most sponge cakes, but once you master it, it’s amazing! The trick is to mix the eggs & sugar together for a long time. Also, make sure you don’t over-bake, as the cake tends to get hard if you do. Do NOT deflate the batter!!! I suggest using a toothpick to test for when it is ready. On my first attempt, I used cupcake molds. Big mistake, everything came out dry and hard. Second attempt, I learned my lesson and used a cake mold, as requested. It came out better, but still a bit hard, as I had under-mixed and over-baked a bit. On my third attempt, the cake was amazing!!! A bit hard on the edges, but it really had the texture of a sponge cake! I had to check on it constantly so that it was not over-baked.
Thank you so much for sharing those tips with us!
Hi Natasha,
I’ve made this sponge cake countless times and it tasted great every time I do! This time, I need to store the cake layers for two days from now. I already baked them and they’re cooling. How can I store these layers so they will stay fresh for two days from now??
Hi Aviela, I would cover and refrigerate for 2 days. They keep really well in the refrigerator. You can freeze them for longer.
Hi. I was looking for a light sponge recipe when I came across this. I want to make a three layer pineapple cake using these. Just want to check that it’ll be ok to spread some pineapple juice on each layer to keep it moist? or do you think it’ll become soggy? Thanks
Hi Manisha, we use a simple syrup recipe with this. I think that should work here but as you said, don’t add too much to avoid it getting soggy.
After 60 years trying to make a sponge cake for my husband birthday I finally succeeded. Your recipe is great. The cake
Was easy to make and looks delicious. Thank you for this great recipe.
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me! I’m all smiles
Could I use 1/2 a recipe for a pineapple upside down cake?
Hi Alma, I haven’t tested that to advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Hi Natasha,
How is this different from a Chiffon cake?
They are different because of the ingredients used. All of these cakes belong in the sponge or “foam” cake family because they get their structure and spongy, light, and open texture from whipped whole eggs or whipped egg whites a.k.a. egg foams.
What a wonderful recipe! So simple and as you’ve tightly pointed out, incredibly versatile. I’ve been baking cakes for 15 years and my butter cakes are always a hit. I can’t believe I e never tried a true sponge cake before (other than in tres leches cake.)
This recipe is perfect size for a for half sheet pan. Baked 18 minutes then cut into quarters to make it more in the style of an opera cake, filled with lemon mousse and topped with dark chocolate ganache.
My practice cake was simply filled with fruit preserves and barely sweetened cream. Both so delicious.
Among other things, I plan to use this cake in a trifle for my husband and tiramisu for my mom. Great inexpensive replacement for expensive packages of ladyfingers.
I will say that I think the structure of this cake Probably holds up better to multiple thin layers rather than baking them deeper then splitting and would help prevent deflating as it cools.
Thank you for that wonderful feedback Ali! I’m so glad you enjoyed that!
Hi there! I want to make this cake but am hoping to halve the recipe since it’s for an isolation birthday just for 2 people. Do you have any recommendations on what size cake pans I should use, if I should just halve the recipe, and adjustments for baking time? Thank you so much!
Hi Tu, you can halve the recipe and just use one 9″ pan. I hope that helps.
Followed the receipe to the T , loved it !!! Baked my first sponge cake today , thank you !
That so great! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe!
In your 4 ingredient sponge cake…don’t you add butter or oil
Hi Avril, we do not. This batter does not require butter or oil.
Could we add some lemon or orange zest to your recipe?
That should work. Please share with us how it goes.
You’re amazing.
I really enjoyed watching your video.
Just a suggestion.
Can you please give time to flush into the screen all ingredients needed before you start cooking… That’s what mostly the video I watched in any cooking video. That made us easy.
Thanks
Corazon
Thank you Natasha for the recipe. Well i have a little question. Why shouldn’t the sides be greased. I thought no greasing could make the cake stick onto the baking pan.
Hi Kevin, greasing the pan won’t help much to get the cake to release, it can adversely affect the rise though by greasing the pan – the batter may pull away from the sides and not rise as evenly. That has been my experience.
