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Genoise sponge (also called Genoese or Genovese cake) is a classic European sponge cake that’s incredibly fluffy and light-as-air! Slice into layers and add any filling of your choice to create a delicious layer cake!
Genoise sponge is a soft and fluffy cake that’s made with just six simple ingredients. It is typically served sliced and filled with fresh fruit, jam, and whipped cream.
What is Genoise?
Genoise is a soft and fluffy sponge cake named after the Italian city of Genoa. It’s also called Genoese cake or Genovese cake. It’s made with eggs, sugar, flour, and butter. There’s no baking powder or baking soda to leaven the cake. Instead, whipped eggs are used to achieve volume in the batter, resulting in a light and fluffy cake.
Genoise Sponge Ingredients
- Eggs – Genoise is a whole-egg cake, meaning they are whipped together to leaven the cake. I used large, room-temperature eggs.
- Cake flour – Cake flour is essential to create a soft and fluffy sponge. Avoid all-purpose flour as it contains too much gluten and protein.
- Butter – Butter is always used in genoise to add richness and flavor.
- Sugar – Use granulated white sugar. I don’t recommend substitutions for this recipe.
Step by Step Photos
- Add the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt to a heat-proof bowl. Then place that bowl into a larger bowl filled with hot water. This is called a bain-marie and is used to create more volume when whipping whole eggs and assist in dissolving the sugar.
- Using an electric hand mixer, mix on high until it becomes light and fluffy. The color should start to change from deep yellow to pale yellow.
- Once the volume triples, check for the final ribbon stage.
- Lift the whisk to check if the egg mixture flows down like ribbons. It should be thick, fluffy, and very pale yellow. You should be able to make a pattern with the batter that remains visible for at least 3 seconds. Do not rush this step. It took me 8 to 10 minutes.
- Sift in the cake flour in three parts, gently folding after each step.
- Do not over-mix. Stop when it’s just combined.
- Before adding the butter, mix about 3 heaping spoonfuls of the batter to help incorporate it better. The butter and batter should still be warm.
- Gently pour the butter mixture into the batter.
- Fold the melted butter into the batter very carefully. It’s very easy to deflate the batter at this point.
- Pour the batter into a lined parchment pan and bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove the genoise sponge from the pan and remove all the parchment paper. Cool the cake completely before slicing it into even layers.
You’re now ready to fill and top your genoise with whipped cream and fresh fruit such as strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries. Jam, compotes, or preserves are also great options. Enjoy!
Genoise Sponge Tips
- For best results, use a bain-marie when whipping the eggs. It’s essential in achieving volume and dissolving the sugar. I’ve experimented with and without using a bain-marie, and each time the genoise made with a bain-marie produces better results.
- When adding butter, it’s very easy to deflate the batter. Make sure the melted butter and batter are still warm. Cold temperatures will solidify the butter and deflate the batter. Fold very gently at this stage until just combined.
- Storing: Genoise sponge has a tendency to dry out quickly. Freeze for best results and thaw overnight in the fridge. I highly recommend using sugar syrup to add moistness. Mix 3 tablespoons of sugar with 1/3 cup of hot water. Use a pastry brush to lightly coat each layer.
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Soft and Fluffy Genoise Sponge
Genoise sponge (also called Genoese or Genovese cake) is a classic European sponge cake that's incredibly fluffy and light-as-air! Slice into layers and add any filling of your choice to create a delicious layer cake!
Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup cake flour
- ⅔ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 1 ¾ tablespoon butter, melted
- ⅓ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom and sides of the cake pan with parchment paper.
- Whip Eggs: In a large heat-proof bowl, add the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Place the bowl inside a larger bowl filled with hot water (bain-marie). Using a hand mixer, beat the eggs on high speed until soft, fluffy, and pale yellow ribbons form, about 8 to 10 minutes. Replace the hot water halfway through as it cools down. See Note 1.⅔ cup sugar, 4 eggs, ⅓ teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Remove air bubbles: Reduce to the lowest speed and mix for 3 minutes to pop large air bubbles.
- Add Flour: Sift in the flour in three parts, gently folding after each time.1 cup cake flour
- Add Butter: To help incorporate the butter, mix 3 heaping spoonfuls of the batter into the warmed, melted butter. Next, gently fold the butter mixture into the batter. See Note 2.1 ¾ tablespoon butter
- Bake: Pour the batter into your cake pan and bake at 350°F until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For one 9-inch round pan, about 25 minutes. For two 6-inch round pans, about 18 minutes.
