QiMeal
Génoise Sponge Cake
Génoise Sponge Cake · ready in 1 h 10 min · 8 servings · 184 kcal per serving · medium · 4 ingredients
Génoise is the elegant French sponge for layered cakes, built from whipped eggs, sugar, flour, and a little butter for a fine, springy crumb.
- Prep
- 32 min
- Cook
- 18 min
- Total
- 1 h 10 min
- Serves
- 8
- kcal
- 184
- Difficulty
- medium
Ingredients · 8 servings
- 4Egg, room temperature
- 120 gSugar
- 120 gFlour, sifted
- 30 gButter, melted and warm
Equipment
oven, stovetop, 20 cm cake pan, parchment paper, stand mixer, mixing bowl, saucepan, sieve, rubber spatula, wire rack, pastry brush, heatproof bowl
Instructions
- Mise en place
Gather a 20 cm cake pan, parchment, scale, mixer, bowl, saucepan, sieve, spatula, rack, and measure every ingredient. · 5 min
What to look for: All ingredients are measured and tools are within reach.
- Prepare pan
Heat the oven to 204°C / 400°F and line the pan bottom with parchment, then butter and flour the sides lightly. · 5 min
What to look for: The pan is evenly coated and the oven is fully heated.
- Warm egg foam
Whisk eggs and sugar in a bowl set over barely simmering water until the mixture feels warm and sugar grains dissolve. · 4 min
What to look for: The mixture looks glossy and no sugar grains are felt between fingers.
- Whip ribbons
Whip the warm egg mixture on high speed until pale, thick, and falling from the whisk in ribbons that sit briefly on the surface. · 8 min
What to look for: The foam is tripled in volume, pale, and holds soft ribbons.
- Fold flour
Sift flour over the foam in 3 additions, folding gently from bottom to top after each addition to keep the batter airy. · 5 min
What to look for: No dry flour pockets remain and the batter still looks light.
- Add butter
Fold a spoonful of batter into melted butter, then return it to the bowl and fold just until no shiny streaks remain. · 3 min
What to look for: The batter is smooth, glossy, and evenly combined.
- Bake sponge
Pour batter into the pan and bake at 204°C / 400°F until golden, springy, and pulling slightly from the sides. · 18 min
What to look for: The top is golden and the edges just release from the pan.
- Cool cake
Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it onto a rack and remove the parchment while it is still warm. · 20 min
What to look for: The cake is stable, lightly warm, and no longer steaming heavily.
- Serve simply
Serve the sponge plain or split it into layers once fully cool, using a serrated knife for clean, even cake layers. · 2 min
What to look for: Slices are even and the crumb looks fine and springy.
Nutrition (per serving)
| kcal | 184 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 27 g |
| of which sugars | 15 g |
| Fat | 6 g |
| of which saturated | 3 g |
| Fibre | 0 g |
| Sodium | 43 mg |
Nutri-ScoreD
Allergens
Contains: eggs, gluten, milk
Storage and reheating
- Fridge: up to 4 days
- Freezer: yes, up to 2 months
- Thaw wrapped slices at room temperature until soft, then serve without reheating to preserve the sponge texture.
Ingredient substitutions
Egg
- Large egg: Use the same total weight for reliable volume and structure.
Sugar
- Caster sugar: Caster sugar dissolves quickly during warming and whipping.
Flour
- Cake flour: Cake flour gives a slightly finer crumb while keeping the sponge authentic.
Butter
- Clarified butter: Use warm clarified butter for a slightly richer butter aroma.
