Vanilla Sponge
This recipe is the first installation of #OsiBasics. It’s where I take the recipes that make up the basics of home baking and explain some of the cake science and ingredients behind them. This is great because once we understand these things we can be a bit more creative and come up with fun new variations & flavours!
There are a million and one recipes for a vanilla cake out there and they’ll all probably produce you with a solid 6.5/10 vanilla cake. So to take your sponge to the next level, it’s about the ingredients and technique. So let’s break it down (if cake chat is not your jam, feel free scroll down for the recipe!)
ingredients
Vanilla Extract
(or Vanilla Pods if you’re fancy). The whole taste profile of the cake is vanilla (and butter), so make sure you pick a good quality one! Where you can, splash out on a premium quality vanilla and definitely don’t opt for a vanilla essence! Vanilla essences are made up of synthetic chemicals and we don’t want any of that in our delicious sponge.
Sugar
White caster sugar is probably what you’ll find in most sponge recipes. I use a mix of white and golden caster sugar. Golden caster sugar has molasses in it which yields a more delicious buttery taste. Molasses also helps makes the sponge moister. You can also try light soft brown sugar which works brilliantly but will give your sponge more of a caramel-y flavour (not that that’s a bad thing!) which can sometime overpower the vanilla.
Butter or Baking Margarine
Take your pick! I grew up in a household where Stork was used for baking sponges and is my go-to for vanilla cakes. Some say Stork yields a lighter cake, I’ve used both butter and Stork and I’m happy with both outcomes.
Eggs
Where you can, opt for free-range! I’ve also found in baking that if the recipe doesn’t specify, it’s probably referring to Large Eggs (63-73g in the shell). I use large eggs in my recipe below, so the remaining ingredients are proportioned in line with that.
Technique & method
Creaming
When mixing your butter & sugar together it’s important to get as much air in as possible to produce that light & airy texture in your final sponge. Not enough air = Dense sponge! So make sure to spend the time and get your mixture as airy as possible. I find 5-7 mins of vigorous mixing tends to be best!
Room Temperature Ingredients
Unless stated otherwise always bring your cold ingredients (butter, eggs, etc…) to room temperature. It helps them mix better which makes for a fluffier sponge. Trying to whip up butter straight from the fridge can is basically an extreme sport!
Ratios
Baking is basically maths, in that a lot of it is built on ratios. The basic sponge ratio is equal weights for all 4 main ingredients,
1 Butter : 1 Sugar : 1 Eggs (weight without shell) : 1 Flour
I actually tend to use a little bit less than equal weight of egg so my personal ratio is more like
1:05 Butter : 1.05 Sugar : 1 Eggs (weight without shell) : 1.05 Flour
so essentially I use 5% more of butter, sugar and flour than eggs. I’ve found it works slightly better but isn’t as easy to remember!
Tins
1 x 8 inch (20cm) round tins
Ingredients
180g Butter or Stork
180g Sugar (90g White Caster + 90g Golden Caster)
3 Large Eggs (approx 169g)
1 tsp vanilla extract
180g Self-Raising Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
Method
Preheat your oven to 160 C Fan/180 C/Gas Mark 4 and line your cake tin with baking paper.
TIP: If you don’t have any baking paper, you can grease your tin lightly with butter and then dust over a thin coating of flour to stop the cake sticking to the tin when it’s done!.
Add your butter, sugars, vanilla extract to your bowl and cream together until light and fluffy, at least 5-8 mins.
Add the eggs one or two at a time, mixing very well in between until the batter comes back together - doesn't look split or curdled - after each addition.
Next fold in the flour and baking powder, until well incorporated, careful not to mix to vigorously and knock out the air from the creaming stage.
Pour cake batter into your lined cake tin and pop into the oven for about 35 - 40mins. Wait at least 25 mins before first opening the oven door to check on the cake. When a skewer comes out clean or the cake springs back when lightly touched, the cake is ready.
I turned my cake into a Victoria sponge by splitting it into two and filling it with vanilla cream cheese frosting & strawberry jam!
Have a bake and let me know what you think on Instagram @OsiBakes
Vanilla Sponge
Ingredients
- 1 x 8inch/20cm Circle Tin
- 180g Butter or Stork
- 180g Caster Sugar
- 3 Large Eggs (approx 169g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 180g Self-Raising Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 160 C Fan/180 C/Gas Mark 4. Line your cake tin with baking paper.
- Add your butter, sugars, vanilla extract to your bowl and cream together until light and fluffy, at least 5-8 mins.
- Add the eggs one or two at a time, mixing very well in between until the batter comes back together - doesn't look split or curdled - after each addition.
- Next fold in the flour and baking powder, until well incorporated, careful not to mix to vigorously and knock out the air from the creaming stage.
- Pour cake batter into your lined cake tin and pop into the oven for about 35 - 40mins. Wait at least 25 mins before first opening the oven door to check on the cake. When a skewer comes out clean or the cake springs back when lightly touched, the cake is ready.
Notes:
If you don’t have any baking paper you can grease your tin lightly with butter and then dust over a thin coating of flour. This will stop the cake sticking to the tin when it’s done.
Bring out all your ingredients to room temperature before you bake (unless stated otherwise). It helps the ingredients to combine better.
Calories
167Fat (g)
10.09Sat. Fat (g)
6.08Carbs (g)
17.23Fiber (g)
0.21Net carbs
17.02Sugar (g)
11.32Protein (g)
2.05Sodium (mg)
209.46Cholesterol (g)
59.06
