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    Home / Cake basics / Sponges cakes

    Vanilla Sponge Cake

    Last update: May 30, 2024 Published: Nov 6, 2014 by Fadela This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe· 4.2 from 25 reviews

    Whip up a dreamy soft and airy vanilla sponge cake with our classic, easy-to-follow recipe! Perfectly fluffy and versatile, this sponge cake is the ideal foundation for all your homemade baking creations.

    genoise sponge cake layer on a table
    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love this recipe
    • Ingredients You Need
    • Ingredients Notes
    • How to Make Vanilla Sponge Cake Recipe
    • Frosting and Filling Suggestions
    • Best tips for this recipe
    • Storage and freezing
    • Variations & Substitutions
    • Recipe Questions
    • More Sponge Cake Recipes
    • Vanilla Sponge Cake

    This fluffy vanilla sponge cake recipe is a basic génoise originating in England and very popular in the world of pastry and cakes for its both light and fluffy texture and firmness.

    Sponge cake is also found in the famous Victoria sponge cake recipe also known as sandwich cake (created for Queen Victoria) where it is garnished with strawberry jam and a generous layer of whipped cream.

    Closely resembling a genoise sponge in its basic ingredients, this vanilla cake stands out with the addition of butter, giving it a more luxurious and rich texture.

    Why you'll love this recipe


    • Super Easy Recipe: It's a foolproof recipe with simple ingredients. Follow the step-by-step guide and tips for the best results.
    • Soft and Light Texture: This soft cake turns out delightfully light and airy, not dense or dry at all. It's the tender sponge cake you've always wanted in a sponge cake.
    • Great for Flavors and Toppings: You can jazz this plain sponge cake with different flavors and it pairs well with any frosting or topping.
    • Ideal for layered cakes: This vanilla sponge recipe perfect for making a birthday cake, for special occasions like weddings, and more.

    >> Need frosting for this cake? Try my Whipped vanilla buttercream, fluffy white chocolate Swiss buttercream or this Whipped chocolate ganache.

    layer of sponge cake

    Ingredients You Need

    You need these ingredients to make this fluffy sponge cake recipe:

    bowl with ingredients

    Ingredients Notes

    • Butter: Use unsalted butter, especially softened at room temperature to ensure a smooth mixture but not melted butter. Take it out of the fridge in advance or warm it up slightly in the microwave.
    • Sugar: Use white granulated powdered sugar or flavored sugar such as brown sugar. 
    • Eggs: Use large eggs at room temperature, if you didn't have time to take them out in advance, leave them in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes.
    • Flour: Use preferably cake flour or even all-purpose flour.
    • Vanilla extract and salt: Essential for flavoring, pure vanilla essence extract, and salt to bring out all the flavors.

    How to Make Vanilla Sponge Cake Recipe

    Here are some quick visual instructions. Don't forget that full recipe instructions with exact ingredients can be found in the recipe card below!

    Step 1: Place softened butter and granulated sugar in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat at medium speed for about 5 minutes until creamy and smooth.

    Step 2: Add eggs and vanilla extract one at a time while running the mixer at medium speed until well incorporated and mix again at medium speed for about 5 minutes until the mixture has doubled in volume.

    mixing bowl with sugar and butter
    mixing bowl with cake batter

    Step 3: In a separate bowl, sift together all the dry ingredients, cake flour, baking powder and salt.

    Step 4: Change the whisk to a paddle attachment and add the previously flour mixture and mix at a slow speed just enough to incorporate the dry ingredients.

    bowl with dry ingredients
    bowl with cake batter

    Step 5: Preheat oven to 329°F/ 165°C and prepare 2 round cake pans 8 inches / 20 cm in diameter, lined with parchment paper only on the bottom.

    Step 6: Divide the batter and pour it evenly into the two prepared baking pans and bake cakes for about 30 minutes until golden brown on top.

    Let cool: Remove the baked cakes from the oven and let them cool a bit in the pan before carefully removing them from the baking pan and letting them cool completely on a cooling rack.

