Basic Sponge Cake Recipe

Sponge cake is cake based on flour.  It may be produced either on batter or foam method.

I have tried a couple of times baking this recipe, and it always sinks and fails.  After reading and watching a lot of videos about the basics of baking, I have learned that there are several factors that affects your sponge cake (oven temperature, how you beat the eggs, how you fold it, etc.) 

A basic sponge cake consists of the following: Flour, Eggs, Sugar and Vanilla.

This simple recipe is best for novice on baking like me, to learn the basic principles on baking.  It calls for the following ingredients:

-6 whole eggs

-1 cup of flour

-3/4 cups of sugar (may add up to 1 cup depending on your preference

-1 tsp vanilla

Procedure:

1. Make sure to prepare the ingredients ahead.  Room temperature eggs are best for baking sponge cakes for they create maximum volume of batter.  Preheat the oven into 350 degrees F or 180 degrees celsius.  Grease the bottom of the pan then put a wax paper (preferably a deep cake tin).  I have noticed that greasing the sides causes deflation of the batter (one of the most error I have been doing for the longest time) for during the rising process, the batter has been looking for something to hold on, but because of the oil, it shrinks.

2. Put 6 large eggs on a clean metal bowl.  Mix it a bit to incorporate then use an electric hand mixer.  Beat the whole eggs until it is on its "frothy stage."  

3. Add the sugar on the eggs (less sugar, the fluffier it would be), then continue beating for approximately 5 minutes.  It should reach the "ribbonette stage" (this happens when you put up the beaters of the mixer, the droppings of the beaten eggs can draw a ribbon figure that stays a few seconds).

4.  Add the vanilla extract, then beat for a minute.  Be careful not to over beat the eggs. Over beaten eggs will result to deflated or dry cakes.  Please take note that this is the best stage when you want to add flavors (pandan, etc.).

5.  Using a sifter, sift the flour in 3 batches.  In every batch, use a whisk to fold the flour into the batter (I prefer using flat whisk).  Be careful not to touch the lower half part of the batter, so as something will still hold the batter to keep from losing the bubbles it has created from beaten eggs.

6.  After sifting all the flour, do the folding using a spatula. This way, it can be folded evenly, including the bottom, without over folding it.

7. Pour the prepared batter into the cake tin. You will notice the bubbles as you pour the batter.
8. Give a couple of tap on the cake tin (on the surface of the kitchen table) to remove some of the bubbles and avoid spaces on the cake during the baking process.

9. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes (for a convection oven) and 50 minutes to 1 hour for a conventional oven, or until the surface of the cake is springy when touched.

10. Put the cake tin on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Loose the sides and hold another pan covering the cake tin.  Invert and serve.  You can add whip for flavouring.

As you notice, this is the first trial I did it successfully. But the eggs are overbeaten so it was a bit dry.

Then on the second trial, I did a chocolate sponge cake.  I just replaced a half of flour with a half of cocoa powder.

I am glad it turned out well, fluffy and moist!  Yay!

The only concern I have is that the top part of my cake is not browning, because of the limitations of our oven.  But everything is perfect.

Will be trying some other flavours of the sponge cake and will keep on updating this blog.

Enjoy!

-xoxo-