Description

This Fluffy Vanilla Sponge Cake is a light and airy dessert perfect for any occasion. Made with simple ingredients like eggs, sugar, cake flour, milk, and oil, this classic sponge cake achieves a soft and delicate texture through a warming water bath and gentle folding technique. The subtle vanilla flavor enhances its versatility, making it an ideal base for layered cakes or enjoyed on its own.

Ingredients

Scale

Egg Mixture

200 g (4 large) eggs
140 g (1 cup + 1 tablespoon) granulated sugar

Dry Ingredients

130 g (1 cup + 2 tablespoons) cake flour, sifted

Liquid Ingredients

20 g (4 teaspoons) milk
40 g (2 ⅔ tablespoons) oil (neutral flavor like vegetable or canola oil)
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

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Instructions

Preparation: Preheat your oven to 355ºF (180ºC). Prepare a hot, simmering water bath to gently warm the eggs. Place cake liners inside your baking pan to prevent sticking. Sift the cake flour thoroughly to ensure a smooth batter. Mix together the milk, oil, and vanilla extract in a small bowl and set aside.
Warm Egg and Sugar Mixture: Place the eggs and sugar in a heatproof bowl over the simmering water bath (double boiler). Constantly whisk the mixture until it feels comfortably warm to the touch. This step helps dissolve the sugar and prepares the eggs for whipping.
Whip Eggs Until Fluffy: Remove the warmed egg-sugar mixture from the heat. Using a mixer, beat it vigorously until it becomes very fluffy, thick, and pale, increasing in volume significantly. This aeration is key to the sponge cake’s light texture.
Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gently fold the sifted cake flour into the whipped eggs in batches. Use a spatula to fold carefully to avoid deflating the mixture, ensuring even incorporation without losing volume.
Add the Liquid Mixture: Fold in the combined milk, oil, and vanilla extract slowly and delicately until just combined. Be gentle to maintain the airy texture of the batter.
Bake the Sponge Cake: Pour the prepared batter into the lined baking pan, smoothing the surface evenly. Place it in the preheated oven and bake at 355ºF (180ºC) until the cake is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, approximately 25-30 minutes.
Cool and Serve: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.

Notes

Warming the eggs with sugar over a water bath is crucial to dissolve sugar and create a more stable, voluminous batter.
Be careful when folding the dry ingredients and liquid mixture to maintain air bubbles; overmixing will deflate the batter.
Make sure to sift the cake flour to avoid lumps and enhance the cake’s light texture.
You can substitute milk with non-dairy milk for a dairy-free version, but it may slightly affect texture.
If you want a richer flavor, you can increase vanilla extract to 1 teaspoon.
This sponge cake works well as a base for layered cakes, trifles, or served simply with powdered sugar and fresh fruit.