Hi Natasha,
I’ve tried so many of your recipes and all of it turned out so good! Prepping our ingredients right now for your strawberry layer cake. For this sponge cake, can I use a 9×13 cake pan instead of the round pans?
Hi Anne, 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).
Made this cake and loved it. It did collapse a little bit, perhaps the pan was a little small. In any case it was extremely easy and quick. I sandwiched it with fresh cut up strawberries and fresh creme.I will be keeping this one. Thx Natasha. I can’t wait to try your other recipes.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that Safeera!
Hi,
I am mixing the eggs and sugar for quite some time now with a hand held mixer and they still look quite liquid. Did I mix the sugar with eggs to soon?
Thank you!
Hi, a handheld electric mixer will take longer than a stand mixer because it isn’t as efficient. Also, make sure the eggs are at room temperature or it will take even longer.
Mixer wouldnt whip enough air in it. Probably knocking it down. I made 2 of these tonight. I finished with a drizzle of Remy Martin 1738 cognac. This is a very rich cake and the cognac really sets it off. Very simple, very effective. I bake a lot. Mostly breads, but I like doing pastry too. My favorite is rugalach. real crowd pleasers.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
Hi Natasha,
Should the 340 F oven setting be on fan forced?
Hi Angela, I don’t have any experience with a “forced oven” fan to be honest. Have you looked online to see if modifications need to be made for baking? I think it’s definitely worth an experiment.
Hi all I had was a spring pan. Will this work? And also can I use large cupcake pan?
Hi Debbie, a springform cake pan will work with this recipe. Make sure it is tall enough if using the full recipe in one pan. I have not tested this in a cupcake pan to advise. 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.
Tried it…. nice, light, spongy and sweet Natasha.
They collapsed a little when i took them out of the oven to cool, so will leave in oven next time with the door cracked to see if a slower cooling will keep them more level on top.
…love the printable recipe that allows you to change the number of cakes and automatically updates the ingredient amounts (but noticed the ingredients by weight did not change… easy enough calculation, but thought it might have been an oversight).
Thanks again!
Hi Shaka, that weight measurement is just a notation fo the full recipe. Unfortunately, the scaling up and down doesn’t apply to the notes, but only to the primary ingredient measurements.
Hello!
I’m really looking forward to trying your recipe but I only have one 9 inch baking pan at home. Do you know how long and at what temperature I should be baking the sponge cake at if I am halving the whole recipe?
Thank you!
Hi Crystal, did you bake the entire cake batch in the one pan? In that case, it should be baked for 30 minutes.
Hi Natasha, I’ve made many of your recipes and they have been delicious and keepers for my family, thank you for sharing.
As for this sponge cake, I made it a couple of times, it tastes great but unfortunately, both times the cake sunk in the middle after I removed it from the oven. I followed your directions exactly as well as timed accordingly, any thoughts on what I may doing wrong? Thanks again!
Hi Vangie, 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.
I added some vanilla extract and lemon. I also used almond flour to make it gluten free. It was delicious!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review Sarah!
hi can i use this recipe in 10 inch pans?
Hi Mavra, that may work. It will be a thinner cake in a ten in an so it may work better to make a little more batter.
Hi Natasha, I tried this recipe and the cake turned out dry. Did I just leave it in the oven for too long or I over mixed it? I don’t know but I want to try it again.
Hi Anne, 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.
Hi, Could you please tell me a substitution for the eggs in the sponge cake recipe. Thank you so much.
Hi Amrit, this cake relies on the volume of eggs and sugar to rise so I haven’t tried it without eggs yet.
This cake looks great! I would really like a subtle taste of lemon in the cake though so how much lemon zest would you suggest I add?
Hi Maria, You are welcome to use a simple syrup with lemon flavor in it. Here is a simple syrup recipe we use, Simple Syrup: 1/2 cup water, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 Tbsp granulated sugar. For a lemon cake, I would add extra lemon juice to taste to really bump up the lemon flavors.
Delicious
It turned out amazing!! Smells a little eggy but that might have been my fault in some way, super easy to make though!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
I just came across this recipe and am excited to try it tomorrow! I would like to know if there is a recipe for chocolate sponge cake. my friend likes
chocolate cake but not chocolate frosting . Any ideas would be wonderful.
