Chocolate sponge cake is a home baker’s must-have. It’s the foundation for countless different cakes but uses only four simple ingredients. Prepare to be amazed!
I grew up in Ukrainian/Slavic culture with this moist chocolate sponge cake. Despite its impressive texture, appearance, and taste, this cake comes together so simply. It doesn’t require oil or butter, just sugar, flour, cocoa/cacao powder, and eggs (and there’s no reason to separate the egg whites and egg yolks here!). It’s a recipe that has been passed down generation to generation in my family, and now I’m passing it on to you!
This chocolate sponge cake is the foundation to so many cakes my family and I make including my strawberry chocolate cake, chocolate hazelnut cake, drunken cherry cake, chocolate liqueur cake, and so much more. It makes the yummiest cake layers in any cake. It really is a staple in any Ukrainian/Slavic bakers’ kitchen, and soon to be yours, too.
Mmm… chocolate! This chocolate sponge cake recipe is the chocolate version of my regular sponge cake recipe (for the video recipe, click here). Use any cocoa powder but my absolute favorite is this one. It’s my go-to for baking!
How to Make Chocolate Sponge Cake
While the ingredients are simple, the technique makes all the difference. Since there’s no baking soda or baking powder in this recipe, the air that is beat into the batter serves as the leavening agent. Check out the process below.
- Beat the eggs: In a large bowl and with a stand or handheld mixer, beat the eggs with the sugar until the batter triples in volume. For a stand mixer, this takes about 10 minutes but may take longer for a hand mixer. The batter is the correct consistency when you get thick ribbons dripping off the whisk.
- Add in the first dry ingredients: Sift in the flour and cocoa powder and gently stir.
- Fold in the remaining ingredients: Using a silicone or rubber spatula, fold in the remaining dry ingredients. Be gentle and avoid over mixing as this can compromise the fluffiness of the cake.
- Bake: Add the cake batter to an oiled or parchment paper lined baking pan. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Use in your favorite recipes!
Hot tip: A reader suggested adding ultra-fine coffee/espresso powder to the cake for a bit of coffee flavor. If you do so, add about a tablespoon and make sure it’s super fine so it doesn’t affect the cake’s texture.
Tips for the Best Chocolate Sponge Cake
You don’t need to have the background of a fancy French baker to make the perfect sponge cake. Here are my top tips and tricks to nail this recipe each time.
- Bring the eggs to room temperature: Take the eggs out from the fridge a little early so they can warm up. Room temperature eggs beat better and get more airy and fluffy better than cold eggs.
- Use the right flour: A high-quality, all-purpose flour is what you need for the perfect sponge cake — no cake flour required here. I love European or Canadian brands since they typically have a higher protein content.
- Beat the egg mixture long enough: It’s important to continue beating the egg mixture long enough until you get thick ribbons and can create shapes with it. In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, this takes about 10 minutes on medium-high speed. Hand mixing often doesn’t work to get the thick ribbons.
- Avoid overmixing: Fold your dry ingredients in very carefully and gently with a spatula (don’t mix!). Stirring or whisking (or overmixing) destroys the cake’s fluffiness and results in a flat, dense cake.
- Line or oil the pan: Prevent your cake from sticking and cracking by lining or oiling your round cake pan. If you do run into issues, take a butter knife and run it along the edges of the pan to loosen the cake. Either way, make sure to give the cake time to cool to room temperature and set before you attempt to remove it.
- Shake the pan: For a nice, even cake top, shake the pan slightly before placing it in the oven. This helps remove any air bubbles and makes frosting the cake (if you want to) much easier and smoother later.
- Resist the urge to open the oven: When baking, it can be really tempting to open the oven and check in on your cake. Resist the urge! When cold air enters the oven, it can cause the center of the cake to sink.
- Gauge doneness with a toothpick: If in doubt that the cake is done baking, use a toothpick to check. Insert it into the center, and if it comes out clean or with a few small crumbs, the cake is done.
- Cool on a wire rack: After you let your sponge cake cool in the cake pan for 10-15 minutes, transfer it to a wire rack to finish the process. This helps the bottoms and sides set without cracking.
Tip summary: If you only follow two tips when baking, I’d say make sure to whip your eggs to the right consistency and avoid over-mixing the batter.
Storing/Making Sponge Cake in Advance
Chocolate sponge cake is the perfect cake to make a few days in advance! Here are some options on how to store it:
- Counter: Store it for up to two days on the counter in an airtight container.
