Italian Sponge Cake, also known as Pan di Spagna, is a simple recipe made with just three ingredients! This fluffy cake is a classic recipe you don’t want to miss!
Italian Sponge Cake is a great base for so many desserts or just a delicious treat to eat on its own. This simple three ingredient recipe is good to have on hand when you are looking for quick and easy treat.
This cake would be delicious in this Pound Cake Trifle recipe, just substitute the sponge cake for pound cake. If you love classic cake recipes, don’t miss this Sour Cream Pound Cake, Torta Margherita Recipe, or this Italian Apple Cake. For a classic ricotta cake, be sure to try this Orange Ricotta Cake recipe!
For another classic three-ingredient Italian cake, try this Torta di Noci (Italian Walnut Cake) recipe or my Torta Tenerina cake!
Why You Will Love this Recipe!
This is one of those recipes you need to have in your recipe tin. With only three ingredients, you’ll be able to make this classic cake without a trip to the grocery store.
If you’ve never had sponge cake before, it has a fluffy and almost dense texture, hence the name. The cake is subtly sweet without any extra fat.
Italian Sponge Cake is a great on its own with a sprinkle of powdered sugar and fresh berries. You can also use it as a base recipe for strawberry shortcake, trifle, or top with whipped cream or ice cream.
This cake is light and low in calories too! Now, you can eat cake without that extra guilt and it’s great for breakfast too.
Plus, Pan di Spagna is a classic that has been around for ages. Made with just three simple ingredients, its one recipe you need to try!
Ingredients
- Eggs: use large room temperature eggs for this recipe. If your eggs are cold, place them in a bowl of warm water so they can warm slightly before using them.
- Sugar: here, just use plain granulated sugar. Don’t try to cut back on the sugar as the precise measurements are needed for this recipe.
- Flour: all purpose flour is all that is needed here. Be sure to sift the flour well before adding it to the batter.
How to Make Italian Sponge Cake (Pan di Spagna)
While the ingredients are simple, it is important that you follow the precise directions to get the perfect sponge cake every time. Here, you will need a stand up mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
Step 1: Whisk the eggs and sugar
In a stand up mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add the room temperature eggs and sugar. Whisk the mixture on medium high speed for about 10-12 minutes or until the eggs and sugar form a thick ribbon that can sit on top the mixture when pulled up.
Step 2: fold in the flour
Remove the egg mixture from the stand mixer and fold in half of the flour using a rubber spatula. Be careful to gently fold in the flour, and once that is incorporated, fold in the rest.
Step 3: bake and cool
Pour the Italian sponge cake batter into a greased and lined springform pan. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack before removing collar from the pan.
Once the cake has cooled, run a knife around the inside of the collar and remove it. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.
Expert Tips for Italian Sponge Cake
While Italian Sponge Cake (Pan di Spagna) is just a three ingredient recipe, it is important to follow the cooking instructions and tips to get a fluffy cake every time.
- Be sure you are using room temperature eggs. If your eggs are cold, place in a bowl of warm water and let sit for five minutes.
- A stand up mixer is ideal for making this recipe. If don’t have a stand mixer, you can use a handheld mixer but may need to add extra time to fully beat together the eggs and sugar.
- Be careful not to over beat the eggs or you will get a flat cake. Beat the eggs and sugar until the volume increases by three times. You will know the mixture is ready when the whisk holds a thick ribbon when removed from the bowl.
- Always sift the flour first. You don’t want any lumps of flour in the delicate batter.
- Add half of the flour at a time to the batter and use a rubber spatula to incorporate. Be gently when mixing in the flour so that you don’t deflate the eggs.
- Don’t open the door during the first 25 minutes of baking or you risk deflating the cake.
- Test for doneness using a toothpick during the last five minutes of baking.
- Let the cake cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, before removing the collar of the pan.
- Dust with powdered sugar and cut into slices only when the cake is fully cooled.
Frequently Asked Questions
You may notice that there is no baking soda or baking powder in this recipe. This is no mistake. The sponge cake doesn’t need any chemical leavening agents and instead the egg whites help the cake rise and give it volume.
Italian sponge cake, also known as Pan di Spagna, is a simple three-ingredient recipe made with whole eggs, sugar, and flour. The texture is fluffy and airy, similar to a sponge.
The main culprit to a sponge cake falling is either under-beating or over-beating the eggs. You want the egg and sugar mixture to be able to form ribbons when you pull the whisk out. Another reason a sponge cake falls occurs when the flour is whipped into the batter rather than folded in, causing the eggs to loose their air and volume.
Sponge cake is a great on its own or as a base recipe for many desserts. You can top with a flavored syrup and serve with whipped cream. Sponge cake is also delicious with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh fruit.
More Cake Recipes!
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and/or review in the comments section further down the page.
Italian Sponge Cake (Pan di Spagna)
Equipment
- 9 inch springform pan
- stand up mixer with whisk attachment
Ingredients
- 5 large eggs (room temperature)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup all purpose flour, sifted (135 grams)
- powdered sugar for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray and 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper; set aside.
- Add the room temperature eggs and sugar into a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Turn the mixer on medium high and beat the eggs and sugar until they have tripled in volume. You will know the mixture is ready when you can pull ribbons of batter that will sit on top of the mixture.
- Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and use a rubber spatula to fold in the flour in two batches. Be gently when mixing in the flour so as to not deflate the eggs.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let cool on baking rack for 10 minutes. Use a knife loosen the cake from the sides of the pan and remove the collar. Let cake cool completely before serving.
Notes
- Be sure you are using room temperature eggs. If your eggs are cold, place in a bowl of warm water and let sit for five minutes.
- A stand up mixer is ideal for making this recipe. If don’t have a stand mixer, you can use a handheld mixer but may need to add extra time to fully beat together the eggs and sugar.
- Be careful not to over beat the eggs or you will get a flat cake. Beat the eggs and sugar until the volume increases by three times. You will know the mixture is ready when the whisk holds a thick ribbon when removed from the bowl.
- Always sift the flour first. You don’t want any lumps of flour in the delicate batter.
- Add half of the flour at a time to the batter and use a rubber spatula to incorporate. Be gently when mixing in the flour so that you don’t deflate the eggs.
- Don’t open the door during the first 25 minutes of baking or you risk deflating the cake.
- Test for doneness using a toothpick during the last five minutes of baking.
- Let the cake cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, before removing the collar of the pan.
- Dust with powdered sugar and cut into slices only when the cake is fully cooled.
I am anxious to try your cake recipe. Do you have an Italian cream recipe to go with the sponge cake?
Not yet! But this is delicious with some whipped cream and powdered sugar. Hope you love it!
Sponge cake has been my nemesis for years. I decided to give it one last try with your recipe. It came out perfect. This will now be my go to recipe.
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that! 🙂
I am the editor of a newsletter for the Greater Rockford Italian-American Association and would like to use your Italian Sponge Cake recipe for our next issue. I will include full credit sourcing. Grazie mille!
Thanks! I hope your readers love it 🙂
Do I measure flour before or after sifting?
A scale is the best way to measure. Otherwise, I usually measure before sifting.
With just three simple ingredients going to try this as a trifle base, looks mouth watering! Thanks for the recipe.
Thank you so much! The flavors are perfect and I can’t wait to try this recipe!
That looks absolutely delicious! All I need now is some fresh fruit and whipped cream.
Wow this was great. thanks for the helpful tips on how to make sure it came out nice and fluffy.