‘Foolproof’ sponge cake recipe takes 15 minutes to prep – ‘perfectly fluffy’

The weekend is upon us which means Britons have more time to bake their favourite treats.

While they can be purchased from supermarkets all over, sponge cakes can easily be made at home and aren’t as tricky as one might think.

BBC Good Food has shared a classic sponge cake recipe for budding bakers who want to whip up a tasty dessert in no time.

The recipe takes just 15 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook, with the food media brand calling it an “easy” kitchen venture.

It serves between eight to 10 sponge cake lovers so is perfect for those hosting afternoon tea or a dinner party this weekend.

The three-step method contains just nine ingredients, many of which you may have at home already, so it’s not a recipe that will break the bank.

The recipe also allows for some creativity when it comes to cake filling: “Choose your favourite filling for this easy, perfectly fluffy sponge cake.

“We’ve opted for lemon curd and whipped cream, but you could have jam. Perfect for afternoon tea.”

Ingredients

225g softened butter

225g golden caster sugar

Four large eggs

½ lemon, zested

One tsp vanilla extract

225g self-raising flour

A splash of milk

A pinch of salt

Optional fillings of lemon curd, jam, lightly whipped cream

Icing sugar for dusting

Method

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line the base of two 20cm spring-form cake tins with baking parchment.

2. Use an electric whisk to beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. One at a time, crack the eggs in and whisk well, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each egg is added. Add the lemon zest, vanilla, flour, milk and a pinch of salt and whisk until just combined. Divide the mixture between the two tins.

3. Bake the mixture in the centre of the oven for 25-30 minutes. You can test if it’s ready if you insert a skewer into the middle of each cake and it comes out clean. After 10 minutes remove the cakes from their tins and leave to cool completely on a wire rack. Get creative with fillings. BBC Good Food recommends a dollop of lemon curd and some fresh cream, finished with a dusting of icing sugar on top. This will keep for three days. Enjoy!

Budding bakers were absolutely delighted with the recipe. ‘puskas.henrietta94MblWB8xk’ commented: “I registered so I can leave this review. I am so thankful for this recipe. I failed baking many times, but this sponge cake came out perfectly. Thank you very much!”

Fellow baker ‘pippa.copleston9SjrlHNo’ called it the “best foolproof cake recipe ever”. She added that it’s “quick, no fuss and can be made in any flavour”.

For those who want to try something different this weekend, why not try Mary Berry’s joyful Sunshine Cake?