Pan di Spagna Recipe

4.99 from 60 votes

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This Italian sponge cake made of just three ingredients - eggs, sugar and flour. Often flavorings like vanilla are added. It's used in layered cakes which are drenched in flavored syrups and filled with pastry cream, ricotta fillings or mascarpone cream.

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Total Time45

Servings: people

Author: Marcellina

Equipment

1 Electric mixer with whisk attachment
1 9 inch (23 cm) springform cake pan use an 8 inch cake pan if you want a higher cake

Ingredients

5 large eggs (room temperature)
¾ cups granulated white sugar (150 grams)
1 ¼ cups cake flour (150 grams)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest ((or 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract)optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 340ºF/170ºC. Butter a 9-inch (22.5 cm) springform cake pan (or an 8-inch (20 cm) cake pan if you prefer a higher cake) and line the base and sides. Sieve the flour and set aside.
Using an electric mixer and the whisk attachments, beat the eggs with the sugar at maximum speed for about 15 minutes until frothy and and thick. In the last minute or two add the vanilla extract and lemon zest (if using).
Once the eggs have been whipped, stop the electric mixer. Mix in the sieved flour a little at a time using a large metal spoon or rubber spatula. Take care to slowly incorporate it with gentle movements from the bottom up.
Pour the mixture into the previously buttered and lined springform pan.
Bake in a preheated oven for 25 minutes or until cooked through, absolutely avoiding opening the door during the first 20 minutes of cooking. To be sure that the sponge cake is completely cooked, test the toothpick by inserting it in the center of the cake until it touches the bottom of the pan. If it comes out dry, the oven can be switched off. Leave the pan in the oven off (but still hot) and with the door open for about 5 minutes (this will prevent the sponge cake from undergoing a thermal shock and deflating too much as it cools).
Remove the sponge cake from the pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack before serving or storing.
If well wrapped in plastic wrap the sponge cake lasts 3-4 days in the refrigerator, or it can be frozen.
Though this cake is mostly used in other Italian desserts you can serve it as is keeping in mind it has no added fat so isn't moist like regular cakes. Serve with a dusting of granulated or powdered sugar with whipped cream or mascarpone.

Notes

Tips for Success

Have the eggs at room temperature.
Don’t open the oven door for the first 20 minutes of baking.
When the cake is ready, leave the door ajar for 5 minutes before removing the cake.

How to tell if the cake is ready

Don’t rely only on baking time. Ovens vary, so visual cues are more reliable.
The cake should smell lightly toasty when it is close to ready.
Take a peek in the oven to see if the cake is pulling slightly away from the sides of the pan.
The top should be matte and not sticky to the touch.
When the pan is gently shaken, the cake should not wobble.
Finally, insert a skewer or toothpick into the center. It should come out clean before removing the cake from the oven.

For more information and tips, scroll up to read more.

This recipe is based on the classic Italian sponge cake, which appears in a multitude of cookbooks and websites.

Nutrition