In this Instructable, I will show you how to make chocolate sponge cake from scratch. This easy homemade 4 ingredient sponge cake recipe is awesome. It isn't too sweet and it is very light and fluffy. Perfect for soaking up fruit sauces and compotes, dipping in milk, or frosted. This is a classic Italian-style chocolate sponge cake, if I can do it, you can do it. Let's get baking!

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Follow the easy steps below or watch the video tutorial or do both! :)

Step 1: Ingredients and Tools

Ingredients:

6 large eggs (room temperature)
1 cup of white granulated sugar (200g)
1 cup of cake flour or all-purpose (plain) flour (120g)
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (35g)

Tools:

Sifter
Hand mixer or stand mixer
Large bowl
Spatula
2 9-inch round cake pans (13x9 works too)
Wire rack
Parchment paper
Shortening or cooking spray

Step 2: Mix the Eggs

Preheat the oven to 350 F/176 C with the main rack in the middle position.

Add the room temp eggs to a large bowl.

TIP: If you forget to take the eggs out of the fridge, place them in a bowl of warm water for about 5 minutes and that will bring them to room temp.

Beat the eggs for a minute or two until they become pale and there will be lots of tiny bubbles. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer.

Step 3: Adding the Sugar

Now add the sugar a little at a time while beating at medium speed. I usually just do about a tablespoon of sugar at a time. Do this until it is all incorporated.

Step 4: Getting the Ribbon Stage

Now continue beating on medium speed for a few minutes then raise the speed to medium-high. Beat the egg and sugar mixture for about 10 to 15 minutes.

The volume of the eggs mixture should increase by about triple. You know you are done when you pull the beaters out of the batter and then it falls down onto itself and it resembles a ribbon.

This part is extremely important and it is what makes the chocolate sponge cake so light and fluffy.

Step 5: Sift It In

Add the flour and cocoa powder to a sifter or you can whisk them together in a bowl. Then sift in about 1 fourth of the flour and cocoa powder into the egg mixture.

Using a spatula fold in the flour. Don't stir and mix, and please put that mixer away, definitely don't use it! Folding the flour and cocoa powder in will help keep all the air that you introduced, which will result in a better sponge cake.

Keep folding it in until it is all incorporated. Make sure to check the bottom of the bowl, sometimes unblended flour and cocoa powder accumulate there.

And there you go, the chocolate sponge cake batter is ready to go.

Step 6: Prep the Pans and Bake

Take two 9-inch round cake pans and grease them with shortening and then flour them, or you can also use cocoa powder if you like instead of flour. I have both pictured here. I find that Cocoa powder tends to make the cake stick a little more on the bottom, however.

You can also spray the pans with cooking spray and use a round piece of parchment paper on the bottom. Honestly, the parchment paper on the bottom is the very best way to keep the cakes from sticking.

Pour an equal amount of batter into each pan. Then place them on the middle rack and bake them for 23 to 28 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

DO NOT open the oven door before 23 minutes. If you do, the cake may deflate on you.

Step 7: Cool and Serve

Once the cakes are done baking, turn off the oven and prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon. Allow the cakes to cool down gradually for about 10 minutes.

Then remove them from the oven and allow them to cool in their pans for about 10 more minutes. Use a cake spatula and run it along the edges to loosen the cake as needed. Then flip it over, it should come right out, and place it on a wire rack to cool completely.

In the picture you will see one cake that has a dark edge to it, that is the one that had the cocoa powder. The one I am pointing at is the floured one.

Time to serve it up! You can frost it, or just serve it with berries and powdered sugar. But where these cakes really shine is with some sort of fruit sauce. It will soak it up like a "sponge" and is oh so delicious. You can even just eat it plain or dip it in milk if you like. Totally up to you how you want to serve it.

There you go, now you know how to make a super yummy 4-ingredient Italian-style chocolate sponge cake. Enjoy!

*Print the recipe here if you want.

Step 8: Video Tutorial

Now watch those steps in action with this video tutorial:

Introduction: 4-Ingredient Chocolate Sponge Cake