CLASSIC VANILLA SPONGE CAKE

A light, airy, and foolproof recipe that’s perfect for any occasion

Ingredients for vanilla sponge cake arranged on a modern kitchen countertop with warm lighting

KEY INFO:

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
Total Time: 45-50 minutes
Servings: 8-10 slices
Difficulty: Easy-Intermediate
Dietary: Vegetarian (contains eggs and dairy)

EQUIPMENT NEEDED:

8-inch round cake pan
Stand mixer or hand mixer
Large mixing bowl
Measuring cups/scales
Rubber spatula
Cooling rack
Parchment paper

Alternative tools:
– Whisk and bowl (if no mixer available)
– Springform pan (instead of regular cake pan)

INGREDIENTS:

For the cake:

175g (1½ cups) self-raising flour
175g (¾ cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
175g (¾ cup) caster sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 tbsp whole milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt

Common substitutions:
– Self-raising flour = all-purpose flour + 1½ tsp baking powder
– Caster sugar = granulated sugar (blitzed briefly)
– Whole milk = any dairy milk

Modern kitchen with white marble countertops and a creamed butter and sugar mixture in a stand mixer

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Grease and line pan with parchment.
Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy (about 5 minutes). The mixture should be almost white.
Beat in eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of flour with each egg to prevent curdling.
Fold in remaining flour and salt gently until just combined.
Mix in milk and vanilla until smooth.
Pour into prepared pan and level surface.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean.
Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn onto wire rack.

Professional food photography of smooth cake batter being poured into a pan in a modern kitchen

CRUCIAL TIPS:

Room temperature ingredients are essential
Don’t overmix after adding flour
Never open oven door in first 20 minutes
Cake is done when it springs back when lightly pressed

Freshly baked cake in a modern kitchen with green subway tile backsplash, wooden utensils, and cream-colored prep bowls under natural daylight.

STORAGE & VARIATIONS:

Storage:

Room temperature: 2-3 days in airtight container
Refrigerated: Up to 5 days if frosted
Freezer: Up to 3 months well-wrapped

Common Variations:

Add lemon zest for citrus twist
Replace vanilla with other extracts
Convert to chocolate by replacing 2 tbsp flour with cocoa powder

Final cake cooling on wire rack in modern kitchen with green subway tile backsplash, wooden utensils, and ceramic prep bowls, lit by natural daylight through window

TROUBLESHOOTING:

Cake sank in middle?

Oven door opened too soon
Overmixed batter
Oven temperature too low

Tough texture?

Too much mixing after flour added
Incorrect measurements
Oven too hot

This classic vanilla sponge recipe has never failed me in 15 years of baking. Follow these precise measurements and steps, and you’ll achieve that perfect, tender crumb every time.