Classic Sponge Cake
Classic Sponge Cake is a easy French recipe that serves 8. 145 calories per serving. Recipe by Love of cooking Soulef on YouTube.
Prep: 23 min | Cook: 20 min | Total: 53 min
Cost: $1.70 total, $0.21 per serving
Ingredients
- 4 Eggs (at room temperature)
- 120 g Granulated sugar (prefer fine sugar)
- 120 g All-purpose flour (sift with baking powder)
- 1 pinch Baking powder (about 1 g)
- 10 g Butter (to grease the pan)
- 1 circle Parchment paper (20 cm circle)
Instructions
Prepare the pan and preheat the oven
Butter the pan, place the parchment paper cut to the pan's diameter and preheat the oven to 180°C.
Time: PT5M
Temperature: 180°C
Separate the whites from the yolks
Separate the 4 eggs by placing the whites in the mixing bowl and the yolks in a small separate bowl.
Time: PT2M
Whip the egg whites
Whisk the whites on medium speed until they form firm peaks.
Time: PT5M
Incorporate the sugar
Add the sugar in a fine stream while continuing to whisk until you obtain a glossy, firm meringue.
Time: PT3M
Add the egg yolks
Gently pour the yolks into the meringue, mixing delicately with the spatula.
Time: PT2M
Fold in the sifted flour
Sift the flour with the pinch of baking powder and add it gradually to the batter, folding gently with the spatula until homogeneous.
Time: PT4M
Pour the batter into the pan
Transfer the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the surface with the spatula and tap the pan lightly on the countertop to eliminate air bubbles.
Time: PT2M
Bake
Bake the sponge for about 20 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a knife tip: it should come out dry.
Time: PT20M
Temperature: 180°C
Cool and unmold
Remove the cake, let cool 5 minutes in the pan, then unmold by removing the parchment paper and let cool completely on a rack.
Time: PT5M
Nutrition Facts
- Calories
- 145
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 20 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fiber
- 0.5 g
Dietary info: vegetarian, contains gluten, contains eggs, low-carb, low-calorie, very-low-calorie, low-fat
Allergens: eggs, gluten, milk
Ingredient Substitutions
- Instead of Granulated sugar: powdered sugar, cane sugar
- Instead of All-purpose flour: cake flour, gluten‑free flour
- Instead of Baking powder: baking soda + cream of tartar
- Instead of Butter: vegetable oil, cooking spray
- Instead of Parchment paper: silicone sheet
Equipment Needed
- Mixing bowl
- Electric whisk or hand whisk
- Sieve or fine strainer
- Silicone spatula
- 20 cm round cake pan
- Oven
- Cooling rack (optional)
Critical Steps — Do Not Skip
- Whip the egg whites to firm peaks
- Incorporate the sugar gradually
- Sift and fold in the flour without breaking the whites
Chef Tips from the Video
- Use room‑temperature eggs for better volume.
- Sift the flour twice to avoid lumps.
- Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract or vanilla sugar to flavor the sponge.
Troubleshooting
The sponge is too dense
Check that the whites were whipped to firm peaks and that the flour was folded in gently without overmixing.
The cake does not rise
Make sure the oven was properly preheated to 180 °C and that the baking powder was fresh.
The surface is cracked
Do not open the oven during the first 10 minutes of baking and avoid over‑beating the batter after adding the flour.
Storage
Refrigerator: Wrap the cake in plastic wrap; keep up to 3 days.
Freezer: Wrap tightly in film then a freezer bag; keep up to 1 month.
Room temperature: Store in a dry place, covered, for a maximum of 2 days.
Make-Ahead Tips
- The sponge stores very well wrapped in the refrigerator; it can be made the day before.
- For longer storage, cut into discs and freeze each disc separately.
Last updated: August 21, 2026
