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Italian Sponge Cake (Pan di Spagna)

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Pan di Spagna (Italian Sponge Cake) is a simple, airy sponge cake flavored with vanilla or lemon zest. It’s made with only 3 ingredients: eggs, sugar, and flour…no baking powder, no butter, no oil, and no dairy!

Pan di Spagna (Italian sponge cake)- make it from scratch with only 3 ingredients: flour, sugar, and eggs. In the traditional recipe there is no baking powder, butter, or oil!

This traditional cake is used in desserts like cassata, zuccotto, zuppa inglese and tiramisù. It can be soaked with your favorite mixture and layered with cream fillings, covered with fondant, or just eaten on its own, sprinkled with powdered sugar.

The secrets to baking a perfect Pan di Spagna:

  1. Use extra large eggs (each egg should weigh approximately 70 grams/2.46 ounces). Eggs have to be at room temperature, not cold from the fridge. If they are too cold, soak them for a few minutes in a bowl of warm water.
  2. It’s better to use a low-protein flour, such as cake flour. If it’s not available in the store, you can make it at home (check out this tutorial by Joy the Baker), or use all-purpose flour.
  3. Beat the eggs and sugar for no less than 15/20 minutes. It is during this stage that air is incorporated. The eggs should turn a pale yellow.
  4. Sift the flour on top of the egg mixture, a little at a time, and fold it gently with a wooden spoon. If you pour in too much flour, it will sink to the bottom of the bowl.
  5. While the cake is baking, don’t open the oven for at least 30 minutes as this may cause the cake to deflate.
  6. When it’s ready, turn off the oven but leave the cake inside (keep the door slightly open using a wooden spoon) for 5- 10 minutes.
  7. You should cut the Italian sponge cake with a serrated knife when is cold. It’s better if you prepare it the day before, wrap it in cling film, and leave it in the fridge overnight. You can make it up to  3 days ahead!

Make this traditional Italian sponge cake from scratch with only 3 ingredients: eggs, flour, and sugar

Baking Pan:

For the sponge cake in the picture, I used a Wilton round pan 15 cm wide and 8 cm high  (6 x 3 inch). If your baking pan is not very deep, use parchment paper. Trace the bottom of the pan on a piece of parchment paper. Cut it out and line the bottom of the pan. Then line the sides of the pan with parchment paper so that the parchment paper creates a collar that sits 1 to 2-inches above the pan. Make sure that you brush some melted butter to the bottom and sides of the pan so the parchment paper sticks.

Your baking pan is a different size? Use the following ratios:

  • 12 cm (4 inches) pan: 2 eggs, 60 grams cake flour, 60 grams sugar → ½ cup + ½ tablespoon cake flour, 1/3 cup minus ½ tablespoon sugar
  • 15 cm  (6 inches) pan: 3 eggs, 90 grams cake flour, 90 grams sugar → ¾ cup + ¾ tablespoon cake flour, 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 18/20 cm  (7/8 inches) pan: 4 eggs, 120 grams cake flour, 120 grams sugar → 1 cup+1 tablespoon cake flour, ½ cup + 1 ½ tablespoon sugar
  •  23 cm ( 9 inches) pan: 5 eggs, 150 grams cake flour, 150 grams sugar → 1 1/3 cup cake flour, 3/4 cup sugar
  • 26 cm (10 inches) pan: 6 eggs, 180 grams cake flour, 180 grams sugar → 1 ½ cup + 2 tablespoons cake flour, ¾ cup + 2¼ tablespoons sugar
  • 27 cm (10 ½ inches) pan: 7 eggs, 210 grams cake flour, 210 grams sugar → 2 cups minus 2½ tablespoons cake flour, 2 cups plus ¾ tablespoon sugar
  • 28 cm (11 inches) pan: 8 eggs, 240 grams cake flour, 240 grams sugar → 2 cups plus 2½ tablespoons cake flour, 1¼ cup minus 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 30 cm  (12 inches) pan: 9 eggs, 270 grams cake flour, 270 grams sugar → 2 1/3 cups + 1 tablespoon cake flour, 2 1/3 cup sugar
  • 32 cm (12 ½ inches) pan: 10 eggs, 300 grams cake flour, 300 grams sugar → 2 ¾ cups minus 1½ tablespoon cake flour, 1 ½ cup sugar

Do you have a rectangular or square pan? Leave a comment or send me an email, I can make the calculations for you.

