This Simple Vanilla Sponge Cake Recipe makes the best Sponge Cake or Hot Milk cake. This classic, old-fashioned cake has a wonderfully nostalgic, homestyle taste that complements a relaxing evening tea. It also makes a delightful dessert after dinner, especially when topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries.
This recipe is from a good friend, and it came out well the first time I tried it! The joys of baking a delicious cake are special and out of this world. I have always used this recipe since then.
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Why you will love this Simple Vanilla Sponge Cake?
- This is a great cake if you are new to baking and a perfect one to start with for beginners as it is a no-fail recipe.
- It tastes delicious and is dense and soft.
- You can have it with tea or coffee for your breakfast.
- This base cake can be used as a celebration cake. Frost it with any kind of frosting, like whipped cream, buttercream, or any other.
- This tastes even better as it gets old, all the flavors exude.
- The texture of each of the cake slices is very soft. Pair with a scoop of whipped cream, strawberries, or ice cream for a nice dessert.
- Your home will have a great aroma when baking this no-fail recipe cake.
Ingredients for the Cake
- Eggs - Organic and at room temperature.
- Butter - Organic, unsalted, and at room temperature; you can substitute with oil.
- Sugar - Granulated and powdered sugar is best for this recipe.
- Milk - Organic, 2% reduced fat milk.
- Baking powder, salt, and Vanilla extract
Making the cake using the Simple Vanilla Sponge Cake Recipe
As with any cake, you will need all-purpose flour, butter or oil, sugar, and baking powder. The original recipe requires eggs to be warmed up in a bowl over a boiling pan of water until lightly heated up, taking care not to curdle, and this process takes about 5 minutes.
I skipped this step, just kept the eggs at room temperature for a while and directly beat them in a bowl using the stand mixer. I also used granulated sugar, which I powdered to make it finer so that it would be easier to mix it into the egg.
Step-by-Step Process
Steps 1-4: Whisk or sift the flour with baking soda and salt and keep aside. Melt butter and milk and leave it to cool. Beat the eggs at high speed until they get a yellow lemon color
Steps 5-8: Add sugar and continue beating. The batter should double up as shown in the picture, and the batter should fall in a ribbon shape when lifted with a spatula. Lower the speed and add the whisked flour in batches.
Steps 9-12: Add the milk to the batter and mix gently. Do not overbeat; transfer to the baking cake pans lined with parchment paper and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack, cut into slices, serve, and enjoy.
Some other similar cakes you may also love are Citrus Olive Oil Cake, TresLeches Cake, Strawberry Shortcake with whipped cream frosting, and White Layered Cake with Whipped cream frosting. Do check them out!
Recipe FAQs
Make sure not to overbeat the batter when adding the flour in the final step. Mix gently and slowly to avoid deflating the air that was carefully incorporated into the batter while beating the eggs and sugar.
Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for up to a week. Alternatively, you can store it in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. However, because the batter contains milk, its shelf life at room temperature is shorter.
Any frosting like buttercream, whipped cream, cream cheese, mascarpone buttercream, or chocolate cream can be used.
Related Recipes
If you tried this Simple Vanilla Sponge Cake Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and a 📝 comment below. I love hearing from you!
Simple Vanilla Sponge Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 ¼ cups milk whole or 2% fat
- 10 tbsp butter 1 ¼ sticks or ½ cup oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 deg F
- Line and grease two 8 inch round pan with butter and dust with all-purpose flour
- In a bowl combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt and mix it with a whisk and keep aside.
- Powder the granulated sugar and keep it aside.
- Using a hand or electric mixer beat the eggs at high speed till it gets a yellow lemon color and this takes about 5 minutes.
- Next, add the powdered sugar gradually and beat till it is light and fluffy for about 3 to 4 minutes, the volume of the mixture should double up.
- On lifting and pouring from the whisk the batter should fall in a ribbon shape.
- Beat in Vanilla to the batter.
- Next add the flour gradually or in 3 additions, beating at low speed just until it is smooth.
- In a saucepan, heat milk and add butter just until the butter melts.
- Add the milk into the batter gradually just until combined, take care not to overbeat
- Pour the batter into both the pans, dividing it equally.
- Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and later on a cooling rack until cooled.
- Slice it up and serve topped with whipped cream and sliced strawberries. It tastes out of the world! Enjoy
Video
Notes
- The original method suggests warming the eggs in a bowl over a pot of simmering water until lightly heated, being careful not to curdle them. This process takes about 5 minutes. To save time, this step can be skipped by allowing the eggs to come to room temperature before beating them directly in a bowl with a mixer.
- Granulated sugar can also be powdered to make it finer, ensuring it mixes more easily into the eggs.
- Heat the milk and butter in advance on a low flame so it does not burn and is melted and ready so it can be poured in at the right time in the last step of making the batter.
Thank you for sharing this recipe
Such a moist, tasty cake! It was terrific with fresh berries and a dollop of sweetened whipped cream!
Nice one! I have never made a sponge cake. Thanks!
I have been looking for recipe for this cake! I used to have it as a little girl. Thank you!
Aww so nice to hear that . Thank you so much , it is definitely very spongy and has that awesome traditional taste and is my favorite ☺️
Tried this absolutely delicious cake and loved it so much. Simple, non-intimidating easy to follow recipe.. <3
LOL non-intimidating indeed and me too love it for its awesome taste 🙂 Thanks Deepa!
Perfect 🙂
Thank you so much Deepa!
Lovely and so spongy 😊
Thank you so much Sangita!
Simple, light and tasty! 🙂
Thank you so much chefkreso!
I love recipes like this one because you can use it for so much. A good foundation is worth a heck of a lot when it comes to making a delicious cake. Loving the simplicity of this recipe, less is definitely more in most cases. Go sponge cakes!
Would you be interested in sharing recipes with our community of passionate foodies? We’re always on the lookout for fun, new and delicious recipes like this one. You can find us right over here: and on Instagram @Creatorsdotco (where we share creations from the Good Eats community!)
Thank you so much , appreciate it !! I agree a good foundation is indeed very important and the various delicacies and possibilities from one are many. Sure I would love to share recipes to the group and will definitely check it out. Thank again for stopping by !
My pleasure! Exactly, I mean a cake can look fantastic but if the sponge is so-so it would be such a shame. Fantastic, hope to see you there soon!
I did post this on FB page of goodeats as well. Thanks again!
Yummyyyy 😋. I love sponge cakes. This looks great 👍☺️
Thank you Priya!
spongy cake. yummy
Thank you Deepa!
Awesome recipe and fabulous pictures...Liked it a lot !!
Thank you so much Anshu!
Cake looks awesome..so spongy
Thank you so much Lathiya!
Simple & perfect 😀
Thank you Lavs! yes it’s very simple indeed and turned out perfect:)
Super soft & spongy cake, I just love it!
Thanks much Megala!