How to make a basic sponge cake at home?

This sponge cake recipe is fantastic. It’s simple, and you can use it to build hundreds of different cakes. This is a traditional 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 foundation absorbs a lot of moisture from fruit, frostings, liqueurs, and syrups. As you can see from my cake recipes, I love moist cakes. Continue reading to explore 11 fantastic dishes that may be made using this sponge cake foundation.

Tips for Success (Read First!):

1. When no flour streaks remain in the dough, fold a couple more times to ensure there are no pockets of flour at the bottom.

2. Bake the cake layers immediately after folding in the flour; they should not rest for too long.

3. Use a regular oven setting (not a convection/fan setting) at all times.

4. It will take 2-4 minutes longer to beat the eggs with an electric hand mixer.

5. Reader Hilda’s tip: “How do you know you’re getting the appropriate consistency? Remove the beater (whisk) from the batter. Create a “8” using the batter that has dripped from the beater. Then count down from 10 seconds. If the figure 8 stays on top of the batter, the consistency is correct. If the figure 8 dips into the batter before 10 seconds, continue to beat it.”

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 it is almost done.

9. Let the cake to cool in an area free of exterior drafts, which may cause it to seem eggy.

Sponge Cake Recipes you can master at home:

Blackberry Lemon Cake – This cake is delicate and delicious, with a fluffy lemon blackberry buttercream icing.

Charlotte Cake – raspberry mousse, lady fingers, and fluffy cake.

Poppy Seed Cake – It’s fluffy and moist, with a flavor of rum, and it’s not too sweet.

Strawberry Cake It contains 1 1/2 pounds 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. Very delicious!!

Russian Apple Cake (Sharlotka) – Only 5 ingredients and 15 minutes of prep time, and your oven will handle the rest!

Poppy Seed Cake Roll – Moist, abundantly loaded with cream cheese icing, surrounded with silky chocolate ganache, and studded with salty pistachios.

Pomegranate Christmas Cake – This one is a Christmas showstopper, with a crown of gleaming pom seeds.

Story Book Cake Roll – This cake roll is delicious, rolled in vanilla butter cream, dipped in luscious chocolate, and topped with cookie crumbs for a delicate crunch.

Kiwi Berry Cake – If you love fruit, this cake will make your dreams come true. Layer after layer of beautiful berries.

Tiramisu – if you like tiramisu, you will love this!

I told you I loved this cake base. I’m completely in love

4-Ingredient Sponge Cake (Video Recipe)

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

After you’ve mastered this simple European sponge cake (genoise), you may use it to build hundreds of other cakes!

Skill Level:
Easy

Cost to Make:
$2-$4

Servings: 2 nine inch round cakes

Prep:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 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 running, gradually add 1 cup sugar and beat for 8-10 minutes, or 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 after each addition until just combined. Scrape spatula from the bottom to catch any pockets of flour and stop mixing when no streaks of flour remain. If you over-mix the batter, it will deflate.
Distribute the batter equally between the prepared cake pans (it helps if you have a kitchen scale to weight the pans). Bake for 23-28 minutes (my oven took 25 minutes), or until the 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.