Pan di Spagna (Italian Sponge Cake) Recipe
Pan di Spagna is a classic Italian sponge cake known for its light, airy texture and subtle sweetness. Made with simple ingredients like eggs, flour, and sugar, this versatile cake serves as a perfect base for many Italian desserts or can be enjoyed on its own with a dusting of powdered sugar or fresh fruit.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Basic Ingredients
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 65 g Italian 00 flour (or all-purpose flour) (1/2 cup)
- 65 g corn starch (cornflour) (1/2 cup)
- 130 g caster sugar (superfine sugar) (3/4 cup)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- 1 pinch salt
- Butter, for greasing the cake tin
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 320°F (160°C) using a static (no fan) setting for the best results in baking the cake evenly.
- Prepare Cake Tin: Grease a cake tin with butter and line the bottom with a cut-out disk of baking parchment to ensure the cake does not stick to the tin during baking.
- Whisk Eggs and Sugar: In a stand mixer bowl, combine the eggs, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Whisk the mixture at medium speed while gradually adding the sugar in three separate additions to dissolve the sugar thoroughly and incorporate air.
- Whip to Ribbon Stage: Continue whisking the eggs for 15-20 minutes until the mixture becomes thick, pale, and fluffy. You have reached the right consistency when you can lift the whisk and draw a ribbon of batter on the surface and it holds briefly without immediately sinking.
- Fold in Flours: Sift together the 00 flour and corn starch. Add the flour mixture to the beaten eggs in three batches, carefully folding each addition in gently to avoid deflating the airy batter while also preventing lumps.
- Transfer and Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin, smoothing the top. Bake on the lowest shelf of the oven for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Then, transfer it to a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely before serving or decorating.
Notes
- Room temperature eggs provide better volume when whisked.
- Using 00 flour is traditional for an ultra-fine texture, but all-purpose flour can be substituted.
- Vanilla extract is optional; other flavors such as citrus zest or almond extract can be used for variation.
- Make sure to fold flour gently to maintain airiness in the batter.
- This cake can be used as a base for layered desserts like tiramisu or strawberry shortcake.
