A sponge cake is a puffy confection made by filling the egg white with a large amount of air and baking it with flour, so named because its structure resembles that of a porous sponge.
As two of the most basic cakes in the baking world, sponge cakes and chiffon cakes are a must-have for baking beginners.
Only after you have mastered them will your baking journey be easier and smoother. The most common problem when making a sponge cake is that it does not grow high, and the reason for this is that it is mainly defrosted.
The sponge cake Timexing is making today uses the split-egg method, which has a higher success rate and is safe for newbies to make.
Chocolate Sponge Cake
- Baking tools- 6 inch round mould with live bottom
- Butter liquefied 30g/1oz
- 80g/2.8oz of fine caster sugar
- Low flour 90g/3.2oz
- 5 eggs
- Milk 30g/1oz
- Water 6g/0.2oz
- Cocoa powder 10g/0.4oz
- Baking tools- 8 inch round mould with live bottom
- Butter liquefied 45g/1.6oz
- 120g/ of fine caster sugar
- Low flour 140g/4.2oz
- 7 eggs
- Milk 45g/16oz
- Water 9g/0.3oz
- Cocoa powder 15g/0.5oz
- Baking tools- 10 inch round mould with live bottom
- Butter liquefied 90g/3.2oz
- 240g/8.5oz of fine caster sugar
- Low flour 280g/9.8oz
- 14 eggs
- Milk 90g/3.2oz
- Water 16g/0.6oz
- Cocoa powder 30g/1oz
Steps to make
① Heat the butter, cocoa powder and milk together until the butter is melted, keeping the temperature between 40°C.
② Separate the eggs and place the egg whites in a clean, waterless, grease-free bowl. Add the sugar to the egg whites in three batches and beat until large sharp hooks form.
③Pour the egg yolks into the egg white batter and beat well.
④ Add half of the sifted low flour and mix well, then add the other half of the flour and mix well.
⑤ Take a little of the batter and mix it with the butter, then pour it back into the larger batter and continue to mix well.
⑥ Line the moulds with greaseproof paper, pour into the moulds and shake out the air bubbles. Bake in a preheated oven at 150°C for about 50 minutes for a 6-inch bake, 150°C for an 8-inch bake and 70 minutes for a 10-inch bake.
⑦ Bake until the top is coloured and there are no sticky crumbs when a bamboo skewer is inserted.
Tips
The shelled eggs weigh about 60g/2.1oz. Chilled egg whites are better when whipped.