Monday 18 June 2007

Peach Layered Sponge Cake

We decided to make a cake for my husband to celebrate Father's Day. Although I've learned how to bake a sponge cake, I am always lost when come to cake decorating. The boys and I spent some time discussing before we decided that I could make a Darth Vader chocolate transfer and use it for to decorate the cake. My hubby is a fan of star wars...and he likes using various Darth Vader icons in his PC. So, with the help of a Darth Vader's mask, I drew up a template to make the chocolate transfer. I melted some chocolate and piped the outline of Darth Vader over the template. I was quite satisfied with the result and kept the chocolate transfer in the freezer before baking the sponge cake.

I use the same sponge cake recipe which I did earlier but reduced the sugar amount by half, and simply filled the layers with whipped cream and canned peach slices. When I was ready to transfer the chocolate Darth Vader template over to the the cake top...it started to melt and broke into pieces :'( This was despite that I used a metal spatula to transfer the chocolate, I didn't even use my bare hand as I knew the warm from my hand would melt the chocolate. Guess, I can forget about using chocolate transfers in cake decoration unless I have a cold-room in my house!

Since I didn't want to have a plain-looking cake, I tried piping wordings on the cake. Then, I piped a supposedly caricature of my hubby...but it didn't turn out as expected...urrrgh! the decoration really cannot make it.

Was quite upset over it, but when my hubby saw it, he just smiled and assured me it's the thots that count. To proof his gratitude, he finished up three slices at a go ;p




I do like the texture of the sponge cake though...it was light, soft and a little moist. Over all the cake tasted sweet and refreshing with the peach slices and whipping cream.



Ingredients:
(make a 20cm round cake)

4 eggs, bring to room temperature
100g caster sugar
4g salt
140g cake flour
30g salad oil**
30g fresh milk

filling & frosting:
1 cup non-dairy whipping cream
1 can peach slices

Method:
  1. Sift cake flour, set aside. Grease and line a 20cm round pan, set aside. Pre-heat oven to 180degC. Position rack at the lower bottom of the oven.
  2. With an electric mixer, whisk eggs and sugar & salt on HIGH speed for about 5 to 7mins, until the batter double in volume and is ribbon-like (the batter should leave a ribbon-like texture when the beater is lifted up). Turn to LOW speed and whisk for another 1 to 2 mins. Whisking at low speed helps to stabilise the air bubbles in the batter.
  3. Add sifted cake flour into the batter. With a spatula, gently fold in the flour until well blended.
  4. With a spatula, mix about 1/3 of the batter with the salad oil in a separate bowl. Fold in this mixture into the remaining batter. This method will help to ensure the oil will be fully blended and at the same time will not deflate the batter.
  5. Add in fresh milk and fold in gently with spatula.
  6. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 35 mins, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Unmold and cool completely.
Assemble the cake
  1. With an electric mixer, whip the whipping cream still stiff.
  2. Slice the cake horizontally into 3 layers. Place one of the cake layers cut-side down on a cake plate.
  3. Spread the whipped cream over the layer. Arrange rings of peach slices to cover the whole layer. Fill with some more whipped cream. Top with the second cake layer, cut-side up.
  4. Repeat step 3 for the second cake layer. Top with the third layer.
  5. Spread the whipped cream over the top and side of the cake. Decorate as desired.
(**Note: Salad oil is a term which I have translated from the Chinese recipe. It refers to vegetable oil. You can use sunflower oil, canola oil, olive oil, as long as the type of oil you use doesn't give a strong smell.)

170 comments:

Patricia Scarpin said...

The cake looks delicious and I love the way you decorated it! Lovely!

Mandy said...

hey, I like your design! It's so original! I want to do something for my hubby's birthday, but not sure if I can draw as well as you!

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Patricia, thanks for your kind words!

Hi Mandy, I'm sure you can come up with something better than mine :b

Anne said...

Who said your cake sucks?! I for one cannot draw something like that on my cake :) When I saw your pics at flickr I eagerly waited for your post...seeing your cake made me smile and my kids totally liked it. Well done!

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Anne, thanks a million for your kind words! It took me a while to decide whether to put this up in my blog. I only did so just to share the sponge cake recipe for those who are interested in trying out the cake recipe.
btw, this is the only kind of drawings I could do since young...and till now, I cannot go beyond this standard, lolz!

