How long should you bake a sponge cake?

A classic home-made sponge cake brings back childhood memories. It can be enjoyed solo, with a cup of coffee, laid with butter cream or it may serve as a base for fancy birthday and wedding cream cakes. The choice is up to you. With a sponge cake, possibilities are endless and your creativity is the only limit.

Although preparation of a sponge cake batter is simple, baking is the tricky part. This type of cake is definitely fussy when it comes to temperature. So, how should you bake a sponge cake to enjoy the golden crust on the outside and soft texture inside?

For two 20cm round baking tins, preheat the oven to 180°C/fan (or gas mark 4) and bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. If you are not sure whether you cake is ready or not, a helpful trick is sticking a bamboo barbecue skewer into the cake. If it comes out dry, the cake is good to go. But if some raw batter sticks to the skewer, let the cake sit in the oven for additional 10 minutes and repeat the skewer test.

While baking, try not to open the oven too often as temperature fluctuation can make your cake lose its fluffy texture. Allowing the ready cake cool down gradually, with the oven door only slightly ajar, will prevent your cake from sinking in the middle.

Did you know?

The secret of the perfect sponge cake is getting as much air as possible inside the batter. Your sponge cake will be even more fluffy if you go the extra mile and - in addition to using self-raising flour - whip the egg whites separately and carefully mix the foam into the batter with a silicone spatula.

Is there a fool-proof way to get the light-as-air sponge cake every time? Share your surefire recipes below!