Spongecakes - any foolproof recipe for really spongy ones?

[maggiethecat]

and are there spongecake tins or do you use regular ones and end up with a shallow batter in the tin (not sure if this would affect outcome)

Beat the butter and sugar together a lot longer than you think you need to, until it is very pale in colour and really 'fluffy'. And beat the egg before adding it to the mixture.

My sponge tins are ancient - they were my Gran's, but I've read recently that dark coloured tins encourage more even cooking than light coloured ones (dark colours absorb heat, light colours reflect it)

hth

Thanks Ros. I made one for the first time yesterday (filled with strawberries and cream) for DH birthday. He loved it and thought that the cake was spongy. I thought it could have been lighter. Lucky you that you have your gran's tins - are sponge tins shallower than normal?

I picked up a tip from Jane Asher on the telly - she said that she always uses low fat spread rather than marg or butter as it makes it lighter. I was quite surprised about that but I tried it and she was right (oviously - she makes her living from baking cakes doesn't she?)

My sponge tins are probably about 1.5 inches deep - I don't know if that's shallower than normal, I've never really compared them to anything else!

I'll try the low fat spread tip, Tommy (might make me feel less guilty about making cakes, too )

Can recommend Flora Buttery for sponge cakes - makes them really light but still moist.

Agree about the Flora Buttery. Also about low fat spread - I was using Waitrose Sunflower Spread for a while, which was great - I didn't realise for ages that it was a reduced fat one as assumed it was just their version of Flora (only about 60% I think so not ultra low fat or anything.)

Never used a spread before but it'll be first item on next shopping list!