Hi Betty, unfortunately, I don’t have a recipe for that yet but that’s a good suggestion for a future video!
My first time baking a cake experience was flawless !!!! All thanks to your amazing video and step by step instructions!
I loved the texture and the taste of the cake! Thank you so much!
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me! I’m all smiles!
Hi , can I use one 9inch pan for the whole cake ? Or a Bundt Pan maybe ?
Hi Sara, if your pan is tall enough you can bake the entire cake batch in the one pan. In that case, it should be baked for 30 minutes. I have done this successfully with my tiramisu cake. I hope that helps!
Really easy and great tasting recipe made this for a strawberry shortcake of sorts since I like fluffy cakes more than the traditional dense version. Turned out great!!! Only change I made was adding about 1/4 tsp of salt to the flour mix and 1 tsp of vanilla extract to the batter
So nice to know that Cathy! Thanks for sharing that with us.
Hi Natasha
I see the strawbrry song cake Igonne make it for may 18 years grandson B-day.Every you recipe is so easy and deliciouns.I make many of them. Thank you Olga
Thank you for that wonderful compliment Olga! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Super super easy and tasted super good!
I reduced the amount of sugar and now you’ve given me the perfect recipe for guilt free cake!
Loved it!
Great to hear that Ayushi! Thanks for giving this recipe a good feedback.
May ik how much you reduced it to pls i was thinking to try this recipe out but i dont know how much i shouod reduce the sugar to
hi! how do i adjust this for 3 6inch pans? do you know how long i should cook them? thank you!!
I have not tested this in two six-inch round baking pans to say for sure. I worry it would overflow, you may need to adjust the recipe to fit.
Hi Natasha,
This sponge cake is my go to recipe and it turns out perfect all the time.
Will this cake work for ice cream cake? Like a layer of cake+ice cream+cake+ice cream(similar to cold stone creamy ice cream cake). If this Cake works, do I have to still use some kind of syrup to moisten the cake layers .
Thank you!
Hi Mikki, to be honest, I haven’t tested that but it sounds DELICIOUS! If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Hi. I am thinking about trying this recipe and it sounds great! One question, what do you think is best to put on the cake when served, or should I leave it plain?
I’m so glad you enjoyed that Laura! Are you referring to a frosting? I would recommend reading through the recipe post. We have some cakes listed that we use this base with. I hope that helps.
Hi. I am thinking about trying to make this sponge and it sounds great! One question, what do you think is best to put on the cake to serve it, or should I leave it plain?
Hi Laura, there are so many great options! I recommend reading through the recipe post. We linked some of our favorite cakes that use this sponge cake as a base.
Hi Natasha I have a question for you . Could you please add a link for cake pan . Is it 9 X 3 inch is best for this cake ?
HI, we use two 9-inch round pans like this.
I tried the cake. I was pleased !!!
I do not have the round pans so put it in a 9X13 and it worked great.
I’m so glad you enjoyed that Joan! Thank you for that great feedback.
Hi Natasha
I had a lil question. By the way, I loved ur sponge cake recipe. How much the quantity will change for a 7 inch round cake pan? Also how to prevent the cake dome from being formed and preventing the sides from being tooo hard.
Thanks
Its always lovely to follow ur recipes.
Hi Sakshi, I haven’t tested it in a 7″ cake pan so you would have to experiment. I haven’t had any issues with doming or the sides getting hard with this recipe.
Hi Sakshi – the general rule for filling cake pans is to fill about 2/3 to 3/4 full. You could make the recipe as is and fill pans; you’ll just have some leftover batter. This would be way easier than trying to scale down the recipe.
As for the doming, I have found that quality cake pans help enormously – a light-coloured (aluminum is best) traditional (not non-stick) pan such as from Chicago Metallic or Fat Daddio’s brands really helps. Aluminum pans are what professionals use – aluminum conducts heat very well so it both heats up and cools down quickly. I used to work in kitchen shops and gradually replaced my lesser-quality pans with the ones I mentioned, and I noticed that my cakes baked flatter and more evenly than before. Hope that helps!
