Easy Vanilla Sponge Cake Recipe

Easy Vanilla Sponge Cake Recipe! If you have been on the hunt for a basic vanilla cake recipe then you are welcome, as I have just the right, easy and quick vanilla sponge cake for you. It is fluffy, light, moist and delicious!

I think everyone needs a classic sponge cake recipe in their lives that is foolproof and delicious. A cake that makes everyone believe that you are a star baker and you belong in the tent for GBBO (Great British Bake Off).

A perfect cake recipe for everyone’s birthday or an afternoon tea. This is the basic sponge cake recipe you can pull off and make everyone doff their hats to you.

This has been my go-to basic vanilla sponge cake recipe, it has become a staple now that I can make it with my eyes closed. Honestly, this cake is easy to make. It is light and fluffy and reliable.

I have had some few cakes fails in my life; this is not one of them. I tried making Mary Berry’s Gingerbread cake recently and I think it was a disaster, though my family endured and ate it, I knew it wasn’t right.

Related post: this is the best chocolate recipe you will ever make. It is moist, delicious super easy to make.

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Easy Vanilla Sponge Cake

I want to learn how to make other types of cakes, but this easy vanilla cake recipe was the first cake I learnt to bake. Thanks, mum!!!

Although I learnt the hard way as we had no stand mixer or hand mixer. If we wanted cake then which my mum would happily bake, we had to cream the sugar and butter by hand until light and fluffy and I mean proper light and fluffy.  I do not miss those days at all!!!

Before we start experimenting with other types of cake, it is important to be able to nail the basic which is this vanilla sponge cake here. No, I won’t make you do it the hard way.

As mentioned above, this is my basic and easy vanilla sponge cake recipe which only calls for self-raising flour instead of cake flour. I will share my cake flour recipe at some point but today, let’s do the classic.

Tools for making sponge cake (cake baking tools and equipment)

Every cake expert or beginner would need the following essential tools and equipment to make their baking experience stress free

You would need a hand mixer, in fact, it doesn’t have to be fancy. My hand trusted hand mixer was less than a tenner when I bought it and I have had it almost 9 years now. I would recommend using a hand mixer because of the quantity used in this recipe.

A mixing bowl, same as my hand mixer, my no fancy mixing bowl from ASDA (not sponsored by the way) has been serving me since forever. It is 8 years strong!

Kitchen timer, this is important as you don’t want to open that oven too quick or you will have sunken cake. Your phone timer would suffice too

Cake tins: in whatever form they come but if you are starting out I would suggest you stick to the basic cake tins.

Spatula: to scrape every bit of your batter into the cake tin, no messing about here and yes we are saying no to food waste too.

Cake tester: this could be a toothpick, skewers or an actual cake tester.

parchment paper or cake pan liner: use this to line the case of the cake pan for ease when removing the cake from the pan.

Tips

• Use any other flavouring extract you have if the vanilla extract is not available when you make this sponge cake

• Don’t let the batter sit too long before putting it in the oven

• Fold the flour into the mix using a wooden ladle instead of the hand mixer.

• Keep all the cake ingredients in room temperature.

• It is a cake taboo to open the oven quickly, do this towards the end of the baking time suggested.

• Bake the cake in the middle of the oven

• Preheat the oven before you place the cake batter in the oven. It is important to start baking the cake at the right temperature. This brings me to oven temperature. If using a conventional oven, use the temperature stated in the recipe, if using a fan oven, reduce the temperature. E.g., if the recipe temperature calls for 180C/375F, set the oven at 160C/320F.

• Stick with a measuring scale rather than cups. Cup measurements are not made equal and they differ in each country too.

Ingredients for Easy Vanilla Sponge Cake

Self-raising flour sifted

Caster sugar better than granulated sugar. It makes creaming process easy

Cake butter or any other quality butter. Ensure this is at room temperature

Eggs (at room temperature): I hate eggy smell in cakes, so I always use one less egg than the recipe calls for. Eggs in cake recipes or any other baked goods are added to make the cake moist and to avoid it becoming too dry or chewy. I have used 3 large eggs for this sponge cake

Vanilla paste or vanilla extract flavouring: any of these works just fine

Milk: this is almost optional but recommended if you have it on hand. Without going into the baking science of why it is essential, use it if it's available to you.

Baking powder: You don’t necessarily need this when using self-raising flour but I added about ½ teaspoon for good measure (I don’t have trust issues btw)

2 x 8-inch cake pans

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How to Make Easy Vanilla Sponge Cake (Best Sponge Cake Recipe)

Preheat the oven at 180C/ 375F or 160C/320F for a fan oven

Prepare the cake pans (2 x 8” round). Butter and line the tin base with a circle parchment paper

Using a hand mixer or stand mixer

Start by creaming the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. This should be about 3 to 5 minutes

Then add the eggs one at a time along with the vanilla essence and mix until combined

Add the flour and baking powder if using.

Using a wooden spoon or spatula, fold the flour into the mixture until well combined. Lastly, add the milk and mix till well incorporated into the batter.

Divide the batter between the prepared tins and bake in the oven for between 25 to 30 minutes or until skewers/cake tester comes out clean.

Remove cake from the oven and leave to cool, remove from the tin and place on a cooling rack.

Make a Lemon sponge cake

Add the zest and juice of one lemon to the cake batter for a beautiful lemon sponge cake ever

Turn this cake to Victoria sponge cake by sandwiching two baked cakes with buttercream and jam. You can use store-bought or homemade strawberry or raspberry jam.

Do you love this easy cake recipe, why not give this orange cake a go? you would love it. It is one bowl, quick and super easy to make. Also if you love coffee then this delicious coffee cake has your name written all over it.

How to store sponge cake

This easy vanilla sponge cake would keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Wrap in a cling film or airtight container. This prevents the cake from drying out especially from catching the smell of other foods in your fridge.

Other quick recipes you would love

Easy garlic bread

Lemon scones

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