STORAGE:

Store the cake in the refrigerator for a couple of days, until ready to use. It can also be tightly wrapped in cling film and stored in the freezer for several months. Bring it back to room temperature or unthaw overnight in the refrigerator, when needed.

You might also like to try the chocolate version → Chocolate Italian Sponge Cake 

4.98 from 45 votes
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Italian Sponge Cake (Pan di Spagna)

Learn how to make a traditional Italian sponge cake from scratch with only 3 ingredients: eggs, flour, and sugar!


Author
As Easy As Apple Pie
Nutrition Facts
Italian Sponge Cake (Pan di Spagna)
Amount Per Serving (60 g)
Calories 137 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g 5%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 98mg 33%
Sodium 33mg 1%
Total Carbohydrates 24g 8%
Sugars 12g
Protein 4g 8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course
Dessert
Cuisine
Italian
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
8
Calories
137 kcal
Pan di Spagna (Italian sponge cake)- make it from scratch with only 3 ingredients: flour, sugar, and eggs. In the traditional recipe there is no baking powder, butter, or oil!

Ingredients

For an 18-20 cm (7-8 inches) pan:

  • (½ cup + 1½ tablespoon (120 grams) granulated sugar
  • 4 extra large eggs at room temperature
  • a pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest or vanilla extract optional
  • 1 cup + 1 tablespoon (120 grams) cake flour, sifted *you can use all-purpose flour: 120 grams=1 cup

Instructions

  1. Take the eggs out of the refrigerator ahead of time as the eggs need to be at room temperature or soak them for a few minutes in a bowl of warm water.

  2. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C (338 degrees F).

  3. Butter and flour (or spray with baking spray) a 20 cm (8 inches) pan. 

  4. Put the eggs, sugar, salt, and lemon zest in the bowl of your stand mixer.

  5. Beat the eggs until very fluffy and pale yellow (about 15/20 minutes on medium/high speed). To test that it has been beaten enough, let a small amount of batter fall into the bowl. If it remains "sitting" on top, it means that it's ready.

  6. italian-sponge-cake-pan-di-spagna
  7. Sift the flour on top of the egg mixture, a little at a time, and fold it gently with a wooden spoon.
  8. italian-sponge-cake-pan-di-spagna
  9. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Don't smooth the top or bang the pan on the counter, leave it as it is!
  10. italian-sponge-cake-pan-di-spagna

  11. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (Remember: do not open the oven for the first 30 minutes!)

  12. Turn off the oven but leave the cake inside (keep the door slightly open using a wooden spoon) for 5/10 minutes so it can cool down slowly.

  13. Remove the sponge cake from the oven, let it cool for 10 more minutes, then loosen around the edges with a knife, and flip it on a wire rack upside down (without the pan) to cool completely.

  14. Enjoy it!

Notes

© as easy as Apple Pie. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe.

Pan di Spagna (Italian sponge cake)- make it from scratch with only 3 ingredients: flour, sugar, and eggs. In the traditional recipe there is no baking powder, butter, or oil! This is the best sponge cake recipe ever!
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Comments

  3. Hello Elena. Thank you for sharing this. I’ve been looking for the perfect simple Italian sponge cake for a tiramisu and this one works very well. For some reason I have a lot of trouble with separating eggs so ladyfingers are not practical for me. Anyway, thought you’d like to know that this is the best one I’ve tried so far. I put a little extra vanilla in but that’s just personal taste. I’m thinking about bringing a tiramisu to Thanksgiving this year so this will definitely be what I use. This site is my new favorite thing. I’ve already bookmarked it and by morning I’ll have shared the link with all my friends who also like to cook.

    Oh, and just a little pro-tip for anyone reading this. If you make strawberry shortcake don’t use angel food. Use sponge cake. And use this sponge cake specifically. I promise anyone to whom you serve it will be very happy you did.

