This better than bakery sponge cake recipe is light, airy, and just straight up DELICIOUS! It’s so versatile that you can pair it with literally anything. I love filling mine like a classic Victorian sponge cake with my homemade raspberry filling recipe and whipped cream – YUM!
What is a Sponge Cake?
A sponge cake is a light and airy cake that is made primarily from whipped egg whites. Unlike other types of cake, such as butter or oil cakes, sponge cakes do not contain much fat which contributes to it’s light texture.
Sponge cake is often used as a base for other desserts, such as layered cakes, trifle, or as a component in various French-style pastries. It can also be served on its own, dusted with powdered sugar or paired with fresh fruit and whipped cream like a Victorian sponge cake (which is how I love mine!).
What makes this recipe stand out?
I am so proud of my sponge cake recipe and it is no doubt my favourite sponge I’ve tried, with the simple reason being – I don’t use that much flour!
Some flour is needed to help with the structure of the cake, however many recipes I’ve tried I feel use way too much and just end up being too heavy (almost like a regular cake). What I’ve done instead is substituted a lot of the flour with cornstarch, which helps thicken the batter without forming more gluten than we need. This results in the softest, airiest, bakery like sponge cake!
How to make Sponge Cake
Now I’m not going to sugar coat it, sponge cakes are a little more challenging to master than regular cakes! BUT, if you carefully follow the steps below you should end up with the perfect sponge 🙂
Begin by preheating your oven to 160 °C (320°F) with the fan on (see note 2 on recipe card if you don’t have a fan function) and line the bottom of two 8×3 inch baking tins with baking paper without greasing the bottom. Leave the sides of the cake tins ungreased and bare (do not line with baking paper). This will prevent the cakes from shrinking once they’re baked.
In a bowl combine your flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Mix until well combined (you do not need to sift it yet). Set aside.
In a medium sized bowl add in the egg whites and white vinegar, and using a hand or stand mixer, whip on a medium high speed for 30 seconds until foamy. Gradually add in 1/3 cup of the sugar and then continue mixing for a further 2 minutes. Then turn your mixer down to low and mix for a further minute (about 4 minutes of mixing altogether). You should end up with stiff peaks (see note 3 on recipe card). Set aside.
In a large bowl add in your remaining 1/3 cup of white sugar and warm water. Mix so that the sugar is coated in the water. Add in the egg yolks and vanilla, and with a hand or stand mixer, whip on a medium high speed for 4 minutes, and then turn the mixer down to low and mix for a further minute (5 minutes of mixing altogether). Your mixture should now be thick and you should be able to create ribbons with it when you lift it up with a spoon.
Stream the vegetable oil into the egg yolk mixture while mixing on a medium speed. Mix until well combined.
Add in half or your egg whites to your egg yolk mixture, and using a spatula gently fold together until just combined. Then sift in your dry ingredients, and gently fold through until just combined.
Finish off by adding in the remaining egg whites and gently fold until just combined. You can use your spatula to break up any large chunks of unmixed egg whites but try not to push out too many of the air bubbles and do not overmix.
Distribute the batter into your baking tins and then tap your baking tins lightly on your counter. Then run a thin knife or toothpick through the batter to remove any large air bubbles and then bake for 25 minutes. To test whether they’re done, gently touch the tops and it should create a little indent which slowly bounces back.
Once the sponges are done, immediately tap them on the counter from a height of about 10cm, and lay them upside down (while still in their baking tins) on a wire rack to completely cool (see note 4 on recipe card).
Once cooled (about an hour later), run a thin knife around the edges to release the cakes from the cake tins, and then turn them out onto a wire rack.
To make my cake layers look nice and neat, I gently rub my fingers around the edges and the top and that removes the dark crust on the sides and tops of the cake (see video for demonstration).
APPLY SIMPLE SYRUP: Combine sugar and hot water together for the simple syrup and mix until the sugar is completely dissolved. Using a pastry brush, generously brush the top and sides of the sponges with the simple syrup (see note 5 on recipe card).
How to Decorate a Sponge Cake
You can decorate your sponge cake however you like 🙂 but I like to fill mine with raspberry filling, strawberries and cream – YUM!
Place one sponge cake layer down, and cover the top with a thin layer of my raspberry jam filling.
Place strawberries on top (I like to cut mine in half and place them upside down). Cover with generous amount of whipped cream and spread it out evenly with an offset spatula or knife.
Place your next sponge cake layer on top and then cover with more whipped cream. Finish decorating with more strawberries on top. Enjoy!
Light & Airy Sponge Cake Recipe
Print Pin VideoIMPORTANT: For accuracy, I would recommend using the gram measurements provided, as those are the exact quantities I use. Cup measurements are given as estimates (based on US cup measurements) to make it easier for those who do not have a scale.