^cherie said...

Aww.. your hb is so sweet! :)

And guess what? My drawing skill is as good as yours too! LOL. Hi5 yeah? :P

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Sherie, yeah, Hi5 to u! haha!

Cate said...

The cake is adorable, and looks delicious!

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Cate, thanks! It really warms my heart with the kind words from all of you out there :)

Helene said...

Looks gorgeous and refershing!

Mel said...

hello! your blog looks really good! im just wondering... what brand non-dairy whipping cream do u use and where do u get it from? Thanks

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Mel, I got the non-dairy whipping cream from Phoon Huat...it's under their house brand, Red Man.

Anonymous said...

Erm . can i ask u . the layers of cake rite . can i don put the peach but jus cream ? like the birthday cake ? and how to make the layers ? care to teach mi ? i really wish to do n birthday cake for moi upcoming fren's bdae . thanks .

Anonymous said...

erm is like . can u teach mi a easier mathod of making the layers. i don really understand wad u said there . sorry to trouble u . i really wish to make a cake myself . thanks !

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Sylvia, it's very nice of you to make a cake for your friend :)
You need not add in the peach, just the cream will do. What you do is slice the cake horizontally into 3 layers. Place one layer one a cake cardboard (cut-side down), spread with cream, then place another layer on top, spread with cream and then place the 3 layer on top. You can also choose to make it into 2 layers instead of 3. I'm not sure whether I have answered your question, let me know if u are still not clear.

Junbug said...

where ru located? what is the recipe portion size in cups / tbsp? i don't know how to measure with grams. it looks delicious
i tried many amercian sponge cake recipe. i like it that they have no oil or butter but they never turn out right. it's very spongy and hard

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Jun, I reside in Singapore. You can use a weighing scale to weight the ingredients. Alternatively you may try this site (http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/cookingconversions.asp?Action=find) to calculate the conversion from metric weight to cups. hope this helps :)

Anonymous said...

Hi there, May I know whether if I can replace the salad oil with olive oil or corn oil?

Thanks..

Regards..May

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi May, yes you can use olive oil. I am not sure about corn oil though. Sometimes I'll use canola or sunflower oil if I run out of olive oil. Hope this helps :)

Anonymous said...

Thanks a million. I'll try out this recipe for sure...

Regards...May

Anonymous said...

Hi again. Just want to check with you. I made the cake today but it didnt turn out really soft though. The sides of the cake is rather hard and not very spongy. Any idea why? Did I overbeat the flour? But overall, it still taste good.

Thanks for posting the recipe.

Regards..May

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi May, if you have got problem with the sides, then it could be the oven temperature (too high), or the type of baking pan you used. If you are using those non-stick (dark coloured) pans, the sides may get baked faster than the centre, as the pan absorbs heat faster, causing it to form a thick crust. If you are using an aluminmum tin, then I am afriad I'm not sure what went wrong, as I am also relatively new to baking ;)

Anonymous said...

Hmmm I'm using the baking pan with those removable bottom. I think its called a springform pan. With a clip on the side.

Thanks anyway for your help. This recipe is definitely a keeper.

Regards...May

Anonymous said...

Hi happy homebaker! I'm a form 2 student from Malaysia, blog-hopped and found your wonderful blog some time ago. Although I'm a rookie, I have real strong passion in baking. I like how detailed you explained every of your baked goods! Really gives me much inspiration and confidence on baking something that will turn out as nice as yours ( hopefully ). Furthermore, you're never stingy about providing recipes through your blog. Love your blog very much! Continue blogging as frequently as possible as I'm an avid reader of your blog. Can't wait to get some whipping cream from the supermarket and try out your swiss roll recipe tmrw! :D


Merry christmas in advance!

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Isn, thanks so much for your encouraging and sweet comments :D
Merry Xmas to you too!

Unknown said...

Heya! I needa ask you something. Since a 8 inch cake, u used 140grams of flour. Then what if i am going to use a 9 inch pan? It means 180grams of cake flour? ^_^

Anyway, your cake is really pretty & im trying to bake like yours.
Looks yummy too! :D

Unknown said...

