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Cotton soft, fluffy and the best sponge cake ever! These mini Chinese sponge cake are easy to make from scratch and calls for only five ingredients.
Sponge Cake
These cotton soft, fluffy, moist, airy mini sponge cake are the best!
They are wrapped and baked in cute paper cups, just like the best ones at Chinese or Japanese bakery stores.
Everyone loves them and they are great for afternoon tea, breakfast, or anytime of the day when you need a quick sweet treat.
This easy recipe is 100% fail proof and novice bakers friendly!
Sponge Cake Recipe
This easy homemade sponge cake calls for five (5) simple ingredients below:
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Cake flour
- Corn starch
- Melted butter
This recipe was contributed by CP Choong.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.
How To Make Sponge Cake
Step 1. Line the paper muffin cups with parchment paper, set aside.
Step 2. Combine the cake flour and corn starch, sift twice, set aside. Preheat oven to 200°C (392°F).
Step 3. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites till frothy, add sugar in three (3) batches. Beat until soft peaks form, but not dry. You may use a stand mixer or an electronic mixer to beat the egg whites.
Step 4. Gently fold in the beaten egg yolks until well combined. Add the sifted flour, fold gently until the flour is fully incorporated.
Step 5. Mix a few tablespoon of the batter with the melted butter. Pour it back to the cake batter, fold gently until well combined.
Step 6. Transfer the batter into the muffin cups, about 2/3 full.
Bake the sponge cake in the oven. Once they are in the oven, turn the temperature down to 175°C (350°F) immediately. Bake for 20 minutes or until they turn light golden brown in color. Remove from the oven, let cool before serving.
Baking Tips For The Best Sponge Cake
Here are the tips and techniques for the best results:
- Double sift the cake flour and corn starch. This will ensure soft and cottony texture of the cake.
- Make sure you don’t overbeat the egg white meringue. They should not be dry.
- Make sure you fold and mix gently, to maintain the air bubbles in the egg white meringue.
- If possible, melt the butter using double boiler method.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you follow the baking tips above, especially the parts on the egg white meringue and gentle folding of the cake batter, you will have fluffy cake.
Yes, you sure can.
For the best texture, cake flour is the preferred choice. Using cake flour will make sure that your sponge cake turn out extra soft, fluffy and light.
This recipe is only 95 calories per cake.
What To Serve With This Recipe
Serve the cake with a cup of coffee or tea. For an afternoon tea menu, I recommend the following recipes.
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Other Recipes You Might Like
Paper Wrapped Sponge Cake
Equipment
- Parchment paper
- 10 paper muffin cups
Ingredients
- 60 g (2 oz) cake flour
- 15 g (½ oz) cornstarch
- 5 egg whites
- 90 g (3 oz) fine sugar, castor sugar
- 5 egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 60 g (2 oz) unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Line the muffin cups with parchment paper and set aside. Combine the cake flour and cornstarch, sift twice, and set aside. Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F).
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy. Gradually add the sugar in three batches, continuing to beat until soft peaks form, but be careful not to overmix. You can use a stand mixer or a handheld electric mixer for this step.
- Gently fold in the beaten egg yolks until well combined. Add the sifted flour and fold gently until fully incorporated. Mix a few tablespoons of the batter with the melted butter, then pour it back into the cake batter and fold gently until well combined.
- Transfer the batter into the muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.
- Bake the sponge cake in the oven. Once they are in, immediately reduce the temperature to 175°C (350°F). Bake for 20 minutes or until they turn a light golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
With the help of this recipe I made this cake successfully because I did not know how to make it. It’s taste was superb!!! I would like to recommend this cake to all my friends.
This cake is really fabulous !!! All my friends became very happy after taking it, Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe.I saw, CakenGifts.in has also such awesome Cakes. Thanks alot!!!!!
Delicious recipe! However I used regular sugar instead of caster/powdered, I only had my oven at 350, and I used an 8″ round pan instead of a muffin pan and all-purpose flour instead of cake flour because I didn’t have those on hand. Not as dense as the mini sponge cakes I usually get but still great! For (approximate) US measurements I used 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup or half a stick of butter melted, and 2 tbsp corn flour/starch. Will make again for sure :)
Hi,
I have been trying to find a good chinese sponge cake recipe. These turned out pretty tasty, but I felt tasty “eggy”. I measured out ingredients very carefully with a scale. When compared to other recipes, the egg to flour ratio is higher. No problems with rising. May try this recipe again with one less egg. The temperature adjusting is interesting. Makes the cakes rise higher.
Thanks
I tried your recipe in the wee hour this morning & it turns out great. Can I substitute melted butter with cooking oil? Have good day. Angelia
I am not sure about the results but you can try.
Hello Bee,
First of all, thank you for your lovely blog, I’ve made many of your recipes with great success.Just got back from a long trip to Malaysia and suffering from serious post travel depression and i was searching for this paper wrapped sponge. I miss Toast Box :(
Please make a video making these. Lots of love.
Is corn flour the same as corn meal?
No it’s not the same.
Is castor sugar the same as powdered sugar? Where is it available? So yummy.
Yes powdered sugar.
I thought caster sugar is fine sugar, or baker’s sugar not powdered
I live in the USA, honestly I don’t know what they are called outside of the USA. In the USA, it’s called powdered sugar, it’s white like powder.
OK – yeah, I live in the US too. I’ve been making this recipe with caster sugar, or baker’s sugar, instead of powdered sugar. Maybe that’s why they are deflating when they cool? I think in the US caster sugar is typically the same as “baker’s sugar”.
Also – I am whipping the egg whites to soft glossy peaks. Is that too little?
Oh, and if powdered sugar – is the measuring cup packed or loosely filled??
Packed.
How to beat egg yolk to lightly ? It’s using mixer or not? Thank you before.
Is it salted or unsalted butter called in the recipe?