Hi, Natasha. Thank you so much! This was a huge success and we had it for dessert tonight with strawberries and bananas. Easy to make and your directions were spot-on. I’m looking forward to having some to dunk in my cup of tea tomorrow. I’ll try other recipes soon. I hope my five star rating registers!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
This was super easy to make. I did have a question. I doubled the recipe and only put it in 3 round pans. I put baking strips around the pan as well. When they were finished baking, they were only about 3/4″ thick. I have never made sponge cake. Is this right?
Hi Shantelle, 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.
Wow. I am a Canadian that grew up in Australia. Flour and climate are different there so it was hard to find a sponge recipe that works here. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Now I can make my fav Aussie desserts!
You are very welcome, Deanna! I hope you love this sponge cake.
I want to make this for mini strawberry shortcakes. Cake this be baked in muffin tins? If so, for how long? Thanks!
Hi Victoria, I have tested it and it sticks badly to the tin and to the liners if using liners. Since this cake doesn’t have any oil or butter in the batter, it’s not ideal for the muffin tin.
At first when I took them out of the oven, I was a little concerned with the eggy smell. But after it cooled down, it went away. The final product (berry tiramisu cake) was amazing and had no eggy taste. So for those of you concerned about that, I would say just let the cake cool down and it shouldn’t be an issue. Great recipe over all! Easy to follow instructions.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Perfect easy n quick
Got it right the first time
Great job as a first-timer! I hope you love every recipe that you try.
Hi, if i would like to change it to 8’’ round tray, the measurements could still be the same?
Hi Jo, It will be close but it should work with 2 8inch pans.
I’m eager to try this, since my last two attempts (not using your recipe)haven’t worked.
Question 1: I’d like to make this for a diabetic friend. Can a sugar substitute like Apriva work?
Question 2: Can the layers be frozen?
Thank you!!
Hi Anne, I haven’t tested Apriva to advise. This cake relies on the volume of eggs and sugar to rise. Yes, you can freeze these layers, it freezes really well for several months.
Thank you so much! I will use sugar and my friend can adjust her insulin accordingly. My sense is that the sugar provides the kind of volume that Apriva wouldn’t.
Thanks again.
Anne
Quick and easy. So much simpler than other recipes! Follow directions for success. I made half recipe and added a little vanilla for strawberry with whipped cream cake.
That’s so awesome Stephanie! Thank you for that great review!
For next time you bake for a diabetic friend or family:
I found using swerve (erythritol) works great. It is a pretty straight across measure (as in 1 cup =1 cup none of that funny business of weird measuring or math). I found I had to whip it a little longer to get the consistency this recipe looks for. Also with the sweetener replacement I used I find the cake is best to sit for a day before Decorating as the sweetener has a much better flavour. That being said still taste delicious.
This is a wonderful recipe that is easy and delicious even made the diabetic way.
I made this recipe today. It was amazing. Thank you for this.
Easy and delicious. We like it plain just as a sponge cake. I used 1 cake pan with the hole in the middle. I wonder if I double the recipe would it come higher. It filled have of my pan. The cake didn’t rise much but it was light and spongy.
Hi Sabrina, 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.
Wonderful recipe – made this today as surprise for husband (and I am NOT a baker) not changing your recipe one bit, but ……we could not eat the cake, it was like biting into rocks – so hard. What did I wrong? Please help!!
Hi Carina, I have not had that experience. Did you use the ingredients recommended? Did it feel like it was sugar you were biting into? I recommend our post on measuring to help with this.
Hi Natasha,
I’m eating the cake i made from your recipe as i write and it turned out beautifully. Great texture and easy recipe.
Question though: I see a lot about the importance of needing the volume of eggs and sugar to get the cake to rise. Is there any way to reduce the amount of sugar? I don’t need a substitute, i just need less sweet overall.
Thanks for the great recipe!
Hi Karin, I have tested reducing the sugar by 25% and it was still good. The sugar also helps to keep the form so I wouldn’t reduce it down too much.
