Easy 4-ingredient Sponge Cake recipe
This easy 4-ingredient recipe makes baking a breeze. No need for complex steps; it's a straightforward homemade sponge cake that's both versatile and tasty. And you can customize it with your favorite toppings or frostings.
Servings: slices
Equipment
- 1 Electric mixer
- 1 9-inch cake pan
Ingredients
- 4 Large large eggs room temperature
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 3/4 cup cake flour spooned and leveled, then sifted
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
Instructions
- Start by pre-heating your oven to 350 Fahrenheit, and lining the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper, leaving the sides of the pan ungreased.
- Over a medium bowl of a stand mixer or electric mixer (you can also use a hand mixer), using the whisk attachment, whip on high speed the eggs and sugar until they triple in size, for around 4-5 minutes.It is key to whip the eggs to just the right volume and no more. If it's whipped too hard and it becomes stiff, it won't rise as it should.Lift the whisk from the batter and make a figure-eight with the dripping batter. If the figure-eight stays on the batter, it’s good to go.4 Large large eggs, 1 1/4 cup (250 g) granulated sugar
- Fold in flour into the egg mixture using a spatula, gently mixing it into the wet ingredients until just combined, being careful not to overmix and keeping the batter light and fluffy. This is to avoid popping the air bubbles created by whipping the eggs.1 3/4 cup (414 ml) cake flour
- Fold in the melted butter, the same way you did with the flour, pour the batter into the pan, and immediately place it in the oven to bake.Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and your cake looks golden brown.1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter
- Remove the sponge cake from the oven, place over a wire rack, and let cool for 5 minutes. Then, invert the cake tin into the cooling rack and remove the parchment paper from the bottom of the cake. Leave the cake to completely cool upside down on the wire rack, for around 2-3 hours.
Notes
Here are some straightforward tips for baking a flawless sponge cake:
- Skip greasing the sides: When preparing your cake pan, it's best to line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, but leave the sides ungreased; this helps the cake climb up the sides for a light and fluffy texture.
- Use room temperature eggs: Make sure your eggs are at room temperature before using them in the recipe; this allows them to whip up better, creating more stable and voluminous egg foam, which is crucial for achieving that light and airy texture in your sponge cake.
- Don't over-mix your eggs: Lift the whisk from the batter and make a figure-eight with the dripping batter. Count to 10 seconds. If the figure-eight stays on the batter, it's good. If it sinks before 10 seconds, keep beating it a bit more.
- Fold in flour and butter gently: When adding the flour and butter, use a gentle folding motion to mix them into the wet ingredients, to avoid air bubbles starting to pop and cake starting to deflate.
- Bake immediately: Have a preheated oven and your cake pan ready before you start. The quicker you get the batter into the oven, the better, as this prevents air bubbles from popping and the cake from deflating as it bakes.
- Avoid opening the oven: During baking, avoid opening the oven door frequently, to avoid the cake from sinking. Only check for doneness near the end of the baking time.
- Cool Inverted: After baking, cool the sponge cake by inverting it onto a cooling rack. This prevents it from collapsing as it cools.
