Pan di Spagna Italian Sponge Cake

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Cakes cupcakes Vanilla: Extract Medium

A light whisked sponge of eggs, sugar, flour and potato starch with a little melted butter. It is plain and tender, meant for filling or soaking. Makes 10 slices in about 1 hr.

Prep 25 min

Cook 35 min

Total 1 hr

Yield 10 slices

Ingredients

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slices

6 (300 g)eggs, room temperature
1 cup (180 g)sugar
¾ cup (90 g)all-purpose flour, sifted
3 oz (90 g)potato starch, sifted
2 tbsp (30 g)unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 tsp (4 g)lemon zest
1 tsp (5 ml)vanilla extract
1 pinch (1 g)salt

Fresh ingredient guides

LemonsHow to pick, season & nutrition · 24 kcal per 84 g

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Instructions

Heat the oven to 340 F (170 C). Butter and flour a 9-inch (23 cm) round pan and line the bottom with parchment.
Whip the whole eggs, sugar and salt with an electric mixer on high for 10 to 12 minutes, until pale, thick and tripled, and a ribbon of batter holds for a few seconds.
Beat in the lemon zest and vanilla.
Sift the flour and potato starch together and fold into the eggs in three additions with a wide spatula, cutting down and lifting gently.
Fold a spoonful of batter into the melted butter, then fold that back into the batter.
Scrape into the pan and bake 30 to 35 minutes, until springy and a skewer comes out clean. Do not open the oven in the first 20 minutes.
Cool 5 minutes, then invert onto a rack and peel off the parchment. Cool completely before slicing or filling.

Tips

The long whipping builds all the lift, so do not shorten it.
Fold gently; stirring knocks out air and flattens the cake.
Let the cake rest overnight wrapped; it is easier to split and soak.
Good with sweet dessert wine.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make pan di spagna italian sponge cake?

Plan on 25 minutes of prep and 35 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes 10 slices.

How should I store pan di spagna italian sponge cake?

Wrap tightly. Keeps at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months.

Can I make pan di spagna italian sponge cake ahead?

It is at its best the day it is made; prepare it a few hours before serving.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This recipe uses 1 tsp vanilla extract (5 ml). Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.

Serve it with sweet dessert wine.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 10 servings this recipe makes.

175 Calories / serving

5.4g Fat

26.7g Carbs

4.9g Protein

18.3g Sugar

Whole recipe (10 servings): ~1750 cal · 54g fat · 267g carbs · 49g protein · 183g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.