Sponge cake always flat 😪

[Cookieismyname]

A few months ago I thought it would be nice to take up baking as a hobby. Since then I've made a few sponge cakes which have all turned out flat. The taste is nice and the colour is lovely that just aren't light and fluffy.

Can anyone share any tips ?

Use smaller tins

What recipes are you using?

Yes, share the exact recipe, what you’re using, size of your tins etc.

I had this in the past when I waited too long between mixing wet and dry ingredients, and putting it in the oven - the bubbles formed but if you don’t get it baking quickly they just go. Also years ago I spent ages making it all flat and smooth before it went into bake and that squashed all the air out and was pointless.

• Make sure you cream the sugar and butter/Stork until it’s really white before adding the eggs
• check your self-raising flour is fresh
• fold, don’t beat, the flour in; if you’re too vigorous it knocks out the air you’ve beaten in during the creaming process
• add 1 tsp baking powder to the sifted flour

What Vonbonbon said!

I’m an avid baker.

Use a baking spread. Ideally Aldi own (it’s better than stork and cheaper!) or butter.
Either way make sure to cream your fat and sugar together until it’s really fluffy. I put my spread and sugar in the mixer for a good 5 minutes on high. Then add eggs, flour, milk in fast mixing each addition just enough to combine it. If all else fails watch some videos on how to do it. I use tik tok a lot as it’s so much easier if you can see what it should look like rather than reading.

Don't smooth the top much, it spreads out in the oven anyway.
Put it in oven as soon as you've mixed it, don't let it hang around on the side.
Never ever open the oven door during the first stage of baking. Wait until it has formed a crust (basically the stage where you are thinking 'is it ready?').

@Zucchero do the size of tins effect the cake?

@Blackdow BBC Good Food and also the BBC recipes site.

@Talipesmum not sure the size of the tin but can measure them. I put it in the oven immediately once everything is mixed. I use a kenwood k mixer that I use. I am a little confused on the mixing and wondered if that was a issue.

@VonBonbon thanks will try those tips with the mixing. I've just bought a new pack of self raising flour will see if that helps.

Don’t open the oven door until well over half way through cooking time.

My recipe which works for me every time:
weigh 4 eggs, measure out same amount in spreadable butter, caster sugar and SR flour (between 225-250g usually)
Beat sugar and butter in a mixer for a good 5 mins, until pale and fluffy
Add eggs one at a time and mix in, along with 1tsp vanilla
Fold in the flour carefully, don’t knock out all the air
Split mixture between 2 shallow tins which have been greased and lined
Bake for 25 mins at 165 fan in a preheated oven
Leave to cool in tins for a few mins, then turn out and remove paper
Cool completely before filling, traditionally with seedless raspberry jam

enjoy!

If you use a tin that’s too big for the amount of cake mix, it’ll spread out thin and there won’t be enough to rise up. Recipes will always specify a size and you need to either use that size or make more / less mix.
Which bbc good food recipe? There are billions.

I have the same problem! Not soggy buttons but flat tops.

The old fashioned way of making a sponge is creaming the sugar ( caster ) to the fat until light and fluffy. Then gradually add the mixed egg spoonful by spoonful to stop curdling . Then fold in gently the sieved s.r flour , before baking.

@ExquisiteSocialSkills I have see through glass oven doors so watch it that way. Andpretendthatiamonbakeoff

@MauraLabingi I pop it in once everything is mixed. I do spread the top so will just let it sit naturally.

@SENSummer yeah am not mixing it for 5 minutes. More like 1 or two minutes.

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/school-days-sprinkle-sponge

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/sponge-cake

I've tried these ones.

The two you've linked are not the standard sponge recipe. If I made that I'd be unsurprised if something went wrong! I'm sure it's possible to get them right, but they don't look beginner friendly.

Do the normal method:
6oz butter
6oz caster sugar
3 large eggs, beaten
6oz self-raising flour
Whisk butter and caster until pale and fluffy. Whisk in egg a little at a time. Fold in flour.
Bake 180° in two 8 inch tins, around 15-20 minutes.

Really beat the butter and sugar together well at the start.

What are you using to do this? I much prefer using an electric, double prong hand mixer. Gives a much better beating than a food processor IMO!

Mine fall a bit flat too. Interested that none of the recipes listed here use milk - I add a few tablespoons at the end until it’s dropping consistency. Maybe this is what I’m doing wrong?

@HundredPercentUnsure I use my kenwood mixer. I do have a electric hand mix double head mixer but find everything goes all over the place.

@MauraLabingi thanks for your recipe will give it a try.

@TotemPolly you have just brought back school memories of seiving and figure of 8.

Should a sponge cake be on the top shelf of the

oven?

That cake recipe is too eggy. Even if you switched large for medium eggs the story ingredients have been adjusted down. It should be 1 medium egg and 2oz of sugar, fat and flour. Error recipe! Go back to the traditional victoria sponge.

You have to use the right size tin for the amount of mixture. I have started using a 6oz sponge cake mix for a single layer 9" square tin to get that fluffy effect. That would be two 7" round sandwich tins.

Stork soft marg is the bees knees for a sponge cake. Beat for ages with sugar until very pale. Then add room temperature eggs and fold in flour.

Agree with a pp...use baking marg/spread...I think it gives a better texture than butter. And I also add one or two tablespoons of lukewarm water to the batter once it's made.

Yes. I would say that milk makes a cake heavier and squishier. I put milk in muffins, but never in a sponge.

I've been using Aldi spread to make the cakes. Just found round baking tins forgot I had they are 8"

On my attempts I've been using the silicone round cake things. Maybe it's because they have a lip and not big sides?

Another one who creams the fat and flour for five minutes. I also second advice to add a teaspoon of baking powder to the flour.