20/05/2026
It’s as simple as that.
My top tips for baking moist level sponges:
1. Room temperate ingredients. ALWAYS. Cold butter increases your chances of domed sponges, doesn’t whip air properly therefor creating a less fluffy sponge
2. Using oil with your cocoa powder when making chocolate sponges. I usually use a 2:1 ratio of CP : Oil - keeps it light and doesn’t dry out the sponge
3. Bake at a lower temp for longer. Whether I bake one tin, 2 tins or 3 tins. I run my oven at 150° and bake for around 1hr 15-20. Can vary if my oven has been on all day.
4. Don’t be tempted to open the oven door. Cakes require a consistent stimulus of heat to rise evenly, opening the door too soon can disrupt the rising agents, and bake time. Sometimes causing the cakes to sink in the middle due to the introduction of cold air too soon.
Signs I look for, for a “baked sponge”
• Sides have pulled away from the tin
• Listen to it - if there is still a high amount of bubbling, it’s not done. A small amount is fine as the cake continues to cook when it’s sat in the tin
5. Allow the cake to cool in the for atleast 5-10 minutes. As stated above, carries on cooking, removing from the tin too soon you lose some of the steam you need.
6. Wrap in clingfilm, the excess steam after cooling slightly will be locked into the cake, helping keep it soft/moist.
7. Cool completely before refrigeration.
