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
MK, your sponge cake recipe is brilliant. Turning the cakes upside down to keep them lofty! Amazing! I’ve now tried at least 3 other recipes of yours and they are all PERFECT. Thank you so much, you’re doing amazing work all around <3
Aww thanks so much Alex! So glad you’re loving the recipes and I really appreciate the wonderful feedback 😀
Hi MK,
Amazing cake, I made it last weekend, with the chocolate sponge as well. However, I want a but more heavier and structured sponge so I can make layer cakes and use buttercream for my cake business.
If I reduce the cornstarch (16g) and increase the flour (84g), would the cake still maintain its moisture properties or would it end up drier than your version?
Hi Kasseya! So happy to hear you loved the recipe 😀
Ahh yes for a more sturdy cake you could try playing around with the flour quantity. Increasing the flour should give the cake more structure, but it may make the sponge drier. This shouldn’t be too much of a problem though if you use enough simple syrup. Alternatively, I would recommend checking out my soft vanilla cake (it is a butter cake though as opposed to a sponge) – https://cakesbymk.com/recipe/soft-vanilla-cake/
Hope that helps 🙂
This recipe looks amazing! have you tried doubling it and baking in larger cake tins or will this affect the outcome, I want to bake 2x 14in cakes and stack them for a party but I’m a bit nervous!
Thanks Chloe! 🙂
I have tried baking this cake in a larger 9×13 inch pan (using 1x the recipe) and that worked well! I think the trick is just getting the cook time right (which will vary slightly based on pan size and how thick the sponge is) 🙂
Hiya
Is cornstarch the same as cornflour please
Hi Christine! 🙂
So in some countries it’s the same and some countries it isn’t – by cornstarch I mean the white powder that’s used to thicken soups or pies 🙂
Hope that helps and hope you enjoy the recipe!
If I only have 2 6in cake pans, would I have to half the recipe?
Hi Yonji! Yes that’s correct, you want to half the recipe and also reduce the cook time to ensure the sponges don’t overbake 🙂
Hope you enjoy the recipe!
This is the best cake recepy in the world. It’s gold! And those super handy tips are so helpful. I can not compliment you enough. Thank you so much!
Aww thanks so much Astrid! So glad to hear you loved the recipe 🙂
is there a way i can make it bake in under 20 minutes? Maybe a pan with different measurements
Hi Kav! 🙂
If you want to reduce the cook time, you’ll need to make a thinner sponge, so will require larger tins but still use 1x the recipe. Hope that makes sense 🙂
I don’t think it’s the recipes fault at all but I’m wondering what I did wrong. After I beat my egg whites there was clear liquid that formed at the bottom of the bowl and I couldn’t get it as thick as you did. I’m wondering if this is because I used home laid eggs or not, they also didn’t go as creamy as yours in the video. In the end when I took them out of the oven they fell out of the tins when I turned them upside down and were very thin, and there was a thick peel-able layer on the bottom. Any advice would be great thanks.
Hi Amelia! So sorry to hear you had some trouble with whipping the egg whites. I am not too sure about the difference between home laid eggs and store bought eggs, but I would recommend using 1/4 tsp of cream of tartar instead of the vinegar as it sounds like your egg whites need to be further stabilized. This should help prevent them from splitting. I would also double check you don’t have any egg yolks in your egg whites or any fat residue on your bowl or attachments.
Hope that helps for next time 🙂
Have been looking for a simple Sponge cake recipe and dreading attempting to make it untill I fount this one. The video too helped a lot with the instructions. Thanks you so much for the recipe. It’s now my to go sponge recipe.
Yay! So glad you loved the recipe Samantha and that the video helped as well 😀
Hello MK! I’m a huge fan in the UK and love your recipes but especially this one!! As most of my family eat cakes that are eggless is there any way you could make this recipe again with an eggless version ❤️ I love your previous eggless vanilla recipe however it was very moist and i love the spongy texture of this recipe! Thank you ❤️❤️❤️
Hi Kirti! So so happy to hear you’re enjoying the recipes, particularly this sponge cake 😀
Hmmm I have not played around with eggless sponge cakes yet so I’m not too sure what would work well sorry! I have used aquafaba before for an eggless Swiss meringue buttercream which worked amazing, so it may work well here too. The egg whites are a crucial ingredient in this recipe so you’ll want to use something that will give you that same whipped meringue texture (the closest thing I can think of is aquafaba). Will keep it in mind for future recipes, but if you do decide to try with aquafaba in the meantime would love to hear how it goes 😀