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.
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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.
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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
How to Make Easy Vanilla Sponge Cake (Best Sponge Cake Recipe)
Preheat the oven at 180C/ 375F or 160C/320F for 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
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.
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 Vanilla Sponge Cake Recipe
Equipment
- oven and cake pans
Ingredients
- 200 g self-raising flour
- 200 g butter extra for coating the cake tins
- 160 g caster sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract substitute with 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste
- 4 tablespoons milk full fat or semi-skimmed
- ½ teaspoon baking powder optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven at 180C/375F or 160C/320F (fan oven)
- Prepare the baking tins (2 X 8-Inch). Grease cake tin and line the bottom with a 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 skewer/cake tester comes out clean.
- Remove cake from the oven and leave to cool (2 to 5 minutes), remove from the tin and place on a cooling rack.
Notes
- 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 fan oven, reduce the temperature. E.g., if the recipe temperature calls for 190C, set the oven at 170C.
- Stick with a measuring scale rather than cups. Cup measurements are not made equal and they differ in each country too.
Nutrition
If you made this easy cake recipe, don’t forget to leave me feedback. Tag me @thedinnerbite on Instagram and save away to your Pinterest. Please subscribe to the blog if you haven’t for free new recipes in your inbox
Very detailed recipe. Thanks for sharing
Thank you, Kemi!
This is yummy all the way. Easy and straight forward recipe. Thanks
Yes, it was yummy Chichi and thanks for stopping by.
Hahahaha…Your mum reminds me of mine. We used to cream the butter and sugar with wooden spoon for hrs. My sisters and I take turn in stirring the monster but it was always worth it. Thanks for the memories and recipe
Hi there,
Will this cake hold up if you stack it up and cover with fondant?
Hi Remola, yes the cake would hold up, I actually covered this with buttercream. Don’t forget to use a dowel to stack them together.
I tried it today it was nice thanks for the easy great recipe
Wonderful ! Tasted beautiful. My only question is as to why my cakes barely rose ! I put both together but both were very small and flat. What must I be doing wrong ?
I am glad to hear that! did you use 8-inch cake pan? usually, the height should be about 11/2 inches high.
I did yes ! It’s was only 3-4 inches 🙁
I guess that is why is called sandwich cake. If you want some height to it, you could use a deep 6-inch cake pan like the one in the photo. I got mine from eBay. Double the recipe and divide into two pans
Hi I tried your cake receipe and it turned out beautiful. I baked it in a 6 inches cake pan Even I remembered my mum when we used to beat…. for long time It’s amazing. Thanks for sharing
God bless
Thanks for your feedback Ana, I am happy you loved it and God bless our mothers for everything.