    Reply

    • Hi Macarena! 🙂 I have a Wilton pan, it’s 15 cm wide and 8 cm high. If your pan is not very high, you can follow this method… sorry it’s in Italian but I think the pictures are very clear. 🙂 Just brush some melted butter to the sides of the pan so the parchment paper sticks.

      Reply

  6. Hi just curious, do you separate your eggs and only use egg whites or do you use 4 whole eggs? I know for sponge cake you only use egg whites to male the meringue but I’d if your recipe is different.

    Reply

  7. Elena,

    This is the most success I’ve ever had with an Italian Sponge! Thanks for all the tips and tricks they really worked and we will have a delicious cassata cake tomorrow.

    CC

    Reply

  8. Hi Elena,

    Thank you for the recipe. I have been looking for a sponge cake without oil or butter for awhile. Now that I found it, how much longer should I bake a 9″ size pan ? I can’t wait to bake it. Thanks

    Reply

  9. Thank you so much Elena for your recipe, turned out amazing and took no time at all. I definitely will be using this recipe in future.
    I’d love to know though if you have a simple custard recipe to fill this cake with??
    I can only find ones with cornflour and that I don’t have..

    Grazie!

    Reply

  11. Hi Elena, I’m planning to bake this for an event on Sunday for about 20-30 people. I only have 9×13 rectangular baking pan. How should I adjust the ingredients and the baking time/temperature?

    Reply

    • Hi Ruth! A 9×13 inches rectangular pan should be like a 12 inches round baking pan.
      Ingredients: 10 large eggs,300 grams (1 1/2 cup) granulated sugar, 300 grams ( 2 3/4 cups) cake flour, sifted (if you use all-purpose flour 300 grams = 2 1/2 cups).
      It’s better that you prepare it the day before (or even 2 days before) and keep it in the fridge…it will be easier to cut it.
      The baking temperature will be the same and the time, I guess, 10 minutes more…after 40 minutes you can check with a skewer if it’s ready or needs more time.
      Let me know if you have any more questions…:)

      Reply

      • Hi Elena, I’ve baked the cake and it turned out beautifully! I don’t have stand mixer so I just used hand mixer even though I had to mix the eggs and sugar longer than 15 minutes to get the perfect consistency. Instead of 10 extra large eggs I used 12 large eggs, everything else is followed per your suggestions. The cake was ready in 40 minutes. Now I’m going to wrap it in a cling wrap and put it in the fridge for Sunday. Thank you again. It is a great recipe!!

        Reply

  12. I was wondering if this recipe would work well for a 9×13″ cake pan, my son really wants a sponge cake for his 12th birthday so trying to make a large enough cake for him and his friends

    Reply

  13. Hello, I did try this and I think it was a 80% success. Very edible. I used a loaf pan.

    Yet I have a few questions.
    I followed the measurements in cups. But is there and error in grams? Sugar is 120 grams and flour is also 120 grams.

    What happens when the oven is open before 20mins? Does the cake fall in the middle?

    I never had an Italian cake before so not sure what the texture should be.

    My cake turn out airy, fluffy and slightly dry.. The top was crispy and golden. Is my heat to high?

    I used a small oven too and not the stove oven.

    Reply

    • Hi Naomi! The measurements in grams are correct.. 120 grams of sugar and 120 grams of flour.
      If you open the oven before 20 min the cake will deflate. If it sinks in the middle than the oven temperature is too high, reduce it a little (every oven is different).
      The cake should be airy, fluffy and slightly dry…it’s often soaked (with liqueurs, juices, or a mixture of sugar and water) and filled with pastry cream, jam, etc.
      I hope it helps, let me know if you have any other questions 🙂

      Reply

      • Hi Elena, Forgive me but I’m still confused about the grams conversion to cups and tablespoons. As you know we use ounces, spoons and cups in U.S. and I think the question is: why is 120 grams of sugar different in cups (1/2 Cup + 1-1/2 Tablespoons than 120 grams in flour in cups (1 Cup + 1 Tablespoon) . Also, is your cup measurement for the flour before or after flour is sifted? Not sure the best way to measure sifted flour other than to sift the flour over a measuring cup. If I were to sift it onto parchment paper and pour the flour into a measuring cup, would I need to sift it again into the egg mixture?

