Egg Yolk Sponge Cake

Egg Yolk Sponge Cake is a super light and fluffy sponge relying on egg yolks as the base which delivers a rich and fluffy sponge. Filled with whipped cream and jam, dusted with icing sugar and you have a classic sponge cake for dessert, morning tea or just for fun.

I discovered a recipe for egg yolk sponge cake on Nigella Lawson’s community site. I had mad a pavlova for Christmas and had egg yolks left over. I scoured the internet for recipes that only required egg yolks and stumbled across this recipe. I have never been a huge a fan of sponge – I just don’t see the point in them – but a sponge with just egg yolks? This was far too intriguing not to make.

Sponge cakes usually require whole eggs to be beaten so that air whipped into them create the light and fluffy texture you all love in a sponge. With  this recipe we still beat the egg yolks but we beat them with hot water instead of egg whites.

Now when I say we beat the egg yolks, I mean we REALLY beat them. They will triple in volume! This creates the same light and fluffy texture of a regular sponge cake. Let me tell you, the egg yolks create such a rich flavour that you don’t get with regular sponge cake. So mush so, that I was even converted to a liker of sponge! Egg yolk sponge cake that is. (I still don’t like regular sponge cake.)

Now, my Grandma is the Queen of sponges. She makes the best sponge cakes and she taught me that after pouring your batter into your cake tin, you should slam the tin on the counter. This seems counter intuitive as you would think this would pop some of the lovely air pockets and lift we created with the extreme beating of the eggs but trust me… It works! It really, truly works and I have no idea why.

The favourite filling for this egg yolk sponge cake – according to my family – is whipped cream and boysenberry jam, so this is the filling I have gone for. You could of course use any kind of jam for replace that with fresh berries. A dusting of icing sugar is a must but be sure to only do that just before serving or the icing sugar will melt into the cake.

I hope you enjoyed today’s recipe and I truly hope you give this sponge cake a go and remember to rate and report back your results in the comments below. I love reading your comments! Also #lightscamerabake on Instagram for a chance to be featured! Check out my latest video Marshmallow Brownies.

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Egg Yolk Sponge Cake

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

35 mins

Total Time

55 mins

 

A super light and fluffy sponge relying on egg yolks as the base which delivers a rich and fluffy sponge. Filled with whipped cream and jam, dusted with icing sugar and you have a classic sponge cake for dessert, morning tea or just for fun.

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Egg Yolk Recipe, Egg Yolk Sponge Cake, Sponge Cake, Vanilla Cake

Servings: 12 Pieces

Calories: 193 kcal

Author: Emma Burton

Ingredients

• 6 Egg Yolks
• 1/4 Cup Boiling Water
• 1 Cup Caster Sugar
• 1/4 Cup Milk
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 Cup Self Raising Flour

Filling & Decoration;

• 1/3 Cup Boysenberry Jam
• 250 mL Whipping Cream
• 2 Tbsp. Icing Sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease and line two 20cm round cake tins and set aside.

2. Boil the water and beat that and the egg yolks on high until really fluffy (tripled in size).

3. Turn to a low speed and add in the caster sugar, milk and vanilla extract.

4. Fold through the self raising flour. Don't overmix!

5. Pour the batter into the two baking pans and slam them both on the counter.

6. Place in the oven for 25-35 minutes. This really depends on the oven so check it at 25 minutes. If a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean they are cooked.

7. Allow the cakes to cool completely before spreading the jam and cream on one cake and layering with the other. Dust the cake with icing sugar just before serving.

Recipe Notes

Adapted from here.