Soft, light, and with an intense flavor, the cocoa sponge cake is one of the most beloved bases of home baking. Perfect for making layered cakes, rolls, or spoon desserts, it captivates with its airy texture and enveloping aroma of cocoa. In this recipe, we explain how to prepare it simply and without butter, achieving a high, soft result ideal for customization with creams, ganache, or jams. A versatile base, indispensable for shaping your most delicious desserts. 🍫🍰
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 12
- Cooking methods: Oven, Electric oven, Air frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 6 whole eggs
- 6.3 oz sugar
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 pinch salt
Tools
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Springform pan
Steps
Beat eggs and sugar
In a large bowl (or stand mixer), place the eggs with the sugar and a pinch of salt. Beat with electric beaters for at least 10–12 minutes until you get a light, fluffy, and very foamy mixture.
Sift the dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and unsweetened cocoa to avoid lumps and lighten the batter.
Incorporate flour and cocoa
Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture gradually, gently mixing with a spatula or hand whisk, using upward movements to avoid deflating the mixture.
Pour into the mold
Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper (without greasing the edges) and gently pour the batter, leveling the surface without banging the pan.
Bake in the oven
Bake in a preheated static oven at 338 °F for about 35–40 minutes. Do not open the oven during baking. Before removing from the oven, perform the toothpick test.
Cool the sponge cake
Remove from the oven and let the sponge cake cool completely in the pan or inverted on a rack. Once cool, remove it from the pan and use it for your preparations.
The cocoa sponge cake stays soft and fragrant for 2–3 days at room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap or sealed in an airtight container, away from heat and humidity sources.
If you wish to keep it longer, you can store it in the refrigerator for 4–5 days, always well-wrapped; before using, let it return to room temperature.
The cocoa sponge cake is also very well suited for freezing: once completely cool, wrap it in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil, or cut it into disks and freeze them separately. In the freezer, it keeps for up to 2 months. To use it, just thaw it in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
