Three Ingredient Sponge Cake

This easy sponge cake recipe produces a fluffy and moist sponge cake. The sponge cake can be simply decorated with fresh fruits, glazes, or other toppings or used to create multi-layered fancy cakes. This is a Chinese-style sponge cake, which is the base for many cakes you’ll find at Chinese bakeries.

This sponge cake is light, fluffy and moist. It’s a basic sponge cake so you’ll like want to decorate it before serving it. If you’ve ever had Chinese bakery cakes, this is the base for their cakes. The cakes usually consist of several layers of sponge cake, sandwiched with whipped cream and fresh fruit.

I didn’t make my quite as fancy. I kept mine to two layers, with cream and strawberries in the middle and on top. I then sliced into squares for serving.

Types of Chinese Sponge Cakes

There are a few kinds of Chinese sponge cake variations.

• Individual sponge cakes– They are light and fluffy, similar to this recipe, but baked as individual cakes and are served unfrosted.
• Steamed sponge cakes–  These are often served at dim sum restaurants. These are more firm and spongy in texture.
• Sponge cake roll– This is similar to a Swiss roll. The thin layer of sponge cake is topped with cream and then rolled up.
• Traditional layer cake– This is the cake served at weddings, birthdays and other special occasions. This recipe is the sponge cake base that is used for these types of cakes.

Ingredients for Sponge Cake

• Eggs, separated
• Sugar
• All-Purpose Flour

Three ingredients are all you need for this easy sponge cake. Unlike some European-style sponge cakes, this recipe doesn’t use a leavening agent. Instead, it relies on whipped egg whites.

Tips for a Fluffy and Moist Sponge Cake

• The key to the light and fluffy texture for this sponge cake is the whipped egg whites. The egg whites need to be whipped to stiff peaks.
• The egg white meringue is then gently folded into the batter. Make sure to gently fold with a spatula and only until just completely incorporated. If you try to mix in the egg whites with a whisk or mix them in too much, you will deflate the egg whites too much.
• The flour needs to be sifted in. You don’t need a flour sifter. You can do this easily by putting the flour through a strainer. Sifting the flour keeps it very light and prevents it from clumping up into the batter, which also helps keep the cake very fluffy.

Cake Topping Ideas

For this cake, the cake is sliced in half to create a two-layer cake. The middle is filled with fresh whipped cream and strawberry slices. It’s topped with more whipped cream and strawberries.

You can also keep the cake whole and just top with cream, frosting, glaze, jam or syrup and then slice into squares before serving.

3 Ingredient Sponge Cake

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings: 9

This recipe is easy to put together and it only takes a few minutes to bake. When it comes out of the oven you have a fluffy and moist sponge cake that makes a perfect base for a layered cake.

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

For the Sponge Cake

• 4 large eggs separated
• 60 grams caster sugar
• 40 grams all-purpose flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 9 inch baking pan with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, add the egg yolks and half of the sugar (30 g). Whisk together until completely combined. Sift in the flour. Whisk together until a smooth paste forms.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add egg whites and mix at highest speed with a wire whisk attachment until egg whites turn foamy. Add in the remaining 30 g of sugar. Continue mixing at highest speed until egg whites form stiff peaks.

4. Add 1/3 of the egg white mixture into the cake batter Gently fold with a spatula until no white streaks remain. Repeat with another 1/3. Repeat with remaining 1/3. Be careful to only mix until egg whites are just incorporated and to do so in a gentle folding motion using a spatula and not a mixer or whisk. If you mix too hard you will deflate the egg whites.

5. Pour batter into prepared baking pan. Bake in oven for about 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cake cool completely before slicing and decorating.

Notes:

• Very lightly adapted from Not the Kitchen Sink
• The egg white meringue needs to be gently folded into the batter. If you try to mix in the egg whites with a whisk or mix them in too much, you will deflate the egg whites too much.
• The flour needs to be sifted in. You can do this easily by putting the flour through a strainer. Sifting the flour keeps it very light and prevents it from clumping up into the batter, which also helps keep the cake very fluffy.
• Nutrition estimate is for the cake only and does not include any toppings or decorations.

Nutrition Facts

3 Ingredient Sponge Cake

Amount Per Serving (0.11 of recipe)

Calories 78 Calories from Fat 18

% Daily Value*

Fat 2g3%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 94mg31%

Sodium 36mg2%

Potassium 40mg1%

Carbohydrates 10g3%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 136IU3%

Calcium 14mg1%

Iron 1mg6%

Net Carbs 9g18%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have. All images and content are © Kirbie's Cravings.

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