        Reply

        • Hi Dee! Flour and sugar don’t weigh the same amount even though they have the same volume. For example, 1 cup of feathers and 1 cup of rocks.. they have the same volume but rocks are heavier than feathers if you measure them on a scale.
          The cup measurement is before the flour is sifted. You measure the flour, then you sift it on top of the egg mixture. 🙂

          Reply

  14. Hi! I was wondering how long I should bake a cake using the 22 cm/9 inch pan. Also, the depth of my pan is 1.5 inches or around 3.8 cm and I am not sure how much it would rise. I have three of these pans so could I split it up? Will this also change the baking time? Thank you so much, and this recipe looks heavenly!

    Reply

    • Hi Nia! Your pan is not very deep…you can follow this method (sorry it’s in Italian but I think the pictures are very clear) Just brush some melted butter to the sides of the pan so the parchment paper sticks. The baking time will be the same, around 40 minutes.
      Otherwise use 120 grams granulated sugar, 4 extra large eggs, 120 grams cake flour.
      Let me know how it goes 🙂

      Reply

    • Hi Edita! You will need:
      240 grams (1 1/4 cup minus 3/4 tablespoon) granulated sugar
      8 extra large eggs, at room temperature
      2 teaspoons grated lemon zest or vanilla extract (optional)
      240 grams (2 cup+ 2 tablespoons) cake flour, sifted (if you use all-purpose flour 240 grams = 2 cups)

      Baking time will be longer,I guess 10 minutes more…after 40 minutes you can check with a skewer if it’s ready or needs more time. 🙂

      Reply

  20. Hi there. Just wanna thank you for making my journey towards homemade cakes easier. It is SIMPLY AWESOME! I recently used this recipe to make a floral fondant cake for my husband’s birtbday. It is perfect for every type of decoration as it never loses shape. I just added 30g butter at the end and it was awesome. Thank you!

    Reply

  21. hi there I would like to bake this cake , my cake pan is 10 in x 2in how deep is your baking pan ? I am planning on baking a cake that is 4 in high

    Reply

    • Hi Diana! My pan is 6 inches wide, 3 inches high. You need to line the baking pan with parchment paper to make it higher (like this)
      Your round pan is 10 inches, instead of using 6 eggs, use 8 eggs, 240 grams (2 1/2 cups+1 1/2 tablespoon) flour and 240 grams (2 cups+ 2 1/2 tablespoons) sugar.

      Reply

  22. Have you tried it in the cups measurement or should i invest in a scale? I dont want to mess up the wedding cake. I have been looking for this recipe for so long”!! i’m making this for a friends wedding and i’m so grateful that you put directions for different size pans. You don’t know how much that helps me <3 (i bake by passion but not a professional lol Also THANK YOU so much for putting the recipe in cups. You just made my life so easy 🙂 I'm going to use this and the chocolate recipe. Can't say thanks enough!!

    Reply

    • Hi Masm! I haven’t tried it with cups but other people made it successfully. Why don’t you make a trial? Not a wedding cake, just smaller 🙂

      Reply

  23. i looked at the link for the cake flour substitution. It says to take out 2 tablespoons of the flour and replace with corn starch. Will this be okay with both the cup and grams measurement?

    Reply

  24. Brilliant! I’ve tried numerous sponge cake recipes and this one is absolute winner!
    It is not too sweet , yet flavorful and delicious.

    I would like to add pineapple syrup and chunks inlayers and top it with whipped cream. However, I need to refrigerate and cake becomes hard. Do you have any suggestions?

    Reply

  25. Hi Elena, I’m excited to use your recipe…I just have a question..Does the baking time in different pan sizes will be the same? I’m planning to use my 6in x 3 in round pan … Will it take 40mins baking also? Thank you!!

    Reply

  26. Grazie molte Elena per questa ricetta , l’ho provata oggi… Fantastica! Soprattutto perché non é necessario il lievito! Ho sostituito una parte di farina con farina di riso e viene benissimo. 🙂

    Reply

  27. I noticed the gram amount for a 9 inch pan calls for 150 grams of flour & sugar but the cup measurement is different for each – please explain

    Reply

  28. Hi Elena,

    Just made the cake and for some reason it has sunk around the edges of the cake. Would you know why this has happened so I can adjust for next time.

