Easy Chocolate Sponge Cake (Light & Moist)

a slice of chocolate sponge cake on a plate.

5 from 26 votes

Easy Chocolate Sponge Cake (Light & Moist)

This is the best moist and light chocolate sponge cake recipe you will ever make. It's perfect for home bakers, whether experienced or complete beginners. It's an easy baking basics recipe that everyone can comfortably try!

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 297kcal

Author: Katalin Nagy

Equipment

Ingredients

185 g All purpose flour or any low protein content flour e.g. cake flour
50 g Cocoa powder unsweetened, Dutch processed
100 g Granulated sugar
100 g Brown sugar
½ teaspoon Vanilla extract
1 teaspoon Baking soda
1 teaspoon Baking powder
½ teaspoon Salt
70 g Vegetable oil
2 Eggs at room temperature
160 g Milk at room temperature
120 g Coffee freshly brewed strong coffee at room temperature

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 356°F (without the fan). Line three 15 cm (6-inch) round cake pans with parchment paper.
Using an electric hand mixer, whip the wet ingredients—room temperature eggs, oil, sugar, coffee, milk, and vanilla extract—together for 1-2 minutes until well combined.
Sift the dry ingredients—flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt—into the bowl and gently fold with a rubber spatula until just combined. You can also use a hand whisk, but be careful not to overmix.
Divide the batter evenly between the three cake pans using a digital scale for accuracy.
Place the pans in the oven and bake at 180°C / 356°F for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Flip the cakes onto a cooling rack or allow them to cool in the pan.
Once the chocolate sponge is at room temperature, fill and frost according to your liking.

Video

Notes

INGREDIENT NOTES:

Measure your ingredients with a Digital scale for accuracy.
All ingredients for the chocolate cake must be at room temperature to properly emulsify.
Do not skip the salt, it will balance the sweetness of this cake.

TECHNIQUE NOTES:

Do not overmix the ingredients to ensure a light and fluffy texture.
Do not overbake your chocolate sponge cake, as that will result in a dry texture. Use the toothpick test to check if your cake is ready.
Use the below cake pan conversion chart for other pan sizes and bake times.

Quantity	Cake Pan Size (inches)	Cake Pan Size (cm)	How much batter	Bake Time
3 round pans	6-inches	15 cm	1x recipe	Approx. 25-30 minutes per cake
2 round pans	6-inches	15 cm	⅔x recipe	Approx. 25-30 minutes per cake
3 round pans	8-inches	20 cm	1.5x recipe	Approx. 35-40 minutes per cake
2 round pans	8-inches	20 cm	1x recipe	Approx. 35-40 minutes per cake
1 pan for a sheet cake	12 x 8 inches	30 x 20 cm	1x recipe	Approx. 25-30 minutes

Nutrition