On a scale from 1 to 10, I think the level of difficulty to making a perfect sponge cake is 6/7 (ugh, I can’t decide). Now, don’t confuse this with Chiffon cake. Like its name, Sponge cake has a firm yet aerated texture, similar to a sea sponge, while a Chiffon cake is a very light cake and usually vegetable oil is used instead of butter. You’ll also need a tube pan to make a successful Chiffon cake. Anyhow, that’s another story. Let’s go back to sponge.
Sponge cake is a very versatile cake mixture which you can use it to make a variety of cupcakes, chocolate cakes, etc. The result of this version is light, fluffy and bursting with vanilla flavor.
Ingredients:
1 cup (120 g) cake flour
6 large eggs – yolk and white separated in two large bowls
6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter – room temperature
2/3 cup (130 g) sugar – for egg yolks
4 tbsp (50 g) sugar – for egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar – for egg whites
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil (I’m using sunflower)
2 tbsp water – room temperature
Cuts 8 – 10 slices
Recipe source: Cooking with Anh & Grated Nutmeg
Measure out all your ingredients. This will make your work more efficient.
Preheat your oven to 170°C / 340°F. Line an 8-inch round cake pan with oil and baking sheet.
Found this pack of baking sheet in Daiso :-). I fell for the heart-shaped mold! Such a sucker, right?
Put the baking pan on a piece of baking sheet and use a pencil to trace it around.
Fold it into half to form a semi-circle and cut.
Spray or butter the pan before lining with baking paper. I also used the excess trimmings from the leftover sheet to line the side of the pan.
Put the softened butter in a microwave-safe bowl and melt it in the microwave for about 30 secs. Alternatively, you could melt it in a pot over the stove. Add in the oil and water and stir well. Set it aside.
Add the baking powder to the cake flour and sift them together in a large bowl.
Take two large bowls and separate the yolks from the white. Drop the yolks into one bowl and whites in the other. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the egg yolks and the 2/3 cup sugar together at medium speed until pale and thick for about one minute. Add in the vanilla extract and beat for another minute. It should look thick and runny.
Stop the mixer first before adding the vanilla extract.
Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and pour in the cooled melted butter and use a spatula to gently mix.
We do not need to over mix the mixture. Just combine gently.
Next add the sifted cake flour and fold everything in gently.
Do not stir! Use the spatula to cut through the centre and bring the mixture back to the top. Turn the bowl as you do this to make sure evenness.
Now let’s beat the whites. Add the cream of tartar to the whites. Use the stand mixer / hand mixer and beat at medium speed until frothy / foamy. Add in the 4 tbsp sugar and continue to beat until soft medium peak. We don’t want stiff peak for this cake. Take a large dollop of the egg white and add into the egg yolk mixture. Gently use a spatula to fold it in. Repeat for another 2 – 3 times until all the whites are all mixed in.
Try to fold the mixture swiftly.
Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for about 40 – 45 mins, or until a skewer inserted comes out dry.
Don’t worry about the little air bubbles on the surface.
Check on your cake once or twice while baking to make sure the top of the cake is not browning too much. If it is, cover it with a piece of aluminum foil. Use a skewer or toothpick and insert into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, then your cake is done.
Looking good!
Take out your cake from the oven and immediately drop it down on the countertop or floor about 6 inches height. This will shock the cake and prevent it from sinking. It works for me so please let me know if it does for you!
Let the cake sit on a cooling rack before unmolding it. I’m using a spring-form pan so it is much easier to take out the cake. If you are not, just run a thin knife around the edges of the cake and flip it over. It should slide out easily. Remove the baking sheet on the cake.
As you can see, the cake did not sink.
Dust the top with some confectioners’ / icing sugar to make it fancier :-).
Keep at room temperature for up to 5 days. Mine was polished off within 2 days! 😀
Enjoy!
- 1 cup (120 g) cake flour
- 6 large eggs – yolk and white separated in two large bowls
- 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter – room temperature
- ⅔ cup (130 g) sugar – for egg yolks
- 4 tbsp (50 g) sugar – for egg whites
- ½ tsp cream of tartar – for egg whites
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil (I’m using sunflower)
- 2 tbsp water – room temperature
- Preheat your oven to 170°C / 340°F. Line an 8-inch round cake pan with oil and baking sheet.
- Put the softened butter in a microwave-safe bowl and melt it in the microwave for about 30 secs. Alternatively, you could melt it in a pot over the stove.
- Add in the oil and water and stir well. Set it aside.
- Add the baking powder to the cake flour and sift them together in a large bowl.
- Take two large bowls and separate the yolks from the white. Drop the yolks into one bowl and whites in the other.
- Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the egg yolks and the ⅔ cup sugar together at medium speed until pale and thick for about one minute.
- Add in the vanilla extract and beat for another minute. It should look thick and runny.
- Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and pour in the cooled melted butter and use a spatula to gently mix.
- Next add the sifted cake flour and fold everything in gently.
- Now let’s beat the whites. Add the cream of tartar to the whites.
- Use the stand mixer / hand mixer and beat at medium speed until frothy / foamy.
- Add in the 4 tbsp sugar and continue to beat until soft medium peak. We don’t want stiff peak for this cake.
- Take a large dollop of the egg white and add into the egg yolk mixture. Gently use a spatula to fold it in.
- Repeat for another 2 – 3 times until all the whites are mixed in.
- Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for about 40 - 50 mins, or until a skewer inserted comes out dry.
- Try to check on your cake once or twice while baking to make sure the top of the cake is not browning too much. If it is, cover it with a piece of aluminum foil. Use a skewer or toothpick and insert into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, then your cake is done.
- Take out your cake from the oven and immediately drop it down on the countertop or floor about 6 inches height. This will shock the cake and prevent it from sinking. It works for me so please let me know if it does for you!
- Let the cake sit on a cooling rack before unmolding it. I’m using a spring-form pan so it is much easier to take out the cake. If you are not, just run a thin knife around the edges of the cake and flip it over. It should slide out easily. Remove the baking sheet on the cake.
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