When you’re looking for sponge cake recipes, look no further than this sponge cake recipe that’s made with basic ingredients. Use it for rolled and cream-filled desserts. It’s moist and spongy with a hint of lemon flavor. It’s an old Italian family recipe!

sponge cake recipes

My mom, who was an Italian immigrant R.I.P., made this sponge cake for her boozy Italian rum cake and cassata cake. She made lots of great Italian food. Her rum cake was the best and beloved by many! I’d looked forward to getting it for my birthday every year until she suddenly passed.

When I was a young girl, I’d help her make it. She always wanted me to hold the mixer while she sifted the flour. She’d say in Italian, “You’re not watching me! How are you going to learn?” Little did she know that I was watching and she’d be proud of my replica of her delicious rum cake.

Sponge Cake Recipes

I make Italian rum cake with this easy sponge cake recipe for my husband every year for his birthday at his persuasive request.

However, my mom made her sponge cake version with Pane Degli Angeli. If you’ve never heard of that, it’s a vanilla-flavored baking powder. I use vanilla extract and baking powder for this recipe.

Because sponge cakes are “spongy,” they’re great for desserts that use liquor or syrups. Sponge cakes are often used in cake roll such as, jelly rolls with sweet jam like strawberry jam or raspberry jam.

This easy recipe doesn’t use vegetable oil (or any oil) nor does it use butter. I’ve read that sponge cakes typically do not have any leavening agents but, there are many recipes that do. This is one of them. I use baking powder.

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links which means, if you make a purchase, I’ll receive a very small commission but, the price you pay is the same.

How to Make an Easy Classic Sponge Cake Recipe

*The full, printable recipe is in the recipe card below.

Ingredients

large eggs
sugar
vanilla extract
lemon (for juice and zest)
baking powder
all purpose flour

Instructions

First, preheat the oven to 35oF. Use middle rack.
Next, separate the eggs.
Then, beat the egg whites with an hand mixer or stand mixer (use whisk attachment) on highest speed until stiff peaks form about 3-5 minutes.
Next, beat the egg yolks on high speed with an electric mixer (use paddle attachment with stand mixer) until a creamy medium yellow color (about 3 minutes.)
Then, add the sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, lemon zest, and baking powder, to the egg yolk mixture. Mix until blended.
Next, add about 3/4 of the sifted flour, half of a cup at a time while mixing, to the egg yolk mixture. Scrape the sides of the bowl. The batter will become thick, pasty and have a glisten to it.
Then, begin adding stiff egg whites to the egg yolk mixture.
Next, mix in remaining flour. Mix and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Then, oil spray a circular 12″ x 3″ baking pan (or cake tins) and carefully pour the cake batter in it. I use a springform pan.
Place the cake in the oven and bake at 350F for one hour and ten minutes. If you’re using multiple cake pans, check the time at 40 minutes. The cake is done when the top springs back upon touch. Let the cake cool in its baking pan for about 30 minutes before moving it to wire rack. Let the cake cool completely before cutting. Store wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or an airtight container.

Cake Layers

As I’ve mentioned above, let the cake cool on a cooling rack completely before cutting. Cut the cake with a long serrated bread knife into the amount of layers you need. You may also use multiple cake pans to bake the cake batter if you choose. Either way, you will need to cut the top of the cake of each cake pan layer to make it flat.

How to Serve Sponge Cake

Place sponge cake slice on a serving plate with:

fresh fruit and whipped cream
ice cream, fresh berries and whipped cream
ice cream and chocolate syrup

How to Store and Freeze

Store in an air tight container or wrap with tightly with plastic wrap. It can be stored on the countertop for several days or frozen for up six months. If freezing, cut into layers, wrap each layer tightly with plastic wrap and then place in air tight containers.

When you’re looking for sponge cake recipes, add this to your list. It’s perfect for cream-filled desserts or use it for cake rolls. It’s a high quality sponge cake with many uses.