Published on the 14 March 2022
How To: The Perfect Vanilla Sponge Cake Recipe
There’s nothing quite as lovely as a light, fluffy vanilla sponge. Our vanilla sponge cake recipe is simply delicious, perfected from a family recipe over the course of many years. It’s the ideal recipe for both beginners and advanced bakers who love the simplicity of such a popular cake, or who want to use it as a foundation for a more complex recipe. Enjoy as a treat with your mid-morning cuppa or over-indulge with a nice big slice as part of a lavish, celebratory afternoon tea.
Our vanilla sponge recipe is perfect for making a moist sponge and the ideal go-to whether it’s a cake for a special occasion or you simply fancy whipping up a treat. The best thing about our sponge cake is that it can be finished any way you like; make the perfect victoria sponge and fill it with oodles of strawberry jam and cream, decorate it with a simple dusting of icing sugar, top with fresh strawberries or for the perfect finishing touch or even garnish it with some edible flowers.
Our beloved vanilla sponge cake recipe is based on a traditional recipe, and given a Cutter & Squidge twist! Take a look below for easy to follow steps on how to make a vanilla sponge cake. This recipe can be used as a base for more intricate cakes, swap the vanilla bean paste for lemon zest for a fresh and fruity twist.
The amounts shown are for a 15 cm or 6 inch cake which serves 4-5 slices.
Vanilla Sponge Cake Ingredients
| 175 g |
Unsalted butter, softened |
| 175 g |
plus 2 tablespoons caster/ granulated sugar |
|
4 |
Eggs, at room temperature |
|
1 teaspoon |
Vanilla bean paste |
|
240g |
Plain/all-purpose flour |
|
1 teaspoon |
Baking powder |
|
85 ml |
Buttermilk, at room temperature |
|
1 teaspoon |
Bicarbonate of soda or baking soda |
How To Make A Vanilla Sponge Cake
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C (350°F) Gas 4.
Put the softened butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla paste in a mixing bowl. Sift in the flour and the baking powder and mix with a hand- held electric whisk (or use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment), starting at a slow speed and then progressing to medium, for about 1 minute until well combined, scraping down the bowl a couple of times.
In a separate bowl, mix the buttermilk and bicarbonate of soda/baking soda together until foamy and quickly add to the cake batter. Mix at a medium-high speed until combined; do not over-mix or the sponge will be tough.
Divide the cake batter into the pans specified in the recipe and bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes for three pans or 30–35 minutes for two pans until golden and springy to the touch.
Perfect for…
Our recipe is the best vanilla sponge cake recipe you’ll come across. It’s perfect for beginners as well as advanced bakers who want to experiment and use the recipe as a foundation. Love baking with the family? Our vanilla sponge cake recipe is ideal for teaching your little ones how to bake. They’ll enjoy watching it transform in the oven and what’s more…they’ll love decorating it, especially with chocolate buttons, their favourite sweets or with the fruits of our buttercream recipe.
Our vanilla sponge recipe can become the fundamental part of many other favourites. Our sponge cake recipe can be used as part of more involved recipes such as a light and fluffy Victoria sponge, a red velvet cake or a multi-layered rainbow cake! Our vanilla sponge cake recipe can be made ahead of time frozen for up to 3 months.
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Afternoon Tea at the Cutter & Squidge Bakery by Annabel Lui & Emily Lui (Ryland Peters & Small, £16.99) Photography by Clare Winfield © Ryland Peters & Small |