- Cool and slice: Remove all parchment paper and allow it to cool completely on a cooling rack. Slice into even layers using a leveler and top with fresh fruit and fill with cream. Enjoy! See Note 3 for the sugar syrup option.
Notes
Makes one 9-inch or two 6-inch genoise sponge cakes.
I highly recommend using a kitchen scale and the metric measurements provided for the best results. Click on “Metric” under the ingredients list to access gram measurements.
- Whipping eggs: It is essential the egg mixture is warm to the touch and the sugar is completely dissolved for this step, thus requiring a bain-marie. Replace with more hot water as the water cools. See step-by-step photos in the post for the proper ribbon stage. If you’re looking for a sponge cake that doesn’t require a bain-marie, try my Easy Sponge Cake recipe.
- When adding butter, it’s very easy to deflate the batter. Make sure the melted butter and batter are still warm. Cold temperatures will solidify the butter and deflate the batter. Fold very gently at this stage until just combined.
- Sugar syrup: Genoise sponge has a tendency to dry out quickly. I highly recommend brushing on a sugar syrup to add moistness. Mix 3 tablespoons of sugar with 1/3 cup of hot water. Use a pastry brush to lightly coat each layer.
- Storage: If decorated and filled, cover and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Plain undecorated genoise sponge should be wrapped and stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months for the best results. Thaw overnight before decorating.
Nutrition
Calories: 174kcal, Carbohydrates: 28g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 88mg, Sodium: 124mg, Potassium: 47mg, Fiber: 0.4g, Sugar: 17g, Vitamin A: 196IU, Calcium: 16mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
The texture of this recipe is spot on! This is a great, authentic version of one of my favorite European treats. Absolutely loved this served with a little bit of jam. Will definitely make it again soon!
This genoise is worth the effort trust me! It was very fluffy and buttery. My best cake ever. Used it in strawberry shortcake.
Love this! Made it for a birthday cake and people raved about it. The sugar syrup made a big difference. Now I know what makes bakery cakes so good. Thank you!
I really like this recipe, it is easy and forgiving. I have made it as directed and it turned out great, i also have skipped the warm water and it worked just as well, i have also subbed the flour for a blend of tapioca and almond flour and it turned out just about the same. Thanks for the recipe!
I’m doing something wrong. Did the recipe twice and eggs don’t triple. N the flour doesn’t fluff either. ??♀️ what am I doing wrong?
Hi Aida! Did the eggs increase in volume at all? Are you using a hand mixer or stand mixer on high speed?
A bit more work than I imagined but it was worth it! The cake was soft and airy. It reminded me of angel food cake but with flavor. I filled it with lemon curd and lemon buttercream.
I used a 9 inch pan and took it out early at 22 minutes. Frosted with swiss meringue buttercream and added raspberries. One of the best cakes I’ve made. Excellent recipe.
Very difficult cake to make. It always collapses as soon as I try to fold the emulsion with the butter into the rest of the batter. Perhaps warm butter is essential here ?
Hi FabReds! Yes the recipe calls for warm butter so the batter doesn’t deflate. Also be sure the batter and melted butter are both warm. It’s explained in further detail in the recipe notes. Hope that helps!
Can I reduce the sugar in this a bit? I’d like to make it for my baby’s first birthday!
Worth the effort. I’ve made this twice now and am very happy with the results! It’s perfect for layering and very moist and flavorful.
An amazing recipe, very clear and detailed instructions with perfect, ingredient-specific tips. The ability to automatically scale the amounts also helps a lot. I used 1 less egg as the ones I used were Large and also made the biscuit with poppy seed, which added a lot to the look and flavor.
I tried your Easy Sponge Cake recipe recently and was very happy to see you had published a different sponge, as they are my favourite cakes.
I really enjoyed this one – it was much easier than expected, and the whipping of the eggs made all the difference to the texture. Light and fluffy and so delicious!
I did brush with the sugar syrup as recommended and filled with berries and cream.
This is one of many recipes I have tried for a Genoise sponge, but this is without a doubt the best recipe. I have made it twice now, and both times were superb. I followed the recipe exactly and made sure to weigh my ingredients. It is my mother’s birthday next week, and I will be making it again. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes over the holidays too. Many thanks.