- Refrigerator: Refrigerate the cake in an airtight container for up to a week.
- Freezer: Freeze the cake for up to three months. Store it in a flat airtight container so it doesn’t lose its shape!
Hot tip: If you have a springform pan, use it! Since the sponge cake is so delicate, it helps ensure you don’t break or crack the cake. Just makes sure it’s 9 inches or bigger.
More Cake Recipes
- Cherry Cake Recipe – The perfect treat when cherries are in season
- Tiramisu Crepe Cake – Coffee and crepes come together for a unique spin on a classic tiramisu
- Russian Honey Cake – A honey cake for all those sweet tooths out there!
- Tiramisu Cake – Classic Italian decadent dessert
Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 eggs room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
Instructions
- Beat 6 eggs (no need to separate them) with sugar until the batter has tripled in volume. This will take roughly 10 minutes in a stand mixer, longer if using a hand mixer.
- Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the egg mixture.
- Using a spatula, carefully fold in the dry ingredients. Be very gentle with the batter so you don’t over mix it and lose all the fluffiness.
- Pour the cake batter to an oiled or parchment paper lined baking sheet. A springform baking pan works amazing as well and makes the transferring process that much easier. Aim to use a pan that is 9-12 inches is diameter.
- Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Do the toothpick check to gauge doneness. Use in your favorite desserts that require chocolate sponge cake. The possibilities are endless!
- This recipe doesn’t need baking soda or baking powder. The leavening agent is the air that is beat into the batter.
this was so incredible! it's my first time making a sponge cake so the lack of rising agents made me a little nervous, but i trusted the process and im so glad i did. it was airy and spongy, truly amazing. i mixed with a very speedy hand mixer for 7-8 minutes, and baked in a nine inch pan. it was so good 🤎 thank you for sharing the recipe!
Yay! Thanks for sharing your success, Safiya! And the specific details on how long it took and what you baked in. I'm sure your comment will be helpful for others, too!
Hi! Can I use Nutella instead of cocoa powder?
Hey dear, I think it will weigh down the batter and it will not come out fluffy. I think for this particular recipe cocoa powder will work the best. Enjoy
Ok. Thank you. 😁
The eggs and sugar would not get thick. I whisked for over 30 minutes with a beater and by hand. Cake didn’t rise.
Hi dear, I am not sure how thats possible because for me it it gets fluffy pretty quick on high speed. Did you watch video attached?
If the cake tastes like the batter it’s a winner!
Lol I'm glad you're enjoying a few licks of the batter ;). Let us know how the sponge cake turns out!
Hi Natalya, Since Air Fryers are the go these days I'm wondering if this can be made in my Air Fryer as I do have one that takes a 23cm cake pan? I am 79 and I've never made a "Sponge" of any kind before, but my mother used to win prizes for her sponges. I feel like a bit of a "let-down" for my mother as I felt I could never be to her expectations with her baking. I'm hoping your recipe will be just like hers if not done in my Air Fryer I'd at least try it in my regular oven. Thank you for sharing your recipe as this brings back memories of my mother.
Hi Josephine, I would be worried that it will not bake the same way as it would in the oven. This sponge cake is very gentle, it requires consistent steady heat to keep it light and airy. Hope this helps! We also have a video on your youtube, it might help to watch it. https://youtu.be/FfhhFUhx-QY
Could I use coffee in my cake minture. It taste so much ricer with coffee?
Hey Carolyn, Do you mean ground coffee or liquid coffee? This recipe doesn't need any liquid, so I wouldn't recommend adding any liquid coffee to it.
Hi Natalya, Could coffee "powder" as in "fine powdered coffee" that some brands produce and not the larger freeze dried coffee grains be used in this recipe? My mother used to make beautiful sponges with cocoa, coffee or just the plain vanilla flavour and always won prizes for her sponges. Sadly she's not with us anymore and I never got her sponge recipes amongst most of all her other recipes. Thank you for sharing your recipes.
Hi Josephine, I think coffee powder can work but it has to be very fine, no lumps. I would test with a smaller amount and sift it with flour. Please let me know how it comes out. I would love to hear any tips or feedback.
Hi I can I sprinkle with kirsch and layer with cream and make a mock black forest cake? I would only have two layers but as a newcomer to frosting cakes this would be a starter?
Hi Avery, You can use this sponge cake as a base for any of your cake creations. Enjoy!