How should I bake this in one big sheet pan?
Hi Christina, I would suggest following the instructions from our sponge cake roll It’s not the ideal sheet cake cake as you do have to remove it to remove the parchment paper underneath or it would stick badly to the pan.
Can you use cake flour
If yes how much
Hi Maryellen, that is a great question! I have used 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. If you are using extra-large eggs you will need to use less of them or alter the dry ingredients. Without testing that & with baking being such a science I don’t have the exact measurements/ adjustments.
Can you sue brown sugar ?
Hi, I haven’t tried with brown sugar so I’m not sure, but I suspect it might have problems with the molasses in the sugar.
Hi Natasha,
I love your videos and have tried many of them.
But today when I tried this cake recipe, my cake was sunken in the middle
Am sure I must have done something wrong. The only thing extra was vanilla extract. Other than that it was exactly same. Can you please advise.
Thanks,
Aditi
Hi Aditi, I am always happy to help troubleshoot. 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.
I made the egg and sugar batter fluffy. May be over folding
Although I tried your strawberry cake icing with my flat cakes… It was delicious. I will try again and let you know. Can I try a smaller portion? Can I try everything half?
Thanks,
Aditi
Hi Aditi, I haven’t tried doing it in half but I imagine that should work too. Please let us know how it goes if you do an experiment.
Yes, you would halve everything proportionally.
what cream/frosting/filling do you recommend for the sponge cake?
Hi Yelena, I recommend looking through the recipe post. We linked some of our favorite cakes and the different frosting used for those cakes using this sponge base.
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I tried this cake.it came out very well. Thank you for amazing recipes.
How can we make choclate version for this.
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! 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.
Thank you
Can we use this recipe to make cupcakes
Hi Ramya, 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.
Ok.Thank you. Do you have any basic cupcake recipe in your blog?
You can check these cupcakes recipes. I hope you love it!
Hello! I haven’t tried this recipe yet but I want to try making a chocolate version with the proportions you suggested but do you think I could substitute the regular cocoa powder for dutch-processed?
Hi Olivia, 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.
Hello! I’m just wondering if you’ve made the cake by adding flavouring? I’d like to make a lemon sponge and I was thinking lemon zest/juice but I’m concerned that the additional liquid will ruin the cake. Any advice? Thanks!
Hi Diana, You are welcome to use a simple syrup with lemon flavor in it. Here is a simple syrup recipe we use, Simple Syrup: 1/2 cup water, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 Tbsp granulated sugar. For a lemon cake, I would add extra lemon juice to taste to really bump up the lemon flavors.
Hi Natasha, I’ve been wanting to give this a try but i don’t have an electric mixer. If you don’t have an electric mixer, could hand whisking work? And should anything be adapted?
Hi Jessye, using a hand whisk would be extremely difficult and not practical. I would definitely recommend an electric mixer (whether a stand mixer or hand held in which case you will need to increase the mixing time a few minutes even with a hand held electric mixer), to adequately whip the cake since it relies on the volume of eggs and sugar to rise.
Recipe was thorough and easy to follow. If you love the taste of sweet baked eggs more than you like the taste of a dessert cake, then this recipe is perfect for you. For my family, it’s a huge flop. My family couldn’t get past the strong egg smell and taste. Obviously there are a lot of eggs in the recipe, but after reading the raving reviews, I figured this must be an amazing cake. My family of four didn’t like it at all. I even went as far as to not mention how many eggs I used not wanting to sway any opinions to get their honest input. I figure it had to be me, especially with so many rave reviews. Well, it wasn’t just me. My eldest son took one bite and asked “what the heck is this?” I replied “ I made a sponge cake.” He said “no, really mom. That’s not cake.”
Half a dozen eggs in the trash. Darn it! I should have bought a box mix.
Hi, this is a classic European sponge cake and normally this should not taste or smell of baked eggs. 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
I’m always unsure of how to mix the flour in, seems like there are always streaks left and I always end up over mixing. Any tips?