Ingredients
Sponge Cake
- ⅓ cup (40 g) flour - regular, all purpose (see note 1)
- ½ cup (60 g) cornstarch
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 4 large eggs - whites and yolks separated, room temperature
- ⅛ tsp white vinegar
- ⅔ cup (132 g) white granulated sugar - separated in half - ⅓ cup (66g) for the egg whites & ⅓ cup (66g) for the egg yolk mixture.
- 1½ tbsp warm water - not boiling
- 2 tsp vanilla essence/extract
- 2 tbsp (30 g) unflavoured vegetable oil - I use canola
Simple Syrup
- ½ cup (100 g) white granulated sugar
- ½ cup (110 g) boiling water
Whipping Cream
- 2 cups (375 g) cold whipping cream
- 2 tsp icing sugar - also known as confectioners sugar/powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla essence/extract
- 1 punnet fresh strawberries for decorating
Raspberry Jam
Instructions
Sponge Cake
- Preheat oven to 160 °C (320°F) with the fan on (see note 2 if you don't have a fan function) and line the bottom of two 8x3 inch baking tins with baking paper without greasing the bottom. Leave the sides of the cake tins ungreased and bare (do not line with baking paper).
- In a bowl combine your flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Mix until well combined (you do not need to sift it yet). Set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl add in the egg whites and white vinegar, and using a hand or stand mixer, whip on a medium high speed for 30 seconds until foamy. Gradually add in 1/3 cup of the sugar and then continue mixing for a further 2 minutes. Then turn your mixer down to low and mix for a further minute (about 4 minutes of mixing altogether). You should end up with stiff peaks (see note 3). Set aside.
- In a large bowl add in your remaining 1/3 cup of white sugar and warm water. Mix so that the sugar is coated in the water. Add in the egg yolks and vanilla, and with a hand or stand mixer, whip on a medium high speed for 4 minutes, and then turn the mixer down to low and mix for a further minute (5 minutes of mixing altogether). Your mixture should now be thick and you should be able to create ribbons with it when you lift it up with a spoon.
- Stream the vegetable oil into the egg yolk mixture while mixing on a medium speed. Mix until well combined.
- Add in half of your egg whites to your egg yolk mixture, and using a spatula gently fold together until just combined.
- Then sift in your dry ingredients, and gently fold through until just combined.
- Finish off by adding in the remaining egg whites and gently fold until just combined. You can use your spatula to break up any large chunks of unmixed egg whites but try not to push out too many of the air bubbles and do not overmix.
- Distribute the batter into your baking tins and then tap your baking tins lightly on your counter. Then run a thin knife or toothpick through the batter to remove any large air bubbles and then bake for 25 minutes. To test whether they're done, gently touch the tops and it should create a little indent which slowly bounces back.
- Once the sponges are done, immediately tap them on the counter from a height of about 10cm, and lay them upside down (while still in their baking tins) on a wire rack to completely cool (see note 4).
- Once cooled (about an hour later), run a thin knife around the edges to release the cakes from the cake tins, and then turn them out onto a wire rack.
- To make my cake layers look nice and neat, I gently rub my fingers around the edges and the top and that removes the dark crust on the sides and tops of the cake (see video for demonstration). I find the dark crust on sponge cakes are also what contain that slight eggy after taste sometimes, which is why I prefer to remove it.
- APPLY SIMPLE SYRUP: Combine the sugar and hot water together for the simple syrup and mix until the sugar is completely dissolved. Using a pastry brush, generously brush the top and sides of the sponges with the simple syrup (see note 5). I use about 3/4s of the simple syrup mixture in total.
Whipped Cream
- In a large bowl add in the whipped cream, icing sugar and vanilla. Whip until you reach stiff peaks. Be careful not to overwhip the cream.
Assembly
- Place one sponge cake layer down, and cover the top with a thin layer of my raspberry jam filling.
- Place strawberries on top (I like to cut mine in half and place them upside down). Cover with generous amount of whipped cream and spread it out evenly with an offset spatula or knife.
- Place your next sponge cake layer on top and then cover with more whipped cream. Finish decorating with more strawberries on top. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only as they are automatically calculated by a third party application. Actual values may differ based on brands and types of products used.
619 Comments
Hi I’m going to Make my cake an thank you
Awesome! Hope you enjoy the recipe Janet 🙂
I tried this recipe and it was so light and fluffy. It was delicious, and your steps and explanations made it so clear. Thank you MK 😊
Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback Hayley! 😀 So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe and found the instructions easy to follow 🙂
Hi Maryam, Planning to make this tomorrow, Silly question really – will the 1X give me enough batter for two 8 inch tins ? or do i need to use 2X – asking as i feel the 100 grams of flour (40 flour + 60 starch) is very little.
Hi Swap! Not a silly question at all 🙂
1x the recipe will give you two 8 inch cake layers. This recipe has a very small amount of flour+cornstarch compared to a typical cake recipe which makes it very light and airy 🙂
Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Maryam, Thanks for writing back, i had worked it out by looking at the video by then. This was my first time making a sponge – between the video and the super detailed descriptions – that is a ‘fool’ proof recipe !