    cake pan with cake batter
    cake pan with baked cake

    Frosting and Filling Suggestions

    • Classic Buttercream Frosting: Top the cake with rich and creamy buttercream frosting for a timeless treat like this Swiss buttercream, buttercream cream cheese, and French meringue buttercream.
    • Fresh Berries and Whipped Cream: Garnish with a mix of fresh berries and a dollop of mascarpone whipped cream for a light and fruity twist like this strawberry cream cake.
    • Lemon Curd: Spread homemade lemon curd between layers or on top for a tangy complement to the vanilla flavor perfect to go with a toasted Italian meringue frosting.
    • Chocolate Ganache: Drizzle or layer the cake with smooth chocolate ganache, a milk chocolate ganache or a vanilla white chocolate ganache for a decadent experience.
    • Fruit Compote: Serve with a side of warm fruit compote, such as strawberry compote, apple compote, blueberry compote or raspberry compote.
    • Caramel Sauce: Drizzle caramel butter sauce over the cake for a sweet and sticky addition.
    • Dusted with Powdered Sugar: Keep it simple and elegant by dusting it with icing sugar.
    • Nutella or Hazelnut Spread: Spread Nutella or a hazelnut spread between layers for a nutty, chocolatey flavor.
    • Layered with Jam: Layer the cake with your favorite jam or jelly for a sweet and fruity filling.
    vanilla sponge cake layer

    Best tips for this recipe

    • Use room temperature ingredients, which is essential for a smooth cake batter and get that perfect sponge cake.
    • Cream the butter and sugar for at least 3-5 minutes before adding the other ingredients.
    • Gradually add the eggs, beating enough between each addition to incorporate them.
    • Do not open the oven door while baking, to avoid temperature shock and having a cake that falls apart while baking.
    • Be careful not to overcook the cakes as they may be too dry in the mouth. At the end of the baking time, stick a toothpick in the center of the cake, it should come out clean if the cake is well baked.
    • Cut your cake cold, the cuts will be perfect and it will crumble less.
    • Soak the sponge cake with sugar syrup to moisten its texture a bit.

    Confident Tip

    Whisk the Eggs: After adding the eggs, whisk them for at least an additional 3-5 minutes. This will help make the sponge cake fluffy.

    Storage and freezing

    At room temperature: The sponge cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

    How to freeze it? Once completely cooled, wrap in plastic wrap or place in a storage box and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

    Defrosting: Let it slowly come back to room temperature overnight.

    Variations & Substitutions

    • Add baking powder: The classic recipe does not contain baking powder or baking soda, but you can add the equivalent of about ½ bag of baking powder for a fluffier cake.
    • Chocolate version: For a chocolate sponge cake version, replace ¼ of the flour with unsweetened cocoa powder to add along with the dry ingredients.
    • Flavors and spices: ground cinnamon, gingerbread spices, lemon juice or lemon zest, bitter almond flavor, etc.

    Recipe Questions

    Is sponge cake the same as vanilla cake?

    Nope, sponge cake and vanilla cake aren't the same – sponge cake is lighter and airier, while vanilla cake is usually denser and richer in flavor.

    What is the secret of making sponge cake?

    The trick to a perfect sponge cake is all in how you whip the eggs – they need to be super airy and fluffy!

    What makes a cake spongy and fluffy?

    A cake becomes spongy and fluffy through a careful mix of ingredients like flour, eggs, and leavening agents, which create air bubbles during baking. These bubbles expand, giving the cake its light texture, while ingredients like eggs and fat add moisture and tenderness.

    More Sponge Cake Recipes

    • Fluffy Molly Cake Sponge
    • Vanilla Chiffon Cake
    • 6-inch Vanilla Buttermilk Cake
    • Fluffy Egg White Cake Recipe
    layer of vanilla sponge cake

    I hope you love this sponge cake. If you make it, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Happy Baking!

    Print
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    Vanilla Sponge Cake


    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    4.2 from 25 reviews

    • Author: Fadela
    • Total Time: 45 minutes
    • Yield: 8 parts
    Print Recipe
    Save Recipe Recipe Saved

    Description

    The classic vanilla sponge cake recipe, is perfect for all your cakes (for a 2 cakes of 8 inches/ 20 cm diameter 8-10 parts).  


    Ingredients

    • 200 g (1 cup) Butter - unsalted at room temperature
    • 200 g (1 cup) Sugar - granulated extra fine
    • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
    • 4 Eggs - large at room temperature
    • 200 g (1 ⅔ cups) Cake flour 
    • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
    • 1 pinch salt

    Instructions

    1. Preheat your oven to 329°F / 165°C and line two 8 inches/ 20 cm diameter by 7 cm high cake pans with baking paper.
    2. In a bowl, sift together all the dry ingredients, cake flour, baking powder and pinch of salt and set aside.
    3. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, start beating the softened butter with the sugar on medium-high speed for 5 minutes until you have a light, pale texture.
    4. Lower the speed of the mixer and add the vanilla extract and then the eggs, one at a time, letting the mixer run for about 1 minute between each egg addition.
    5. Once the eggs are fully incorporated, run the mixer for about 5 minutes on high speed until the mixture increases in volume.
    6. Stop the mixer and pour the dry ingredients into the bowl and fold them in with a soft spatula until the mixture is smooth.
    7. Divide the mixture in half and distribute it into the two prepared pans.
    8. Bake for about 30 minutes (without opening the oven door), until golden brown.
    9. Check the baking of your cake with the blade of a knife or a toothpick by sticking it in the center of the cake, it should come out clean without crumbs, if not extend the baking time by 5 minutes.
    10. Let your cakes cool for a few minutes before turning them out carefully, then let them cool completely on a rack.
    11. If necessary, remove the crust on top when the cake is still a little warm with a knife or cut directly with a sponge cake leveler.

