Sponge cake is the chameleon of the dessert world: a simple vanilla cake with a light, porous texture, it soaks up syrups readily, and easily transforms into endless desserts: trifles, roulades, and ornate layer cakes, to name a few. Here are just a few ideas on where you can take sponge cake.
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RecipeBoston Cream Pie
This century-old American classic consists of butter sponge cake layered with pastry cream, and a topping of chocolate ganache zig-zagged with white icing. -
RecipeWhite Forest Cake
This impressive spin on a Black Forest cake uses sweet, dark cherries and a white chocolate mousse (instead of dark chocolate) for the filling. Pointy, curved white chocolate shards give it a sculptural, modern look -
RecipeDeconstructed Cassata
Perhaps Sicily's most famous dessert, Cassata Siciliana is a sponge cake filled with chocolate-studded ricotta cream, encased in an almond marzipan, and decorated with candied fruit and pistachio cream. This recipe combines all of the flavor components in a modernized, somewhat lighter version.
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RecipeRaspberry Lemon Mousse Trifle
A simple sponge cake is soaked with raspberry syrup and layered with tangy lemon mousse and fresh raspberries in this gorgeous, summery dessert.
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RecipeClassic Vanilla Tres Leches Cake
Tres leches cake is the ultimate laid-back party dessert: an airy vanilla sheet cake soaked in a mixture of evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and cream, then topped with a billowy layer of lightly sweetened whipped cream.
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RecipeChocolate-Orange-Ricotta Trifles
These individual layered desserts combine the flavors of tiramisu and cannoli: rich chocolate, sweet and creamy ricotta, tender coffee-soaked cake, pistachios, and candied orange peel. Leftover sponge cake can be used to make shortcakes.
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RecipeToasted Hazelnut Chocolate Marquise
This is the kind of confection you'd find in a Parisian patisserie: delicate sponge-cake ladyfingers with a crunchy toasted-hazelnut coating and a chocolate truffle-like filling. Yes, it's a project, but it's well worth the time. -
RecipeUpdated Tiramisù
The classic Italian dessert of espresso-soaked sponge cake layered with mascarpone is light, sophisticated, and not too sweet. What makes this tiramisù deliciously different is that the cake itself is flavored with coffee.
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RecipeLemon Roulade with Strawberry-Mint Salsa
This sweet and tangy cake is served with a summery topping that combines fresh, ripe strawberries with bright mint and a surprising ingredient: jícama, which adds a wonderful crunch.
