Easy Sponge Cake Recipe For Complete Beginners

It’s so exciting when you decide to learn how to make a sponge cake for the very first time. This easy sponge cake recipe will be fun and easy to learn.

If you are looking for an easy sponge cake recipe then you have found it.  This recipe is easy, quick, and makes the most delicious sponge cake that is fluffy, light, and super moist!

I will cover everything step by step so you can enjoy the whole process of making your very own sponge cake at home.

The great thing about this sponge cake recipe is that you can adapt it or use it as a base recipe to make other cakes such as lemon cake and red velvet cake to name a few.

I remember baking my first cake with my mom many years ago, well it was more like watching her bake with amazement.

I think like everyone else my favorite part was getting to taste the batter.  Yeah! after that I was addicted.

Once you have baked your sponge cake the first time, you will want to bake it again and again.  It’s just amazing to see something amazing created just by mixing a few basic ingredients.

Why You Should Try This Recipe?

It makes the most delicious moist sponge cake that will melt in your mouth.   If you’re new to baking or you just need a reminder this recipe is for you.

• This recipe just needs a few basic ingredients.
• A great recipe to make with the kids.
• Can be made without an electric mixer.
• Once you master this recipe you can move on with confidence to try other recipes such as Red Velvet Cake and Chocolate Cake.
• It takes less than 30 minutes to bake!
• You can use this recipe to make a Victorian sponge cake.
• Oh, and the batter is so delicious!

Tips For Baking The Best Sponge Cake?

Room Temperature
Take out the butter and eggs a little early so they are at room temperature when it comes to adding them to the recipe. 

This will not only make it much easier for you to combine them but will also give your sponge cake a nice even bake.

Fold In
When it comes to adding the flour don’t be rough, gently fold in the flour slowly into the wet ingredients.  This helps to keep the air in the batter making your sponge cake fluffier and lighter in texture.

Grease The Tin
This might seem like common sense, but you’d be surprised how many people forget to grease their cake tin or don’t grease it enough.

What I do is, I butter the sides of the tin and layer the bottom of the tin with some parchment paper. 

You will find sometimes even though you are using a nonstick cake tin, your cake will still get stuck to the tin.

This usually happens if you don’t grease your tin properly, or if you take out the cake while the tin is still too hot.

Baking Powder: Check The Date
This tip applies to all baking recipes that use baking powder.

Always check the expiry date of your baking powder, make sure it’s still in date.  Baking powder is one of those ingredients that you use a little at a time, so it can last a long time. 

Also, the baking powder works best in the first 6 months of it being opened.

What I do is write the date I opened it on its side, so I know how long it’s been opened. 

Don’t Over Mix
Do not over mix the batter otherwise you risk your sponge cake being dense and heavy in texture.

How To Store Your Sponge Cake?

After all your hard work and creativity, you want to keep your sponge cake fresh as long as possible. 

Here are the steps I take.

1. Make sure the cake has completely cooled down, take it out of the tin (when cold enough to remove), and place it on a wire rack to cool.
2. Store the cake in a large airtight container and store it on the counter at room temperature.  Make sure there is no direct sunlight.
3. If you don’t have a container that is big enough, just cut it in half, to make it easier to store.

You can use any type of container as long as it has a lid,  I like to use a cake carrier.  They are great for cakes, no need to cut your cake in half plus they look good on the kitchen counter and they have handles to carry your cake from the kitchen to the table.

Note: do not store your cake in the refrigerator or it will lose its moisture and become dry and crumbly.

How Long Can A Sponge Cake Stay Fresh?

If stored properly, it can stay fresh for up to 3 days. After this time, it will start losing its moisture and begin to dry out.

Can You Freeze A Sponge Cake?

Yes! you can, it is freezer friendly.  So, if for some reason you can’t finish your cake within 3 days you can always save it by freezing it. 

It can stay in the freezer for up to 3 months, but the longest I have kept it in the freezer is one month.  That’s the longest it survives in this house. lol

How To Freeze Your Sponge Cake

• Rule of thumb: make sure it is completely cooled down.
• Wrap it in saran wrap.
• Place it into an airtight storage container and freeze.
• Don’t forget to label it with the date.

How to Thaw A Sponge?

When it’s time to take out your sponge cake from the freezer you have two options.

Room Temperature (recommended) 

• Take the sponge cake out of the freezer.
• Remove the saran wrap.
• Place it on a dinner plate lined with some paper towel.
• Let it thaw out on the kitchen counter at room temperature. (about an hour)
• Once completely thawed out transfer it to an airtight container and store.

Microwave

• Take out the sponge cake from the freezer and removed the saran wrap.
• Place it on a microwavable dish and microwave it for 30 seconds at a time until it is soft.
• Once it has thawed out, place the cake on another dish lined with some paper towel and let it cools down.
• Once it has come to room temperature transfer the sponge cake to an airtight container and store.

How Do You Make A Sponge Cake Light And Fluffy?

When we make a sponge cake our main goal is to achieve a fluffy and light textured cake.  Even though many variables can prevent this from happening, the main cause comes down to the mixing of the ingredients.

So, if you want to make the fluffiest and lightest of sponge cakes then take the following steps.

When mixing the sugar into the butter, whisk it until it is light and fluffy in texture.  This step is very important otherwise your cake will not be as fluffy and light as it could be. 

Once you have mixed the sugar and butter together, the next step is to add the eggs.

For this step, do not add the eggs all at once.

Add one egg at a time and mix until it has completely incorporated with the sugar and butter.  Then repeat with the remaining eggs.  

For the best results use an electric mixer.

What Is The Difference Between A Sponge Cake And A Victoria Sponge?

Typically, a sponge cake is a single-layered cake whereas a Victoria Sponge Cake has two layers with a filling of cream and strawberries.

Fun fact: Victorian Sponge Cake also known as Victorian Sandwich was named after Queen Victoria herself because she enjoyed having it with her tea.

Why Is My Sponge Cake Dry?

There are two common reasons why your sponge cake could turn out to be dry.

Ingredients
Too much flour.  Even if you follow a recipe exactly. Please note that there are slight differences in texture and rise, depending on the brand of the flour that you use.  I would recommend using a measuring scale to measure the ingredients, I find it to be more accurate than measuring cups.

Temperature
If your oven is at the wrong temperature, then this can also cause your cake to turn out to be dry.

Every oven is different, So, when it comes to setting the heat of the oven use an oven thermometer to double-check that your oven has reached the correct temperature.

Also, before you place your cake in the oven, make sure you have preheated your oven long enough. 

Why Is My Cake Not Cooked In The Middle?

If you find that your sponge cake is not cooked on the inside, the main cause for this is usually that the oven was not hot enough.

I like to use an oven thermometer to make sure that my oven is at the correct temperature before I put anything into it.

Also, make sure you use the middle shelf.

Can You Re-bake A Cake That Is Undercooked?

Sadly, you can’t.  Once you have taken out your cake from the oven and allowed it to cool down you cannot re-bake it.

If you take out your cake and do the toothpick test and you find your cake is not cooked yet, then you can put your cake back into the oven.

We hope you have found this recipe helpful and that you have fun making your sponge cake.

Once you have tried this Easy Sponge Cake Recipe For Complete Beginners let us know in the comments how you got on.