    Equipment

    cake pan

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    Notes

    Storage: 3-4 days at room temperature and up to 3 months in the freezer.

    For a 6 inches / 15 cm pan: Divide the preparation and bake in 2 pans of 4-6 inches / 12-15 cm, for about 40-45 minutes and you can cut your cake to have 4 layers of sponge cake. 

    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 30 minutes
    • Category: cake, Dessert
    • Cuisine: English

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 slice
    • Calories: 150
    • Sugar: 11
    • Sodium: 50
    • Fat: 3
    • Saturated Fat: 1
    • Carbohydrates: 26
    • Fiber: 1
    • Protein: 5
    • Cholesterol: 68

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sylvette

      December 27, 2016 at 10:01 am

      Hello Fadela, your website is great! Thanks for your tips and tricks. I have a 10cm diameter mold, what would be the quantities of butter, eggs, sugar, and flour for this recipe? Thanks.

      Reply
    2. Nadia

      March 18, 2017 at 8:35 am

      Hello, I noticed you don't use baking powder in your recipe.

      Reply
      • Fadela

        March 19, 2017 at 10:12 am

        Hello, no yeast in the sponge cake.

        Reply
    3. Sonia

      May 08, 2017 at 3:35 am

      Hello,

      I have a 26 cm mold, can I use the same proportions as for a 25 cm mold? Thank you.

      Reply
      • Fadela

        June 02, 2017 at 10:17 am

        Yes, it's perfect.

        Reply
    4. Afiane

      March 29, 2019 at 8:02 pm

      Hello, how can I find out the number of servings? Kind regards.

      Reply
    5. Aude Charron-Quignon

      March 17, 2021 at 8:51 pm

      I am always surprised by the description of this cake as airy or light. It's a pound cake, plain and simple. It's very good, but the name doesn't make it any lighter than it is.

      Reply
    6. Annie

      December 25, 2023 at 9:58 am

      Amazing recipe, the sponge cake was super soft and light, thanks for the tip about whipping the eggs it really made a difference

      Reply
    7. Vinicia

      June 21, 2024 at 1:30 am

      I want my layers thicker like your 6inch sponge cake. Could I just add all the batter or 2/3 from the top to the 8inch and divide in half. What would the baking time change to if I could do that for this recipe

      Reply
      • Fadela

        June 21, 2024 at 9:44 am

        Yes, you can bake all the batter in a single 8-inch cake pan to achieve thicker layers. Make sure the pan is deeper or lined higher to accommodate the increased batter volume. You'll likely need to extend the baking time accordingly to ensure the cake bakes through. After baking, you can then carefully cut the cake horizontally into two layers. Remember to check the cake's doneness with a toothpick or cake tester before removing it from the oven.

        Reply
    8. Selena

      July 01, 2024 at 3:51 am

      yall idk what the heck but this is not enough batter even for my 7inch pan. its so small and doesn’t rise much LOL messed up my rainbow cake so not like o can make more and pour more batter. gotta 2-3x this recipe

      Reply
      • Fadela

        July 16, 2024 at 3:18 pm

        I'm sorry to hear that you didn't have success with this recipe. It sounds like something may have gone wrong in the preparation. This recipe is designed to yield two layers of cake. To achieve four layers, you will indeed need to double the recipe. It's crucial to follow the procedure closely and pay special attention to the tips provided, as they are essential for helping the cake rise properly.

        Reply
    9. Simin

      December 11, 2024 at 10:32 pm

      Hi, Thank you for your perfect recipe, may I have the ingredients for cake pan size 12 inches please. Thank you

      Reply
      • Fadela

        December 13, 2024 at 9:59 am

        Thank you for your kind words! For a 12-inch cake pan, simply multiply the ingredients by 1.5 times. You may also need to adjust the baking time, as a larger cake will take longer to bake. Happy baking!

        Reply
    10. Elerin

      April 21, 2025 at 10:03 am

      Hey!
      I really really love this recipe site, everything I could ever think about s outlined already. Thank you for your help, I saved this recipe and going to try it. Much love

      Reply

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