    Many thanks Chris

    Reply

    • Hi Chris! When you turned off the oven, did you leave the cake inside with the door slightly open for at least 10 minutes?
      Also, next time try to cook it at 160°/165° degrees C for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (Remember: do not open the oven for the first 20 minutes!)
      Let me know how it goes! 🙂

      Reply

  29. Hello Elena,
    Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I baked it this morning and it came out PERFECT. Thanks. I think you’re awesome.

    Reply

    • Hi Abi! 10 minutes longer should be enough. After 40 minutes you can check with a skewer if it’s ready or needs more time. Let me know how it goes 🙂

      Reply

    • Alejandra, you can check if it’s cooked after 30 minutes (insert a toothpick into the center, if it comes out clean the cake is ready).

      Reply

  34. Hi Elena, I know this was a post from last year but I just found it. I was wondering if you can use a tube pan? I remember my grandmother making this and it was that kind of pan.
    Thanks

    Reply

    • Hi Karen! You can use any pan… a tube pan will be perfect.
      I hope you will like this recipe and if you have any questions I am here 🙂

      Reply

  35. Hi Elena, I was just wondering if it is possible to bake this mix as cupcakes rather than as a large cake?

    Reply

  36. I tried this recipe and the texture of the cake was amazing. It was bit tedious as I have hand mixer but overall the results were great!! I would have loved it little sweeter but will try next time with 170 gm of sugar for 150 gm flour with 5 eggs. Thanks for sharing this!!

    Reply

  38. Hello Elena,

    I just wanted to know if this sponge cake will be ok to use under fondant? I need to make a 2 tier cake covered in fondant and I want to make sure it holds up.

    Thank you!

    Reply

  41. I am planing to use this sponge for a Tres Leche cake. I am not sure whether to pour the milk mixture for a soak while cake is hot, warm, or cold. I think cold cake is stronger but will it absorb as well? Thanks for any tips!

    Reply

  42. Really easy and perfect pan di spagna. Even the conversions for different pan sizes was perfect. Love uncomplicated recipes like this one.

    Reply

  43. I am anxious to try sponge cake as I’ve never made one. I have a few questions. 1) can a springform pan be used? If so what would the measurements be and how long to bake? 2) how do you soak the cake, pour it over top or soak thru the bottom? How much syrup is used? Thank you for any advice. Kim

    Reply

    • Hi Kim! You can use a springform pan. How many inches/cm is your pan? To soak the cake, cut it in layers then use a pastry brush to apply the syrup to each layer.

      Reply

  45. Hello. I have oven that heats up from top and buttom. I put the oven pan to cover the top. Will this still work for this recipe and same temperature? Thank you.

    Reply

  47. Hi what’s the exact instructions and do I seperate the eggs and put it in once the whites r beaten?

    Reply

  49. That’s the easiest spongecake I’ve ever made! I put orange and grapefruit zest into the batter since those were on the counter- it’s so good.

    Reply

  51. Hello Elena my Italian sister in law brought me a cake like this today, didn’t get recipe so searching found yours, writing it down and hoping to do it when new stove arrives, a big hello from Down under.

    Reply

  53. Hi! I plan to make 2 of these, one 9 in round and one smaller heart shaped. Do you think they will stack well? And what filling do you recommend? I plan to cover the top with whipped cream and raspberries. Thank you!

    Reply

  54. I followed the instructions exactly. Put the oven at 335 and on the middle rack and it turned out beautiful. Thank you!

    Reply

  55. Elena, I would like to try this in a jelly roll pan for a round. My pan is 12×17, but it might be just shy of 1 inch tall. I had seen jelly roll sponge cake recipes,, but all contained baking soda and often many other ingredients. I wonder if the measurement for your 9×13 would be enough because it isn’t going to be very high?
    Thanks for all your support!

    Reply

  56. Hi Elena
    My cake turned out dry , I used a 15inch tin at 170.
    Should I reduce the baking time or the temperature? If so to what?
    Thanks Erica

    Reply

    • Hi Erica! I am sorry this cake didn’t turn out too well for you.
      Try to reduce the baking time to 35 minutes. Also, keep in mind that it’s not a moist cake, it’s supposed to be a little bit dry.