Hallo Have yet to make this cake.... can't wait! Thanks for sharing. Just a question, please clarify. When NOT using a raising agent, baking powder or baking soda (bi-carb) is it necessary to grease your pan?
Hi Kathy, yes, you would need to grease pan to prevent sticking. Also, the cake doesn't need raising agent, the eggs become very fluffy and give this cake enough of a raise. Also, I think you will find this video useful: https://www.youtube.com/watch…. Enjoy!
Can I bake in fan oven?
Hey there Antonio, If you are referring to a convection oven, Yes you absolutely can!
How far in advance can this be made?
Hi Mariya- sponge cake can easily be made a few days in advance, just make sure to store it in an airtight cake saver container OR wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. Enjoy!
I love the simplicity of your cake
Thank you so much Karine! I appreciate the feedback.
I am completely bummed on how my cakes came out both times. I'm just getting into baking. I creamed the eggs and sugar until described. Sifted the floor and cocoa (Hersheys baking powder), and then folded it gently into the sugar/egg mixture. I doubled the recipe in two batches to cover 2 9" light colored springform pans. The first time I tried, the two cakes were like flat couch seat foam. Tonight I tried again, but these two came out just flat and even more dense. In reading other recipes, does this recipe not need baking soda or powder? If not, I'm hoping you can offer up some ideas on what I am doing wrong. I never opened the oven, and cooking for 30 minutes exactly, cooking in an electric oven at 350° on the middle rack (third slot up from the bottom) in opposing corners not touching. Please help rescue my sponge. 😔
Hi Ron- Most cakes use a leavening agent like baking powder but in this case the air in the beaten eggs is what *should* cause the sponge to rise. You need to make sure to beat them for 15-20 minutes or so, so that enough air is beat into it. We will be reviewing this recipe soon and hope to add more notes and details to the recipe so that everyone can be successful.
So the sugar/egg mixture should be thick and 'foamy' with tiny bubbles? I only mixed until they were mixed and I had say 'dime sized' bubbles that produced more of a shiny look. Thank you for your help. I also intend on making an Amaretto syrup to lightly apply to layers. Will that work with a sponge cake such as this? And lastly, is the batter enough for two 9" springforms, or just one? Again thank you for your help.
Hi Ron- you will need to beat a bit longer, until you get thick ribbons (when you lift the whisk attachment from the mixture, the batter should fall back in thick ribbons). The batter should also be voluminous (nearly tripled in size) before you fold in the flour and cocoa powder. The amaretto syrup will work, it sounds like a delicious addition! Last, this recipe is for just one 9" sponge cake, so you will need to either double this recipe or make it in 2 batches if you need two sponge layers.
The egg/sugar beating had been my downfall. The batter came out beautifully silky on the remake, and all three cakes (for a 6 layer cake) came out perfectly! Yay! Now I start assembly, complete with a Frangelico syrup, a Frangelico Swiss meringue buttercream. And then a Nutella drip ganache, drip candied hazelnuts and spun sugar for the top. I know it sounds too rich, but that's what my spouse loves. Thank you SO much for your help. I learned a lot about doing my own sponge for the first time. I couldn't have done it without you.
I’m stealing your topping ideas
Ron- this makes me so happy! I'm really glad I could help you troubleshoot the sponge recipe and that it worked out the second time around. That sounds like a lovely cake, you're welcome to tag us with a photo of it on social media (@momsdish for Instagram or "Momsdish" on Facebook). Enjoy!
Hi I'm wondering if I can use an 8.5" springform? That's all I have 🙂
Hi Sally, I recommend using a 9inches or larger pan, but if it's all you have then give it a try. I hope you love it!
Hi! I loved your regular sponge cake but I’m wondering with this one are we using natural cocoa or Dutch cocoa? Thanks
Hi Win- my favorite cocoa powder that I use every time is actually the Navitas brand one. I'm so glad you asked because now I can go add that tidbit of information into the recipe so others know as well. 🙂 Here is the affiliate link to my favorite: https://amzn.to/3oQnhpV
Hi Natalya, I just wanted to say a massive thank you for sharing this recipe. I made it for my partner's birthday last year and it came out absolutely AMAZING. Compliments all around (from his family), and the cake was soft and delicate. It's actually an anniversary of making it again for my partner's birthday this year. And I can't wait to share it with others! Best, V.
