Genoise sponge cake recipe
The first time I made a Genoise sponge cake, I thought it was going to be a piece of cake (pun fully intended). Eggs, sugar, flour… how hard could it be? Twenty-five minutes later, I pulled out something that looked more like a rubbery pancake than the elegant sponge I’d seen in patisserie windows. I nearly gave up then and there, but something about Genoise kept pulling me back. Maybe it was the challenge, maybe it was my pride.
By my third attempt, I had figured it out: whisk the eggs until they’re as fluffy as clouds, fold the flour like it’s the most fragile treasure in the world, and never, ever rush. That day, I finally saw it rise into a golden pillow of a cake, and honestly, it felt like winning a mini baking championship.
👉 Have you ever had a “disaster cake” moment? Share it with me—I promise I won’t judge!
Table of contents
Where Does Genoise Come From?
Genoise is named after Genoa, Italy, but it also has a big French connection. Italian chefs brought it to France during the Renaissance, and the French perfected it in their patisseries. Today, it’s considered a European classic. It’s the foundation for so many desserts—fraisier, roulades, even tiramisu-style rolls.
If you’re curious about the deeper history, Britannica has a great entry on Genoise.
What Makes Genoise Different From Other Sponges?
Let’s clear up the confusion.
- Victoria sponge = butter + baking powder, very British.
- Chiffon cake = oil + baking powder, super soft.
- Genoise sponge = no fat in the batter (sometimes a little butter folded in), no baking powder, just whipped eggs carrying the whole thing.
👉 If you’ve baked any of these, which one do you think is trickiest?
Recipe for Genoise sponge cake
Genoise sponge cake recipe
The Genoise sponge is a classic European cake base, originating in Italy and perfected in France. Light, airy, and versatile, it’s the foundation for elegant desserts like fraisier, roulades, and tiramisu rolls. Unlike other sponges, it contains no chemical leavening—its rise comes entirely from whipped eggs. This recipe will guide you to the perfect Genoise, ready to be layered, filled, and transformed.
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Saucepan
- Fine mesh sieve
- Rubber spatula
- 8-inch round cake tin
- 4 large eggs (room temperature)
- 120 g ½ cup caster sugar
- 120 g 1 cup cake flour (or all-purpose flour sifted with 2 tbsp cornstarch)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 30 g 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled (optional, for richness)
- a pinch of salt
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Prepare the oven and tin: Preheat oven to 180°C (355°F). Grease and line the cake tin with parchment.
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Warm the eggs and sugar: Place eggs and sugar in a heatproof bowl over simmering water, whisking until lukewarm (not hot).
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Whip the eggs: Using a mixer, beat the eggs and sugar until pale, thick, and tripled in volume (ribbon stage).
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Add flour: Sift flour with pinch of salt in small batches over the egg mixture, gently folding with a spatula to avoid deflating.
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Incorporate butter and vanilla: Mix a spoonful of batter into the melted butter, then fold back into the main mixture with vanilla.
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Bake: Pour into prepared tin and bake 25–30 minutes until golden and springy to the touch.
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Cool: Remove from oven, cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.
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Use as base: Slice horizontally and soak layers with syrup before filling with cream, fruit, or ganache.
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Flour choice matters: Cake flour gives the lightest crumb, but all-purpose + cornstarch works in a pinch.
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Temperature trick: Room temperature eggs whip better, don’t skip this.
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Do not overfold: Gentle folding is the difference between a fluffy cake and a pancake.
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Always soak: Syrups are essential to add flavor and prevent dryness. Coffee, rum, citrus, or fruit juice all work beautifully.
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Make ahead: Genoise can be baked the day before, wrapped well, and sliced the next day—it actually cuts more cleanly.
Serving Suggestions
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Layer with strawberries and cream for a fraisier cake.
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Roll with espresso syrup and mascarpone for a tiramisu-style dessert.
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Brush with rum syrup and fill with chocolate ganache for a rich celebration cake.
Variations and Substitutes
- Chocolate Genoise – replace 25 g of flour with cocoa powder.
- Nutty Genoise – fold in ground almonds or hazelnuts.
- Gluten-Free – use rice flour or almond flour.
- No cake flour? – all-purpose flour + cornstarch works well.
Serving Suggestions of genoise sponge
Think of Genoise as a blank canvas — here’s how you can turn it into a masterpiece:
- Layer Cake: Slice into two or three layers, soak each with syrup, and fill with whipped cream, custard, or mousse.
- Fraisier: A French classic — Genoise layered with strawberries and crème mousseline.
- Tiramisu Roll: Roll the sponge with espresso syrup and mascarpone cream.
- Festive Yule Log (Bûche de Noël): Spread with chocolate buttercream, roll, and decorate with cocoa dusting and holly.
- Mini Cakes: Cut with cookie cutters into small rounds, layer with jam and cream for elegant tea-time bites.
- Trifle Base: Cube the sponge, soak in sherry or fruit syrup, and layer with custard and fruit.
Wanna be creative, try this !
Frequently asked questions
| Problem | What Went Wrong | How to Fix It |
|---|---|---|
| Cake is dense | Eggs weren’t whipped enough or batter deflated | Whip eggs until thick and ribbon-like, fold flour gently in small batches |
| Dry texture | Genoise is naturally drier | Always brush with syrup (coffee, liquor, fruit juice) before filling |
| No rise | Oven too cool, or batter sat out too long | Bake immediately in a properly preheated oven |
| Rubbery sponge | Overmixed after adding flour | Fold slowly with a spatula, avoid stirring motions |
| Eggs won’t whip | Eggs were cold | Use room temperature eggs for maximum volume |
| Cake stuck to pan | Pan not lined properly | Always grease and line tins with parchment paper |
| Cracks on top | Oven too hot | Bake at 175°C (350°F), don’t rush with higher heat |
| Soggy middle | Underbaked or oven door opened too early | Bake until sponge springs back when pressed lightly |
| Bland flavor | Genoise is intentionally plain | Pair with bold syrups, creams, fruits, or liqueurs |
| Collapsed center | Egg foam not stable or folding knocked air out | Beat eggs longer for structure, fold flour carefully without deflating |
Why It’s Worth the Effort
Yes, Genoise will test your patience. But once you master it, you hold the key to endless creations—layered with fruit, rolled with creams, or dressed in chocolate. It’s the kind of recipe that grows with you, becoming more refined each time you bake it.
So, will you give Genoise a chance this weekend? Even if your first attempt fails, remember—you’re joining a long tradition of bakers who learned resilience through this humble sponge.