      Reply

  57. Hello,

    Just followed your recipe and made my cake and looks amazing! I can’t taste it yet though as it is for my son’s birthday party. I need to decorate it now and was going to follow a galaxy glaze method. This requires to cover the cake in white chocolate mousse – would this be ok? I then have to freeze the cake covered in the mousse – would this be ok too? Can I take it out the freezer in the morning – apply the glaze and then serve at 2pm? Any tips would be appreciated! I want it to be perfect! so far so good!

    Reply

    • Hi Natasha! It will look beautiful with a galaxy glaze.
      You can remove the cake from the freezer one hour before serving.
      Let me know how it goes and happy birthday to your son! 🙂

      Reply

  59. Hello,

    I have typical 9 inch cake pan and it is about 2 inch deep. Does it have the enough depth? You have mentioned in the past posts that you said you have 7-8 inch pan and its 15 cm deep. 15 cm is pretty deep so it made me worry to use my shallow pan. I don’t want butter to over flow while cooking.

    Reply

  60. Hi elena
    I came across this while searching for How to make cake flour, looked good so thought I’ll give it a try. As I was making the cake flour for another cake I added baking powder not releasing that your receipe doesn’t mention baking soda. Anyways I thought I’ll give it a try anyway.
    After baking didn’t look too appealing as top of the cake looked soggy.
    But when I started to cut the cake top off and sliced it in 4 slices to put cream in the middle knew it was a very soft cake.
    Served it for tea to my family and they all loved it.
    This is the recipe I have been searching for pass 15 years . Not sure if it’s the baking soda that made it so light and soft ideal for a fresh cream cake like the Turkish cake shop.
    I cannot thank you enough for this.

    Reply

  61. Hi! I just found this recipe a week ago and have already made it twice for events. Now my 1st chocolate sponge is in the oven. I need to make small ones in 10cm springform pans. I need to make 4 . Which size round pan amounts should I use for 4 10 cm?
    BTW, everyone loves this cake, kids and adults. The chocolate cake is for a children’s birthday party.

    Reply

    • Hi Rivka! If you double the recipe, it should be enough for 4 10 cm pans. S0 240 grams granulated sugar, 8 extra large eggs, 200 grams cake flour, 40 grams unsweetened cocoa powder.

      Reply

  63. This tastes similar to the Japanese castella sponge cake! Followed recipe as directed (baked at 320 F) and it turned out fantastically, I served this cake with some homemade vanilla whipped cream – absolutely perfect. Thank you so much!!

    Reply

  64. Hi Elena,

    I just opened my new toy, a SMEG stand mixer, and to “inaugurate” it, I had to find a recipe which was simple, quick and heavenly, and which would make good test of the new mixer. As soon as I saw your version of this cake, I knew it was perfect for what I wanted. The cake is now in the oven, it’s looking absolutely gorgeous, and I can’t wait for it to be done. Thanks a lot to you!

    Reply

  65. Hi Elena,

    I’m trying to make mini strawberry shortcakes and I’m wanting to use a sheet pan probably 13×18 with less than an inch depth. I will be using a circle cookie cutter to make the minis after the cake is cooled. I saw you sent an email for a revised recipe for this. Can you please send one to me?

    Thanks,
    Nina

    Reply

  67. I’ve made this cake at least a half dozen times since I found it last year. The cake is perfect everytime! I have a dairy allergy so it’s perfect for me.
    Thanks so much!

    Reply

  68. Hi Elena, thank you for the great recipe! I have one question, what are the baking times for the 6″, 9″ and 10″ recipes, do they change or no?

    Reply

    • Hi Diana! For the 6″ cake, you can check after 35 minutes if it’s done. The 9″ and 10″ maybe need 45/50 minutes. I hope that helps 🙂

      Reply

  69. Hi Elena

    I used cake flour and for some reason the batter became very watery and reduced greatly in volume as I started to lose air. I added melted butter and milk (about 20g) at the end. What went wrong?

    Lynette

    Reply

  71. Hi Elena,

    Thank you for this recipe! It is always a big hit! I need to make a 14 inch cake would you have the measurements for this?