Viktoriya- thank you so much for taking the time to leave this kind comment! I'm so happy this cake is becoming a tradition of sorts for you. Enjoy!
Hello! Is there any difference in using powdered sugar vs. regular cane sugar in the cream in terms of texture and quantity?
Hi Elona, I have only tried using can sugar. I do think it will effect the sponge cake if you use powdered sugar. Hope this helps.
Great easy recipe. I'm from Indonesia. I try this recipe and change chocolate to cheese version by using fine shredded cheddar cheese 165gram. It turn really great despite only using smaller pan (not 9"). But the cheese flavor is kinda lacking... Photo is available, inform me if you want it.
Next I will buy the 9" pan and try to make it again.
My question is, if I want this sponge cake have more cheese flavor. What should I do?
I like sponge cake without filling. Pure sponge cake is love 💕
Hi Aris - Thanks for such detailed feedback! One of our team members is Indonesian, so she knows exactly about this cheesy sponge cake. 🙂 How cool! If you follow us on Facebook, you can share you picture there. We love getting photos from our readers. In terms of adding extra cheese flavor, I'm not too sure. I've never made this style of sponge cake before. Sorry I can't help more here!
When using a springform pan, can it be a 9”, 10” or 12” pan?
Hi John- yes, any of those sizes will work. Enjoy!
I've tried this recipe today and very disappointed as to how it turned out. I followed the recipe and the cake came out stodgy and dry.
Hi Reyah- sorry to hear the cake didn't come out, I know that can be disappointing. My suggestions for making sure it comes out fluffy and not too dry are: 1) make sure eggs are room temperature 2)sift flour 3) fold in flour gently and don't overmix, this will compromise the fluffiness and airy-ness of the cake. I hope these tips are useful!
Would it be possible to stack this 2 or 3 layers with a light frosting or whipped cream in-between or would it collapse?
Hi Rachel - That would definitely be possible! We always slice the sponge cake into several layers for many different cakes on our website and frost it. For example, check out this recipe for Cake Prague: https://momsdish.com/recipe/7…. Thanks for your note!
Please advise can I use cake flour?
Hi Eileen - We advise against using cake flour for this recipe and have not tried it ourselves. Typical all-purpose flour works best in our opinion. Hope this helps!
I made it with two layers and half the icing and it turned out really well! Used the toasted hazelnuts to spell out the age on a birthday cake. Thank you Natalya!
Hi Trish, your cake sounds beautiful!! I am so glad you loved the recipe, thank you for taking the time to comment!
I had to bake for 55 mins to have the cake cooked through. What did I do wrong 😅
Hey Elle, I would check your oven. Unless you used a different size pan, it shouldn't take that long.
What do you like to use for the soaking syrup? Any recommendations that would work for all types of cakes?
Hey Ang, under "Ways To Use Chocolate Sponge Cake" you can see some options on how we use the sponge cake and how you can soak it up. Enjoy
Can I double this recipe to get two cakes, or is it best to do it one at a time?
Hey Ang, this sponge cake is used as a layering base. You can definitely double it up. Tip, You may need a very large mixing bowl.
Did it! Followed the recipe to a tee and it worked perfectly!! Looks exactly like picture which very rarely happens. Is there a way however I could make the cake more moist?
Hey Jasna, the sponge cake is there as a base for layering. In the recipes, we linked we have creams that go with it, they make it moist. You can also soak it with different syrups as well.
No baking powder?
Nope, this recipe doesn't require any.
I used a 9.5” springform pan and it came out super thin and hard. I thought about using a smaller pan size but it certainly didn’t rise much at all. All other recipes I’ve seen for done cake separates the yolks and whites and fold into the meringue so I thought I’d try this one since it was less fussy. Maybe I’ll try to give it another go.
Hey Josephine, you have to be gentle when you fold in the flour and make sure that eggs are perfectly fluffy. We have a video we did on Instagram, it may be helpful, account is @momsdish.
Thank you for sharing such an easy recipe. It's light but full of flavour and is perfect for layer cakes!
I'm glad you enjoyed it, Julia! Thank you for your feedback!
I like to live simply...usually. And this cake is so perfect for my obsession with simple cake toppings of whipped cream and strawberries. Just absolutely incredible combination! I love the bouncy delicate texture of the cake and the smooth, simple sweetness! Way easier than I thought and so delicious!
Oh yum, whipped cream and strawberries sounds delicious! I'm so glad you loved the sponge, thank you for your feedback!