Classic Sponge Cake
This is the foundation for almost every layer cake. When done right, the crumb is fine and the cake feels nearly weightless in your hand.
Temperature is your greatest ally here.
Bring your eggs to room temperature before you start; cold eggs will not trap enough air during the whisking process. Do not grease the sides of the pan, as the batter needs to 'climb' the walls to rise.
- stand mixer with whisk attachment
- 9-inch round cake pan
- parchment paper
- fine-mesh sieve
- silicone spatula
What goes in.
- 4large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cupgranulated sugar
- 1 cupall-purpose flour, sifted
- 1/4 tspfine sea salt
- 1 tspvanilla extract
Trust the visual
Whisk your eggs and sugar on high until the mixture is pale yellow, tripled in volume, and leaves a trail on the surface that remains visible for several seconds before sinking back in.
The method.
Prepare the pan
Line only the bottom of the pan with a circle of parchment paper. Leave the sides clean so the cake has traction to pull itself upward.
Whip the base
Combine eggs, sugar, and salt in the mixer. Whisk on medium-high for about 8 to 10 minutes. The texture should look like thick, whipped heavy cream.
Incorporate flour
Sift the flour over the egg mixture in three separate additions. Use your spatula to cut down the center, scrape the bottom, and fold over. Repeat just until the flour disappears; do not over-mix or you will deflate the air.
Bake
Pour into the pan and smooth the top. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25 to 30 minutes. The cake is ready when the center springs back firmly when pressed with a fingertip.
Cool
Invert the pan onto a wire rack immediately after pulling it from the oven to prevent the center from sinking.
Other turns to take.
Lemon Sponge
Add one tablespoon of finely grated lemon zest during the last minute of egg-whisking.
Cocoa Sponge
Replace two tablespoons of the flour with high-quality unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted together with the flour.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always sift the flour twice to ensure it is aerated and free of clumps.
If you see large bubbles in the batter after folding, tap the pan sharply against the counter once before putting it in the oven.
Wait until the cake is completely cold before trying to remove it from the pan.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why did my cake sink in the middle?
This usually happens because the oven was opened too early or the cake was under-baked. Keep the oven door closed until the final five minutes of the bake time.
Can I use butter?
Standard sponge cake does not contain fat. If you want a richer texture, you can fold in two tablespoons of melted, cooled butter at the very end, but be aware it will make the cake heavier.
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