    Reply

    • Hi Daniela! I am so glad you like this recipe 🙂

      For a 14-inch cake you will need: 12 eggs, 360 grams (1 3/4 cup+ 1/2 tablespoon) of sugar, 360 grams flour (3 cups all-purpose flour or 3 cups+ 3 tablespoons cake flour ), 3 teaspoons grated lemon zest or vanilla extract (optional).

      Baking time will be longer,I guess 10 minutes more…after 40 minutes you can check with a skewer.

      Reply

  72. Hi Elena,

    Made this today and it came out perfectly, even at high altitude (added 1.5 Tablespoons of extra flour). I used it for strawberry shortcake and it was delicious! Thank you for your recipe, I can’t wait to try more recipes from your site!

    Reply

  74. Hi Elena!

    I am making a two-tiered cake with 8 layers in each cake. I prefer to cook each layer separately, because I don’t like cutting them from a larger cake. I am using a 9-inch cake pan and hope to make the layers between 1-1.5 centimeters thick. Will this recipe work? Do you have any tips?

    Thanks so much!

    Reply

  75. Thank you for the recipe. I tried it last night, the cake was soft, light and tasty but a bit dry for me. Is there any way I can add butter or margarine to make it moist and at what proportion is the Margarine.

    Reply

  76. I would like to use mini springform pans; 1.25 Inch tall. Would the same recipe work? Temperature and time? Thx Karen

    Reply

  77. Hello, I want to use a tube pan when cooking this cake. When I cook an angel food cake, I don’t grease or flour the sides, I just put a round of parchment paper in the bottom. Should I use the same method with this sponge cake, or am I supposed to grease and flour the bottom AND the sides or just the bottom? I wondered as I thought cakes of this type need to be able to stick to the sides of the pan to “climb” it and gain some height. Thank you.

    Reply

  78. Hi elena I made a 10 inch cake using your recipe and added raspberries it was a hit . Can I make cupcakes and how long should I bake it for and what temperature in a fan assisted oven?

    Reply

  79. Hi Elena, I have had much success with your recipe and now I was going to try to use this lovely Emile Henry bundt baking pan, but before I did I thought I would check with you first. Have you made this recipe in a bundt pan? Should I change anything to the recipe? Or do you think if I followed like I was to bake it in a tube pan I should be fine?

    Reply

  80. I only have a hand mixer, so I wasn’t able to beat the eggs quite as long as they needed because I was afraid I was on the verge of burning up my mixer. However, the cake(s) — I used 7 eggs + 210 g each sugar and flour and then split the batter into 2 pans — are beautiful. Tomorrow it will become a 4-later Raffaello cake, layered with coconut buttercream and toasted almonds. I feel it will be the perfect combination! Thank you.

    Reply

  81. Hi Elena!

    If I’m going to soak this cake with a sugar syrup, when and how should I do that? After it is already cold, or before putting it in the fridge? I made it in a 9″ springform pan.

    Also, some troubleshooting questions. I measured my flour and sugar in grams using a kitchen scale, and when I beat the eggs and sugar together they got pale yellow and fluffier, but never reached the point of “sitting” on top of the batter, even after beating on high for fifteen minutes. Is it possible I overbeat the mixture and deflated it? I watched it continuously, and to me it never seemed to reach the stage you show in the pictures.

    Thanks in advance!

    Reply

    • Hi Felicia!

      Soak the cake when it’s cold.

      Sometimes it takes a little bit longer than 15 minutes… How did the cake turn out?

      Reply

      • Tasty, I used a brown sugar and vanilla syrup, but not quite the texture I was expecting, I think because I never got the egg mixture to the right stage. I’ll try again this weekend and let you know how it turns out!

        Reply

  83. Hi Elena,
    Thanks so much for posting this recipe. Quick question – if I wanted to bake this recipe in a shallow, half-sheet pan (to cut later for zuccotto), which batch size would you recommend? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Hi Jackie!
      You can use the recipe with 4 eggs (the one in the recipe card). Also, if the pan is shallow, reduce the baking time. Let me know how it goes 🙂

      Reply

  84. Hi Elena,

    What is the recommended cooking time for a 6×3 (small) cake? And how much vanilla should I put in? Lastly, can you please confirm if 3/4 cup of cake flour and 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp of sugar is the right conversion from metric 🙂

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • Hi Dasha!
      You can cook it for 30/35 minutes and add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
      The measurements: ¾ cup + ¾ tablespoon cake flour, 1/3 cup+2 tablespoons sugar
      I hope you will love it and let me know if you have any questions 🙂

      Reply

  86. I am curious about cupcakes for the wedding guests. What would the difference be as you recommended Nina for her mini strawberry shortcakes?

