Simple 4 Ingredient Sponge Cake Recipe: 4-INGREDIENT! - Chelsey Gray (2024)

4 ingredient sponge cake?! This recipe requires just under 5 ingredients to make a delicious and versatile sponge cake!

Ok, seriously, a 4 ingredient sponge cake…that’s delicious? I’ve never made a cake with so few ingredients that doesn’t taste like I’m sacrificing something!

This simple recipe is based on Genoise, a European sponge cake. Genoise cake doesn’t include any baking powder or baking soda. Instead, eggs are whipped with sugar until light and foamy, and that’s what creates rise in the cake!

While this IS a simple sponge cake recipe, it does require some extra care and effort. The eggs have to be whipped just so. In addition, you must be VERY careful not to deflate the batter when folding in other ingredients. Nothing you can’t handle!

But if you’re looking for a cake that’s a little more lowkey, try this SUPER tasty cinnamon chocolate chip coffee cake instead!

Ingredients

Eggs

Granulated Sugar

All-Purpose Flour

Salted Butter

What Makes this Cake Rise?

Since this recipe does not call for baking powder, whipped eggs and sugar provide the lift! This easy sponge cake recipe calls for 6 large eggs and they MUST be at room temperature for the best results.

If you need room temperature eggs quickly, place them in a bowl of warm water (but not too warm!) for 5 to 10 minutes.

I realize 6 whole eggs - 6 egg whites, 6 egg yolks - is a lot, so please feel free to cut the recipe in half for a single, but equally delicious, light sponge cake!

Variations and Flavor Additions

This fluffy sponge cake is the perfect base to make different cakes. Even though this recipe only calls for 4 ingredients, there are a few things you can add for some extra umph!

The cake tastes great on its own, but you could enhance the look with a dusting of icing sugar on top.

Stir in ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or almond extract into the melted and cooled butter.

Rub lemon zest or orange zest into the flour before carefully folding it in the whipped eggs and sugar.

Top the whole cake with fresh fruits, raspberry or strawberry jam, lemon curd, or fresh cream!

Brush the fluffy cake layers with liqueur or infused simple syrup!

Add spices to the batter like ground cinnamon, ginger, or cardamon.

For a chocolate sponge cake, whisk ¼ cup cocoa powder into the dry ingredients.

This is a great cake base to make strawberry shortcakes or shortcakes with the fruit of your choosing. I used mandarin oranges here, and they were SO good covered in whipped cream!

You can make a layer cake or cut this recipe in half for a single layer!

How to Make 4 Ingredient Sponge Cake

Full recipe details can be found on the recipe card below!

Prep

With a rack in the center position, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line the bottoms of two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper and spray the sides and bottom of each baking pan with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, melt salted butter and set aside to cool completely.

Whip the Eggs and Sugar

In a large bowl with a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add room temperature eggs and granulated sugar.

Mix on high speed for 10 minutes if using a stand mixer, 15 minutes if using an electric mixer, or about 20 minutes if whisking by hand. The sugar mixture should triple in size. If you find the mixture is splattering, decrease to medium-high speed for 1 minute, then increase to high speed.

Incorporate the Flour

In thirds, sift the flour over the fluffy egg mixture and quickly, but gently, fold to combine. Do your best to not deflate the batter (it’s ok if it deflates a little bit!) and preserve as many air bubbles as you can. Make sure to incorporate the flour at the bottom of the bowl, and that no patches of flour remain. Don't overmix. Repeat with each remaining third of flour.

Add the Butter

Add 5 generous scoops of the egg and flour mixture into the bowl of cooled melted butter. Gently fold with a rubber spatula until combined.

Slowly pour the blended butter mixture off to the side in the bowl of cake batter and gently fold to incorporate.

Bake!

Divide the batter between each prepared cake pan and immediately transfer to the preheated oven. Bake in the center of the oven for 14 to 17 minutes, or until they're golden brown on the top and a toothpick comes out clean when poked in the center. Allow them to rest for 5 minutes, then invert each cake tin onto a wire rack and peel away the parchment paper. Cool completely, 2 to 3 hours.

Tips for 4-Ingredient Sponge Cake

Only Use Room temperature Eggs

Room temperature eggs are essential because they whip up effectively and hold more air volume than cold eggs. Voluminous eggs create lots of air bubbles that help produce a light cake! The eggs should not be whipped to stiff peaks but need to be at the ribbon stage before incorporating the flour and butter.

The “ribbon stage” refers to being able to draw the number 8 with the batter that drips off of your beater/whisk. If you’re able to make a figure 8 on top of the cake batter, and it doesn’t sink in after about 10 seconds, it’s ready for the next step! If the 8 sinks right back in, the batter needs to be whipped longer until it becomes a thick ribbon.

Be Gentle

This recipe calls for folding flour and butter into sugar and eggs in small batches. For an airy cake, be gentle while folding to maintain as much of the air in the batter as possible.

Preheat Your Oven

Make sure your oven is sufficiently heated prior to baking so that the cakes rise well! If the batter goes into an oven that’s too cool, the layers will be short, squatty, and saaad.

Don’t Overbake

Don’t overbake, otherwise, the cake will smell and taste eggy! You’ll know it's ready when the tops are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.

Keep the Oven Door Closed

Please do not open the oven door until it's close to the end of the baking time. If you open the door too soon, you’ll run the risk of the cake layers deflating. But if your oven runs hot, start checking for doneness a little earlier than the recommended time.

Allow the Cakes to Cool Completely

Let each cake cool completely on a cooling rack before adding any whipped cream or additions that are prone to melting and/or sliding right off!

Storage

This fluffy sponge cake recipe is best the first day it’s made! However, leftover plain sponge cake (i.e., does not contain any perishable items like whipped cream or fresh fruit), can be stored in an airtight container, cake saver, or be tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.

If your sponge cake includes perishables, store in an airtight container or cake saver and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Freezing Instructions

To freeze, tightly wrap each cake in plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil. Place in an airtight freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

Defrost in the refrigerator overnight or set out on the counter at room temperature to thaw for 2 to 3 hours.