Hi Alia, it helps to sift the flour into the batter in thirds because you can fold it in with less changes of the balls of flour forming. Also, it won’t hurt to give the batter 5 more folds or so once you think you’re done folding just to ensure that you are getting all of the streaks or balls of flour incorporated. Also, when you fold, scrape with the spatula from the bottom of the bowl to lift any hidden pockets of flour. I hope that helps!
Hi! I wanted to try it with 6 inch cake pans, do u think that would work also? If so, how would I Portion it? What do u suggest also for people who only have one pan and can only bake it one at a time?
Hi Jenny, I’m so glad you love our sponge cake. 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.
Hi Natasha,
My oven cannot put in 2 x 9inch cake moulds at the same time. Is it then ok to bake one at a time?
Hi GP, I would recommend making and baking half of the recipe at a time.
Thank you!
Hi! Do you know if the bake time and temp change if im using one tall 9 in spring form pan?
Thank you
Hi Selina, yes you will have to adjust the bake time. I have not tried it in one to advise on a time. Also, I would make sure your 9″ pan is really tall. It can easily overfill once baking. If you experiment I would love to know how it turns out in one pan.
Hi Natasha,
I was wondering if you ever tried making biskvit in the instant pot?
Hi Rita, I have not tested that but here is what one of our readers wrote: “Hi! Just to let you know that I baked the cake in the instant pot, (my oven doesn’t work), and came out great! I set it for 12 minutes manual with 200 ml of water and the trivet, and let it rest for 5 minutes and then quick release. Thanks for the recipe!” I hope that helps.
Incredible recipe! As a well seasoned baker with expertise on chiffon and sponge cakes, I am delighted to report that I’ve made this recipe twice now and have done so successfully per directions. I am very much leaning towards making this a base recipe for layered cakes—especially if I need to whip one up last-minute. It takes me just under 1 hour to prep, bake, cool and frost this cake. Thanks so much for sharing such a brilliant recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Autom!
Sorry for the double post! I wasn’t sure if the first one went thru lol
Incredible recipe! I am a chiffon and sponge cake expert with skills handed down from my mom and upon discovering this recipe, I think I may just switch to using this as a base recipe (especially for layered cakes). I’ve made this recipe twice now. On both occasions, the cakes turned out perfectly per instructions and I managed to prep, bake, cool and frost the cake in under an hour! Thanks so much Natasha for sharing this genius recipe!
You’re welcome Autom! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Can you use cake flour for this recipe and extra large eggs
What changes/adjustments do I need to make
Hi MaryEllen, that is a great question! I have used 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. If you are using extra-large eggs you will need to use less of them or alter the dry ingredients. Without testing that & with baking being such a science I don’t have the exact measurements/ adjustments.
I’m making this recipe but forgot to buy parchment paper. Could I use butter on bottom to grease it?
I have one 9″ nonstick springform round cake pan and a 9″ round cake pan, is it okay if I use both for my two cakes and will both be the same?
Also both are nonstick pans
Hi Lena, without parchment paper, it will be very difficult to remove these from a pan. I wouldn’t recommend making it without parchment. Also, avoid wax paper which is really difficult to remove.
After much googling and seeing baking pan conversions. I ended up putting butter on the bottom of pan and used just one 9” springform pan. It came out perfect and it didn’t get stuck which was my major concern.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Your sponge cake recipe is awesome. I love it.
I’m so glad you enjoyed that! It is one of our favorites also!
thanks this was helpful, but i want to know, is there no need for flavours and butter??
Hi Ella, that does depend on the cake you are making – you’ll add syrup of choice or add more of that in your frosting. This recipe does not require that, however.
Question about how to know when the batter is ready. Is that after you’ve added the flour/baking soda, or just the eggs and sugar?
Hi Kelsey, It’s most important to beat the sugar and eggs adequately before folding in the flour and baking powder (not baking soda). The eggs and sugar are what will give your cake good volume and rise.
I need only one 9″ inch layer in a springform pan ( using mousse later so I need to mold it) Should I cut this recipe in half ?
Hi Amy, yes you can definitely halve this recipe.
Hi,Natasha! How come my cake was quite dense? I followed your recipe and even beat the egg mixture to the exact time as suggested. Glad my friends all like it. I used your cream cheese frosting and topped it with strawberries and blueberries.