    Reply

  87. To compliment the wedding cake, we are having a cuocake tree, is your advice to Nina relevant to this experience too? I’m fine with a sheet cake and a large cookie cutter, but am open to your insights..many thanks!!

    Reply

  88. Can I use this for an Italian rum cake that has the cream filling in two different layers with whip cream & nuts on the outside

    Reply

  89. Hi, I had been hunting for this cake recpie for years and I finally found it. Thank you for sharing. I have a question, do i shift the flour before measuring(In cup measurement) and also after measuring while adding it to the beaten eggs?
    Thank you.

    Reply

    • Hi Grace! I only sift the flour once, while adding it to the beaten eggs.
      I hope you will like this recipe and let me know if you have any questions 🙂

      Reply

  91. Hi! I have been looking for a Sponge cake recipe and i found yours! I just made it! Came out great! Thank you!
    My husband love this cake. His mothers use the make it all all the time, since he grew up in Italy!!!

    Reply

  92. I am SOOO excited to try this cake. My favorite cake in the world is italian rum cake. Sadly, I cannot find it here out west – so I’ve been looking for recipes to make my own.

    Somehow, I wasn’t loving the recipes I was finding – they all called for two pans, splitting into four layers. The cake I remember from my childhood was three layers – but I didn’t want to split one layer into three, as it felt like there wouldn’t be enough cake. And then I found this post!

    Elena, do you have a tried and true recipe for pastry cream (vanilla and chocolate) and stabilized whipped cream?

    Thank you SO much. Looking forward to my birthday cake this year!

    Reply

    • Dana, this is my recipe for the pastry cream. Just replace the lemon with 1 vanilla bean, split and seeded.
      To make chocolate pastry cream: once the pastry cream is ready, add 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa power and mix well.
      Let me me know how it goes 🙂

      Reply

    • Hi Norhan! If you make the recipe with 4 eggs, you can use 60 grams of all-purpose flour and 60 grams of cornflour. Let me know how it goes 🙂

      Reply

  94. Hi Elena, I have made this recipe many times with mixed results. Most of the time however, I find that the cake turns extremely sticky and soggy at the top about half an hour after removing the cake from the oven. I don’t think this is an issue with under baking the cake because it is a very deep golden brown color when I take it out. But after just 30 minutes the cake has turned soggy and wet. Do you have any notion as to why this is? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Hi Eunice!

      This happens when the cake isn’t turned out onto your cooling rack soon enough and condensation has built up on the inside of the baking pan. When you removed it from the oven, did you let it cool for 10 minutes or longer? I hope this helps 🙂

      Reply

  95. Hi! I wanted to try this but I don’t have a round pan for it. Can I use the same measurements in your recipe for the ingredients if I use a 9×9 inches square pan? Your cake looks really good and I can’t wait to try making it!!

    Reply

    • Hi! Yes, you can use the same measurements. As your pan is not very deep, use parchment paper. Trace the bottom of the pan on a piece of parchment paper. Cut it out and line the bottom of the pan. Line the sides of the pan with parchment paper so that the parchment paper creates a collar that sits 1 to 2-inches above the pan. Make sure that you brush some melted butter to the bottom and sides of the pan so the parchment paper sticks. 🙂

      Reply

  96. Used this recipe and several others and every time the cake looks perfect when I check with a toothpick, then falls, even after leaving it in the oven with the door open.

    Reply

  98. Saludos, Elena.
    I am attempting to make a Tiramisu for the first time and would very much like to use your recipe. I have read it several times and have reviewed all the comments, but still need your help. I want to use the Wilton Loaf Cake baking set of pans to make three or four layers. They measure 10″ x 4″ x 0.75″. Can you email me directions/measurements for this size pans? Gracias!

    Reply

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