Sponge cake
A light, springy cake raised mainly by whipped eggs, with little or no fat.
- Doughs, batters and pastry foundations
- Italy
Whole eggs or separated eggs are whipped with sugar until thick and pale, then flour is gently folded in. Because the lift comes from air, the batter should go into the oven right away. Genoise adds a little melted butter; chiffon adds oil and baking powder; angel food uses only whites.
Sponge cakes are often split and layered with cream, brushed with syrup, or rolled into Swiss rolls while still warm.
Bake it at VanillaGoods
- RecipeVanilla sponge cake layers
- RecipeHot milk sponge cake layers
- RecipeChocolate sponge cake layers
- Dessert BuilderStrawberry shortcake layer cake
Tools for this
KitchenAid 7-Qt Bowl-Lift Stand MixerA big, powerful mixer for stiff doughs and large batches.See it on Amazon
Fat Daddio's 9-Inch Round Cake PansStraight sides and even heat for flat, level layers.See it on Amazon
Bellemain 3-Cup Flour SifterLump-free flour, cocoa and powdered sugar for lighter bakes.See it on Amazon
As an Amazon Associate, VanillaGoods earns from qualifying purchases. We only suggest tools that help with this technique.
Related entries
Sources
Written by VanillaGoods in our own words from these sources. Last reviewed October 15, 2026.
- Cakes (4-H 93132), Oregon State University Extension Service
- Cake and Mix Recipes for High Altitudes in New Mexico (Circular 293), New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service
- Celebrating the 'Unique' Angel Food Cake, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach (AnswerLine)
- Sponge cake (Q1049852), Wikidata