Hi Mai, I’m more than happy to troubleshoot. This sponge cake should not be dense. I would highly recommend reading the tips in the recipe above for what the batter should look like. Since the cake relies on the volume of the eggs for leavening, it is critical to beat the eggs and sugar adequately in this classic sponge cake, or it will be flat and dense. I also recommend checking out our post on measuring here that happens to be the culprit often.
Straight in the bin. Smelt like scrambled eggs. Too soft a cake to tier up for a birthday cake.
Hi Alison, bummer, I’m sorry to hear that! I suggest reading through the troubleshooting tips above which help with most issues.
Thats just very nasty. I made it just few minutes ago and it turned out great! You probably didnt follow the tips..
Hi! I read that you have doubled this recipe for a 9×13″ cake pan before. Did you use the same baking time/setting?
Thanks in advance. I’m excited to try for a strawberry shortcake recipe.
Hi Maddy, here is an example of the doubled recipe we made for a 9×13 strawberry cake (note it was before we started adding baking powder). 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.
Wow! Such a quick reply! Thank you so much! Your directions and tips are great, I’m thinking It’ll turn out perfect. Thanks again!
You’re welcome, Maddy! Thank you for that wonderful feedback.
Hi, reading thru the comments section makes me excited to try this recipe. However, some of them seem having a hard time deciding the exact fluffiness or readiness of the egg+sugar mixture before adding the flour+bs. Will there be a difference if I’ll just beat the egg whites separately until stiff peak? For the sugar, how much can it be reduced to not ruin the recipe? Thanks in advance.
Hi C, the best way to gauge is when you lift the whisk up, the batter should form a thick ribbon that sits on the surface for 2-3 seconds then disappears into the batter. Make sure to use a high powered mixer with whisk attachment and eggs should be at room temperature. Also, bake right away without the batter sitting too long on the counter after it’s made. Mixing separately will work and I used to do it that way but I had more consistent results beating the whole egg with sugar.
I want to make a cream tart letter or number cake with this recipe instead of a cookie base. Can I make this in an 18×13 sheet pan? It would be a thinner cake. Would this work? Would I have to adjust the temperature or anything?
Hi Anna, yes, it will be a very thin cake. I have not tested it that way to advise but if you do try it I’d love to know how it turns out!
Hi Natasha, i just found your page and ready to try this sponge cake but can you clarify something for me.if a regular 1cup says 236gram, why do you have different measurement for flour and sugar since they both say 1 cup.
Hi Chi, sugar will weigh more than flour. I recommend checking our post on measuring here.
In a nine inch pan how tall is the cake in the video?
Hi Eric, 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.
Thank you for your timely response. I am having problems w getting height. I will take your suggestions and practice
You’re welcome! I hope this works out for you.
Thank you for responding so quickly.
Hi Natasha,
My oven is heating only from the bottom. Do you think I should somehow adjust the baking time? Any tips for such ovens?
Спасибо!
Hi Alina, that should still work. Were you having trouble with baking it with heat coming from the bottom?
I am having problems with getting height on the sponge cake. It is coming out flat and dense. What are my typical mistake?
Hi Eric, I’m more than happy to troubleshoot. This sponge cake should not be dense. I would highly recommend reading the tips in the recipe above for what the batter should look like. Since the cake relies on the volume of the eggs for leavening, it is critical to beat the eggs and sugar adequately in this classic sponge cake, or it will be flat and dense. I also recommend checking out our post on measuring here that happens to be the culprit often.
Hi Natasha, I have to make a “letter cake”, I think I need to do a sponge cake for this, my question is, I need to make it two days in advance, it’s going to have cream cheese in the middle so I am going to have to store it in the refrigerator, will this dry out the cake? I am not sure I can cover it because is going to have stuff on top…
Hi Giovanna, If it is for a few days, you might be better off refrigerating it. If it is for longer, it freezes really well for several months. If you’re stacking the layers, make sure to place one of the round sheets of parchment paper between the layers so they do not stick together at all.