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fatless sponge recipe
Nancy Wilson

Fatless Sponge Recipe

A whisked sponge made with just eggs, caster sugar and plain flour, with no butter or oil in the batter. It makes two thin 18cm layers to fill with jam and cream.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
cooling 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 8 slices
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British
Calories: 100
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Sponge
  • 3 large eggs at room temperature
  • 75 g caster sugar
  • 75 g plain flour sifted
  • 1 tsp butter or oil for greasing the tins
  • 1 tbsp plain flour for dusting the tins
Filling
  • 150 ml double cream whipped to soft peaks
  • 3 tbsp raspberry jam
  • 1 tbsp icing sugar for dusting

Equipment

  • 2 x 18cm sandwich tins
  • Large heatproof bowl
  • Saucepan
  • Electric hand whisk
  • Sieve
  • Large metal spoon
  • Baking parchment
  • Wire rack
  • Kitchen scales

Method
 

  1. Heat oven. Set the oven to 200°C (180°C fan, gas mark 6) with a shelf in the middle.
  2. Prepare tins. Grease two 18cm sandwich tins, line the bases with parchment and dust the sides with flour.
  3. Warm eggs. Put the eggs and sugar in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, base clear of the water. Whisk until the sugar dissolves and the mixture feels warm.
  4. Whisk thick. Take the bowl off the heat and whisk on high until pale, very thick, cooled and about tripled in volume. A figure of eight should stay visible for a few seconds.
  5. Fold flour. Sift over half the flour and fold with a large metal spoon, cutting down and turning. Add the rest and fold until no dry flour shows.
  6. Fill tins. Divide the batter between the tins, weighing them to match. Tilt to level. Do not spread with a knife.
  7. Bake sponges. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until pale golden, springy and just shrinking from the edges.
  8. Cool layers. Leave 2 minutes, run a knife round the edges, turn out onto a rack, peel off the paper and flip top side up. Cool for 30 minutes.
  9. Fill cake. Spread jam on one layer, top with the cream, add the second layer and dust with icing sugar.

Notes

  • Fan oven: 200°C conventional is 180°C fan or gas mark 6.
  • Tin size: for two 20cm tins use 4 eggs, 100 g caster sugar and 100 g plain flour, and check the sponges at 12 minutes.
  • Timing cues: start checking at 12 minutes. Ready when pale golden, springy and the edges just shrink from the tin.
  • Storing: unfilled layers keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Freeze wrapped layers for up to 1 month. Keep a cream filled cake in the fridge and eat within 2 days.
  • Key tip: whisk until a figure of eight stays visible for a few seconds, then fold with a metal spoon and stop as soon as no dry flour shows.
  • Fatless means no added fat in the batter. The tins are lightly greased, and the yolks carry some fat.