Make a Sponge Cake

This light and airy recipe for sponge cake serves as the basis for many types of layered cake desserts, such as angel food cake. Always remember to keep a light hand when making a sponge and to work as quickly as you can.

Serves 6 - 8 Adults.

Ingredients

 * 8 eggs, separated into whites and yolks
 * 190 g / 6.7 oz sugar
 * 95 g / 3.3 oz flour
 * 55 g / 2 oz corn starch
 * 45 g / 1.6 oz butter, melted
 * Vanilla Extract

Make sure that all the ingredients you have selected match exactly to the ingredients list above.

Steps

 * 1) [[Image:Sponge2.png|160px|thumb|right]]Preheat the oven.  Set the oven to 180°C, 350°F or gas mark 4.
 * 2) [[Image:Sponge3.png|160px|thumb|right]]Mix the egg yolks.  Place the egg yolks into the mixer and mix them on a high speed until creamy. After a minute, add about 2 tbsp of sugar. Continue to mix for a few minutes more until the mixture becomes thicker.
 * 3) [[Image:Sponge4.png|160px|thumb|right]]Add the vanilla extract. Keep mixing until the mixture becomes double that of its original volume. Now turn off the machine and transfer the egg yolks to a separate bowl.
 * 4) [[Image:Sponge5.png|160px|thumb|right]]Wash your mixing bowl and the attachment well in preparation for whipping the egg whites. Make sure that the mixer attachment and bowl are washed extremely clean at this point. If not, any fat that remains on these utensils will negatively affect the whipping of the egg whites. Keep the items spotless or see "Tips" below for another solution.
 * 5) [[Image:Sponge6.png|160px|thumb|right]]Whip the egg whites.  Place whites into the clean mixer bowl. Beat them on high and let them whip until they become white and frothy. Now slowly add the sugar a bit at a time. The whipped egg whites mixture is ready when it clings to the beater attachment but does not drip. Once the mixture is nice and stiff, turn off the mixer.[[Image:Sponge7.png|160px|thumb|right]]
 * 6)  [[Image:Sponge8.png|160px|thumb|right]][[Image:Sponge9.png|160px|thumb|right]]Combine yolks and whites. Now introduce the egg yolks to the egg whites mixture. Add the whipped egg yolks into the egg whites and fold them in with the rubber spatula. Make sure not to over-mix. See How to Fold in Egg Whites for more details.
 * 7)  [[Image:Sponge10.png|160px|thumb|right]]Complete the batter.  Next, introduce the flour and corn starch to the eggs. Start by combining the flour and the corn starch in the sieve. Using your hands, slowly sift it into the mixture. Sifting the flour will increase the amount of air in the cake, helping to make it even lighter. Fold it all together remembering again not to over-mix and then add the melted butter to the batter, combining it in briefly.
 * 8) [[Image:Sponge11.png|160px|thumb|right]]Bake. Using the rubber spatula, transfer the batter into the lined spring-form pan.
 * 9) *[[Image:Sponge12.png|160px|thumb|right]]Spread the batter evenly with the rubber spatula and give the pan a few good shakes to remove any air pockets that might remain.
 * 10) *[[Image:Sponge13.png|160px|thumb|right]]Put the cake into the oven and allow it to bake.
 * 11) [[Image:Sponge14.png|160px|thumb|right]]Remove the cake. After around 30 minutes, test the cake to see if it is ready. Insert a wooden skewer into the centre of the cake. The cake is ready when the skewer comes out free of any batter (cake mixture).
 * 12)  [[Image:Sponge15.png|160px|thumb|right]][[Image:Sponge16.png|160px|right]]Set it aside to cool before removing it from the pan. Once the cake is totally cooled, take a sharp knife and run it around the outside of the cake.
 * 13)  [[Image:Sponge17.png|160px|thumb|right]]Remove the  cake from the spring-form pan. It is now ready for icing (frosting) or adding jam (jelly), cream and other fillings.

Tips

 * Serving Suggestions: Although sponge cake can be eaten as it is, it can be used as the base for many different layered cakes.
 * A fail-safe method for cleaning your mixing bowl well before whisking the egg whites is to cut a lemon in half and rub the bowl with the fleshy side of the fresh lemon as the citric acid ensures a fat-free whisking bowl.
 * Make two or more cakes for a layered sponge. Double or triple the recipe ingredients if you are adept at mixing quickly; otherwise, make the additional cakes separately so that each cake remains light and fluffy.
 * Add cocoa powder if you want to have a chocolate sponge cake.

Warnings

 * Do not ever over-mix. If you do, you will have a much heavier cake and it will not carry the fluffiness of a sponge. It is still fine for using as the basis for such desserts as trifle if you don't get it right.

Things You'll Need

 * 1 mixer with whisk attachment
 * 1 rubber spatula
 * 1 spring-formed pan, 26cm diameter, lined with parchment
 * 1 bowl
 * 1 sieve
 * 1 wooden skewer

Related Tips and Steps

 * How to Bake an Angel Food Cake
 * How to Make a Chocolate Cake
 * How to Make a Carrot Nut Cake
 * How to Make Jello Cake
 * How to Make a Banana Cake
 * How to Make Chocolate and Hazelnut Praline Cake

Sources and Citations

 * VideoJug A video on making a sponge cake. Shared with permission.