I made a fresh cream mango cake – went down very very well with everyone who had it !
Thanks !
Yay! So glad you enjoyed the recipe and found the instructions easy to follow! Fresh mango cake sounds sooooo good 😀
Amazing recipe. Easy to follow and delicious sponge. My family and I enjoyed it thoroughly.
Question: my kid would love this as his birthday cake.
Any tips on layers ( can I cut each cake in half to make a 4 tiered cake? When should I cut post or pre sugar syrup?
Any tips on frosting the entire cake with the cream?
Hi Shy! So so happy to hear you and your family loved the recipe 😀
You could torte the layers, just be super careful as the cake is quite soft and may therefore be harder to torte. I would recommend torting the layers before placing the sugar syrup on as they’ll hold a bit better 🙂 you could even make slightly thinner layers of the sponge but in 4 separate pans so it saves you having to slice them in half.
You can absolutely frost the entire cake in cream! I would recommend using a stabilised whipped cream so that it holds a bit better. You can find my recipe here 🙂 https://cakesbymk.com/recipe/stabilized-whipped-cream-frosting/
Hope that helps and hope your son has a wonderful birthday!
This came out amazingly, thank you so much for sharing! It’s the first recipe that has ever come out exactly like the picture, it was truly amazing and my family could not believe I could make something so fabulous! I really appreciate the time you take to add all the tips, tricks and notes, it really makes such a big difference to a casual home baker like myself who has more enthusiasm than knowledge! Haha! Thank you again, you have restored my faith in online recipes as I have had some real disasters in the past.
For anyone else equally lacking in knowledge… as I was keen not to mess this up and I don’t bake that often and I was tired, I was slow at going through the steps. This meant that for my first batch of sponges my perfectly whipped egg whites had started to liquify a little by the time I came to fold them into the mixture – it still turned out really well, just didn’t rise quite as much! I found that for the second batch it was much better to whip the egg whites last, as the whipped egg yolk mix is more stable if you need to leave it for a bit!
Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback Claire! 😀 So so happy to hear the recipe was a success and that you found the extra tips and tricks helpful 🙂
Also, thank you for the additional tips for other readers 🙂
Your recipe sounds AMAZING. Can’t wait to try! Quick question, if I were to use this recipe to bake a 6″ cake, how would I adjust the ingredients. I’m thinking of baking this size and halving from the middle when filling with cream and strawberries. Thanks in advance!
Thanks so much Yildiz! 😀 For a 6 inch cake, I would recommend making half the recipe, but making the cake layers in two separate 6 inch cake tins. This is just to make sure the cake rises as intended as sometimes if there is too much batter in one tin it doesn’t rise the same. Hope that helps and hope you enjoy the recipe 😀
Wow it was so amazingly good and moist and the steps and explanation where so easily followed . Love it . Well done
Yay! So so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe Josianne and that you found the steps easy to follow 😀
Hi,
I am diabetic and tried this recipe last night. I used Monkfruit as a sweetener but over ground it and it became a powder (icing sugar) instead of caster sugar. I only used half the amount because I find it sweeter than ordinary sugar. The cake turned out OK but not light & fluffy due to my mistakes and very sweet. Even though I halved the amount, because it was powdered not caster sugar I guess I still managed to put in the full amount. If I am halving sugar, do I just add the equivalent extra of flour?? Do you know of a low carb flour which would work with this cake. I have a very naughty sweet tooth.
Hi Hellene! 🙂 I have never tried using Monkfruit myself in baking so am unfamiliar with how it works in cakes so am unfortunately unable to provide any suggestions sorry! When it comes to baking in general, particularly sponge cakes which are a little finicky, slight adjustments to ingredients can make a huge difference. Sometimes sugar substitutes don’t work as well as regular sugar unfortunately. I am also not sure of a low-carb flour as I haven’t experimented myself. So sorry I couldn’t be of more help Hellene! I totally get the naughty sweet tooth – I am exactly the same! I would love to experiment with more healthy/diabetic friendly options in the future 🙂
Also, can I reduce sugar to 1/2 cup instead of 2/3 without any issues?
Hi Andromeda! 🙂 I haven’t tried this myself but would recommend keeping the sugar quantity the same otherwise this can affect the moisture of the sponge. It isn’t a very sweet sponge so reducing the sugar further may give you a drier sponge cake 🙂
I only have 2 9×3 baking pans. Can I make this in the 9×3? How long do I bake?
Hi Andromeda! 🙂 For 9 inch pans you may want to make 1.5x the recipe otherwise the cake layers will be very thin. If you decide to go with the thinner cake layers, you will need to reduce the cook time – maybe check them about 10 mins earlier than the stated cooking time 🙂