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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 Sponge 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.
- 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.
- 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
I want to make this cake for Easter. Question 1 Can I bake the batter in 4 pans ( and for how long) instead of slicing layers?
Question 2. Can I wrap layers and keep in refrigerator for how long?
Hi Barbara, I haven’t tested this in four pans, but I imagine that should work! 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. If you frost it, then yes, store it in the fridge.
Hi Natasha! I came across your sponge cake recipe.
– Can this recipe be use in making / decorating cakes?
-Will it be good with swiss meringue buttercream?
– will it hold if i put some fondant decoration?
– can I put any extracts? How many tsp?
Hi Maria, I haven’t tested in that type of pan so I can’t provide precise baking times for it.
Hi Maria, yes to all of those questions. It is a little soft for fondant, but readers have been able to make it work. I suggest clicking through the different cakes that we have shown in the post above for syrup ideas and measurements which should help
Hi Natasha,
i have made this many times and it has come out well every time. Many thanks. i was wondering if u might have a recipe for chocolate sponge cake as well. thanks
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us! I haven’t really tested a chocolate sponge to advise. I do have a chocolate cake recipe here too if you would like to try.
Many Thanks Natasha. Will give the chocolate cake recipe a try.
Hi Natasha, can I bake this sponge cake batter in a single 9 inch spring form pan? What temperature and how many minutes should I bake this?
Hi Gee, yes, 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.
How come it has no butter?
Hi there, this cake does not require butter, it’s already good as it is.
Can I use a 9” sprimgform pan to make this?
Hi Vern, yes, 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.
Love your recipes Natasha! Can i substitute the flour for gluten free?
Thank you and I’m glad you’re enjoying my recipes. 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.
hi natasha,
i love how this is simple and yet looks beautiful.. i was looking for sponge cake recipe and came across your recipe. yours looked promising.. so giving it a try.. i just made this recipe and its in the oven baking now… i have que… when making batter i was having hard time mixing the flour that got settled in the bottom without deflating the beautifully whipped egg and sugar mixture. any tips for this?
HI Bala, try sifting the flour into the bowl, also make sure to use a spatula to scrape the bottom of the bowl while you are mixing to ensure you catch every pocket of flour.
Can I do this in two 8″ pans as that’s all I have. Also would like to make this in a 6″ pan. What would the measurements be? Thank you.
Hi Michelle, it may work in an 8″ pan, but I think it will overcrowd the 6″ pan and overflow; you may need 3 or more pans
It looks and sounds amazing. I have lots of chickens, so plenty of eggs and I’d love to give this a try. Do you have the ingredients in metric amounts please?
Hi Christine, If you scroll down to our printable recipe card, most of our recipes have a metric conversion option on the printable recipe card. We are currently working on adding metric measurements to all of our recipes, but it is taking some time to add them one at a time. Thank you so much for being patient! In the meantime, check out our post on measuring which should help.
Ur sponge cake recipe is awesome!!!! Loved it..Will these ingredients make a 1kg cake?
I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe!
Hi Natasha,
I loved your receipe,how simple and yet looks super soft. I am excited to try this receipe…in notes you have mentioned that use conventional mode in oven. In microwave oven, which mode is to be used? Please guide as I am naive in baking.
I would not recommend using a microwave to make this cake.
Is this recipe for 1kg cake?
Hi Vani, I didn’t really measure the cake that way or by the weight of it. It’s 2 9-inch round cakes.
Hi Natasha …… Can I bake this in a sheet pan. I plan to adjust ingredients for 3 layers. How long do you think it would have to bake for.
I am an ardent follower of your website. I’ve made so many of your recipes …. without fail, they were all loved.
Hi Angie, we used a sheet pan when making cake rolls with this same base.
Can the Easy sponge cake be baked all in one pan instead of two
Hi Lina, the bake time is longer and you will get an overall taller cake baking in 2 pans. We did something similar in our Russian Tiramisu cake post and you can use those baking times.
Hey Natasha! I’m a big fan of you and your recipes! I’ve tried making this base multiple times…it tastes too good…but it’s always a struggles fo slice it into half (for layering). It’s too delicate and crumbly..I always end up having uneven, crumby and broken layers 🙁 any tips to overcome this and easy slicing ?
Hi, a good serrated knife is my best advice for slicing cake layers. I score the sides all around then slice through to make sure I get even layers.
If you put your cake (still in the cake pan) for 30 minutes in the freezer, then remove from pans. It will cut in half so much easier! I do this with a box cake. Hope it works on sponge!
I use dental floss to cut a round layer cake in half.
Can I add cocoa powder to make this a chocolate sponge?
Hi Mkenna, I haven’t really tested that to advise. I do have a chocolate cake recipe here too if you would like to try.
Hi, Natasha! Can I halve this sponge cake recipe? Thanks so much! 💛
Hi, yes you can half the recipe and bake in one pan like we did our cherry cake.
Can you cook this recipe in the silicone sphere molds? I’m trying to make a small dome shaped desserts. My last two attempts (not your recipe) I failed miserably. Came out dense?!
I haven’t tested that to advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe. I do recommend taking a look at our post on measuring HERE to see if you are measuring your flour accurately.
Hi Natasha,
Does it have to be granulated sugar? What effect does granulated sugar have on the cake? Could it be pure cane sugar?
Hi Alyssa, I always use granulated sugar, but it is so similar to cane sugar that I think it would work to substitute. Cane sugar can make some baked goods a little darker in color, so that’s something to keep in mind
It was super good, tasty, and quick! I made this since my 6-year-old brother was having a bad day. The only problem I had was it was a little dry, is there an ingredient I need to add to make it a little moist?
Ho Loraine, this cake is intended to be served with some kind of syrup typically. You can brush it with some lemon sugar water or any lightly sweet syrup.
Re all purpose flour: I have King Arthur unbleached or Gold Medal bleached. Which is preferable?
Hi Lois, we used Gold Medal with this recipe, and it worked great. `
Hi Natasha, can I check why dont you use butter / oil? Will the cake hold if i need to layer it without the butter? Thanks!
Hi there, this cake doesn’t require butter but I’ve followed this recipe a lot of times already and it works just well.
Just made this and my picky son said, “Best cake ever”! Thank you for a great recipe and all the tips!
Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m all smiles