How do I ensure sponge cakes rise without using to too much raising agent?

Question

I like sponge cakes and find the ones I bake at home are too hard, don't rise very far and are rather dry. We use a fan oven and follow the standard Delia Smith approach rather than Gary Rhodes, because he recommends using too much sodium bicarbonate and cream of tartar.

Answer 1

You don't need any of that junk in a sponge cake, just raise the temp a bit and don't open the oven door too often

mix it well.

Answer 2

I am writing my own cookery book and I am very good at cake making, I always beat the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon, I always use plain flour to which I add baking powder ( 3 teaspoons per 8oz of flour ), make sure you sieve the flour. You must also make sure the butter and eggs are at room temperature.
Use large eggs. Fold the flour into the mixture with a metal spoon. The mixture should drop easily from the spoon, if it appears too stiff add a few teaspoons of cold water. Most importantly I always line the tin/tins even if they are non stick, cut the baking parchment about 1inch deeper than the depth of the tin/tins, this pulls the cake up . With a fan oven you should reduce the temperature by 20 degrees celsius. Do not open oven until the recommended cooking time has been reached. Leave in tin/tins for about 1 minute then turn out onto a cooling rack. Iam sure if you stick to these rules that you will have some success. Good luck, keep us informed.

Answer 3

Use self raising rather than plain. Means you don't need the tartar and soda.

Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature, and never use a cold spoon. Fold in the flour, bon't batter it with the spoon! Folding it in ensures maximum air gets into the mixture.

Put them in the middle of the oven, and don't open the door till their ready, which is really only do-able if you have a windo on the door.

Answer 4

beat the eggs before they go in the mixture ,i tried a different flour after disasters you can get a light flour for cake baking.
try to use tub marg instead of block marg.
cream the sugar and marg long even if its boring a little extra helps when beating in the egg try sieving in tiny amounts of flour too and when it comes to putting the flour all in fold it in not whisk
folding is just add some flour and turn mixture over onto it ,
all the mixing you do before the flour can be as long as you want but when you fold the flour in you want to be as little as it takes to mix it in.
Fan ovens always say to reduce time and heat when im doing cakes i just keep them the same as recipe asks and make sure the oven is hot ,infact heat it higher than asked say 200 instead of 180 and when mix is put in oven reduce to 180 again (door has been opened remember)
if you still don't like the sponge maybe look for another recipe i have found with alot of Delia's recipes they aren't the tastiest !

Answer 5

Make sure the beaters and bowl is so very grease and oil free-walk softly and close the oven door gently-and don't peek too much at the cake =don't over cook. It the climate too dry - may want to put a sm.tin can of water in oven- if not a convection oven- happy baking-D

Answer 6

Alway's use self raising flour! You do not need to use sodium bicarbonate or cream of tartar!! Try this for a perfect sponge!
4ozs s/r flour.
4ozs butter or margarine.
2 medium sized eggs.
4ozs sugar.
Cream butter and sugar till pale and fluffy.( Try using an electric hand mixer)
Beat eggs,add to mixture, bit by bit,beating well in between each addition.
Fold in flour,bit by bit,until all is used.
Divide mixture between two 7 inch sandwich tins, and bake til softly brown. Simple. Sanwich together,with a filling of your choice! Enjoy.
The secret to remember, once the self raising flour in added,the quicker you work the better, this is because the raising agent in the flour starts to act the minute it is added to the mixture!!

Answer 7

This is my job - making cakes.

Make sure the eggs and butter are at room temperature before you start ( I cheat by putting my butter in the microwave for a few secs).

Weigh your eggs then add the same amount of butter, self raising flour and caster (fine) sugar. I then add an extra ounce or 10g of flour (this helps absorb the fat from the butter) and baking powder (1teaspoon per 8oz/250g of flour).

Mix the butter and sugar together, then add eggs (lightly beaten) followed by flour and then 2/3 tablespoons of milk. You can also add vanilla extract for a creamier flavour.

Then bake at 160*C for 25mins, perfect Victoria sponge every time, I promise!! Do not open your oven door until the 25 mins are up otherwise they sponge will droop in the middle.

Good luck, if you have any more problems, just drop me an email.

Answer 8

weigh the eggs in their shell use the same amount of caster sugar, soft margarine and self raising flour add 2 level teaspoons of baking powder and mix until smooth then add 1 table spoon of very hot water mix it into the mixture and you will have a sponge that will rise and be perfect oh bake at 170 or gas mark 6 for 25-30 mins

Answer 9

I think getting really good quality free range eggs will help. Good quality sieved flour, don't bother with the bi carb and stuff. Beat really well (wooden spoon) so you can draw a line in the mixture. Keep oven door shut at a warm temp so it cooks slowly and is light brown. And if icing make a dip in the middle of one of the mixtures in the tin so that the top is flat and the icing dosn't drip off the sides.

Answer 10

Stick everything in a bowl for every 2oz sugar you need 2oz marg or butter 1 egg 2oz self raising flour mix with electric mixer put in oven and don't open the door for 15/20 mins