This easy recipe for Vanilla Cream Sponge Cake is perfect for any celebration. This vibrant cake made with whipped cream icing and fresh berries looks impressive but is super simple to make.
Serve this beautiful cake with Stabilized Whipped Cream that won’t lose its shape or flatten out for days.
This Vanilla Cream Sponge Cake is the perfect dessert to welcome summer! It’s an English inspired, made from scratch, super simple cake that trust me, people won’t soon forget!
If you’re a lover of yellow cake, this recipe is definitely for you! Like a traditional yellow cake, sponge cake should be light, fluffy, and taste of butter and eggs. This cake fits the bill perfectly.
Why This Recipe Works:
- The buttery vanilla flavor of the sponge cake lends a delicious richness.
- The fresh berries and whipped cream icing adds a welcome freshness.
- It’s an easy cake recipe that even the newest bakers can master.
This is my son’s favorite cake. I make it every year for the 4th of July. He calls it ‘Twinkie Cake’. He says that this cake tastes like the best Twinkie you’ll ever have.
He’s right – This cake is what a Twinkie should taste like because it’s made with fresh ingredients and no preservatives.
The cake is my go-to cake recipe. It’s a simple vanilla sponge cake that is absolutely delicious. I also use it for my Victoria Sponge Recipe. It’s a quick and easy recipe that is a real crowd-pleaser and it always comes out perfect!
Here’s How to make it:
Start with creaming the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add all of the remaining ingredients.
Beat until just combined.
Split the batter between 2 greased 8 inch round pans.
Bake for 25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Cool on cooling rack for at least 15 minutes then remove cake from pan. Meanwhile, prepare the whipped cream by placing all of the ingredients in a food processor (or mixer).
Beat until smooth and thick.
You’ll know it’s ready to use when you run a spoon through it and it doesn’t collapse into the crevice.
It’s that simple! Once the cake is cooled. Place the first layer on a cake plate and top with half the cream.
Place the top layer and top with the remaining cream and arrange the fresh berries however you wish.
You can top it with any fruit you’d like or serve it without. I think it’s perfect for any Patriotic holiday because it’s so simple to arrange and decorate.
Baker’s Tips For Perfect Sponge Cake:
- For best results, line the pans with baking paper and grease well. This is a moist cake that may stick to the pan if not prepared correctly.
- Have your ingredients measured and ready before you begin any mixing. Measure out all the ingredients so that when you start mixing you can work quickly. This prevents over-mixing the cake or leaving the cake mixture sitting too long. If the cake batter stands too long, the cake will start to lose air and result in a flatter cake.
- Always preheat the oven before you start so you don’t leave the batter sitting too long (see above) and arrange the shelves in advance – sponge cake bake best when in the middle of the oven.
- Ensure your ingredients are at room temperature. Cold eggs do not mix as easily and will not hold the same volume of air as room temperature eggs. If the butter is too cold, it won’t mix as well into the sugar and may cause over-mixing, which may result in a heavy cake.
Tips for the perfect whipped cream icing:
- Don’t over-whip – Whip the mixture only until thick. Over whipped cream may flatten faster.
Tips for using fresh fruit on cakes:
- Before using fresh fruit on a cake, be sure to wash the fruit well. Then dry the fruit thoroughly before placing on the cake. Wet fruit can bleed into the frosting and become mushy quicker.
- Arranging the fruit: Add larger fruit first then fill in the decoration by size and finish with smaller berries to fill in gaps.
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Let's Make Vanilla Cream Sponge Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup butter softened
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour Plain flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons milk
For the cream:
- 1¼ cups heavy whipping cream UK-Double Cream
- 6 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon skimmed milk powder
- 2 cups mixed berries of your choice.
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (170°C)
- In a mixer or food processor, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until combined.
- Split the batter between 2 greased 8 inch round pans, and bake for 25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on cooling rack for at least 15 minutes then remove cake from pan.
For the cream:
- Add all of the ingredients into a food processor or mixer. Whip until thick (You’ll know it’s ready to use when you run a spoon through it and it doesn’t collapse into the crevice).
- Place one layer of the cooled cake on a cake plate. Cover with half of the cream. Place the second layer on top and cover with the remaining cream. Decorate with berries of your choice.
Nutrition Information:
Update Notes: This post was originally published in June of 2015, but was republished with step by step instructions, new photos, and tips in June of 2018.
Yasmine says
Thank you so much for this recipe! My brother wanted a cream and fruit cake for his birthday so this recipe really is a live saver!
Erren's Kitchen says
Thank you Yasmine!:-)
Anne says
Hello my name is and I just wanted to say this recipe is very nice however I find it a little oily so I tried 6 ounces of butter instead of eight which you recommended which is one cup end it was just fine but I also was wondering if I can sift the flour and what would happen
Erren's Kitchen says
Hi Anne, I’ve had to look into this recipe, can you tell me where about in the world you are? I am in the process of adapting it for the UK as the metric conversions might cause problems with the amount of butter.
Yasmine says
If you sift the flour when making any cake it makes it lighter than when not sifted and easier to mix in your cake batter. Also I heard it makes your cakes lighter and fluffier so I highly recommend sifting it
Anya Parmar says
This recipe looks lovely! What size eggs should I use?
Erren Hart says
Large eggs
Cynthia ramirez says
Can you skip the powered milk part ?
Erren Hart says
You can, but the cream may flatten so I suggest assembling right before serving.
Kate says
My first cake and it turned out amazing. Thank you so much!
Erren's Kitchen says
That’s fantastic, and it’s such a great cake! Enjoy 🙂
Rosanne Picotin says
Each layer ended up super thin…the taste was good, but the whole cake wasn’t very thick or impressive at all ☹
Erren Hart says
Hi Roseanne, I’m so surprised to hear this as it’s one of my most popular cakes. I’m so sorry it didn’t work for you.
Sophie Ward says
Hi please can you send me the ingrediants in grams
Thanks
Erren Hart says
Hi, just click the metric button above the ingredients to view in grams.
Sultana Begum says
Beautiful and lush, scrumptious to eat!!!
Erren's Kitchen says
I’m so pleased you liked it Sultana 🙂