Sorry. I would like to ask does it also means 5 eggs and a little more sugar too for the 9 inch cake? ^_^

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Jasmine, I am afraid for baking, the combination/amount of ingredients used cannot be adjusted according to the pan size. It is best to stick to the recommended pan size in order to be successful, otherwise you may look for other recipes that uses a 9in pan. So sorry, I am of not much help here :(

Siew Yee C said...

Oh dear. My cake failed really badly.

First, it didnt rise! It was so flat. Gosh.
Second, my cake wasnt soft at all! It was really really hard & doesnt turn out like yours!

Ohmy, any tips? :D

I use a whisk instead of a hand mixer. Does that makes a difference? hmm.

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Siewyee, sounds like you didn't beat the eggs enough. The cake didn't rise as there is no baking powder used, it rely on the beaten eggs to rise, as a result, the cake will also not be soft. You may use a manual whisk to beat the eggs & sugar, but you will have to beat until the batter becomes double in volume, and it leaves a ribbon like trace when you lift up the whisk. You may refer to the step-by-step photos under my recipe Strawberry Mango Cake (http://happyhomebaking.blogspot.com/2007/07/strawberry-mango-cake.html). The hand mixer will take about 8 mins of high speed to beat the eggs to the ribbon stage, as such if you are using a hand whisk, you will probably need double the time. How long did you beat the eggs? Hope this helps :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Happy Home Baker,

As I was trying my hands to bake your peach layered sponge cake last week, then I realised that the measuring cup that I used is in ml. Thus, would you let me know what is the ml for below. Thanks a lot. Regards, novice baker.

30g salad oil
30g fresh milk

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Anonymous, I use the weighting scale to weigh the oil and milk. My measuring cup is also in ml :p

Anonymous said...

Hi Happy Homebaker,

So is it 30ml salad oil and 30ml fresh milk. Sorry, I am confused. Thanks. novice baker.

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Anonymous, I am sorry for the confustion. The oil and milk are in grams...ie 30g milk, 30g oil. I use the weighting scale to weight it instead of using a measuring cup. You can first weigh an empty cup/container to get the weight, then add another 30g of oil or milk to the cup/container to get the required amount.

Anonymous said...

Hi Happy homebaker,

Thanks for the clarification. Just let you know I like your recipes and visit your blog often. Your recipes are easy to do and you are always generous and clear with your instructions. Thanks again. Novice baker

Anonymous said...

I have tried this recipe for 3x and failed badly...not too sure how to fold the flour in though i kept going thru your step by step instructions...by the time i fold in e flour, the vol deflated...how to overcome this stage? would love to bake a cake for my husband's birthday...

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Anonymous, sorry to hear about your unsuccessful attempts :(
You can take a look at the video clip demo on a chocolate genoise cake by Julia Child and Alice Medrich. It's a good demo on the folding technique (http://www.pbs.org/juliachild/meet/medrich.html). Hope this helps.

Anonymous said...

Hi happy homebaker. I love LOVE your recipes. I recently made a layered sponge cake (which I got from your site) and I am absolutely thrilled at how well it came together. I'm hoping for more awesome recipes in the near future. Thanks! :o)

(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j102/egnita/IMGP1227.jpg)

Anonymous said...

Hi Happy Home Baking,
I baked this cake using self raising flour as the shop told me cake flour is the same as self raising flour. The cake turn out dry and not smooth. Is it due to the flour used?

Thanks,
Ro

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Ro, cake flour is different from self raising flour. Self raising flour has got baking powder added to it. As compared to plain flour, cake flour has got lower protein content. I am not sure what went wrong, it could be the flour used, but it could also be due to other factors such as the baking temperature, time, the way the eggs were beaten and the folding of the flour into the egg mixture.

Empressfang said...

Dear Happy Home Baking,

I recently discovered your blog and am so inspired by your entries. Your cakes look so pretty and delicious! I'm going to try baking my first real cake: the peach layer sponge cake for my friend's bday but I would like to ask you-

For the filing, what is the difference between using non-dairy whipping cream and whipping cream? Some of the cakes you used whipping cream (for strawberry sponge cake), and some you used non-diary whipping cream. Pls advise.

Thanks!

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Empressfang, I have actually used non-dairy whipping cream for the strawberry sponge cake as well. Sorry I wasnt very specific then, will update it. I personally prefer to use non-dairy whipping cream to frost a layered cake as we like the taste, it is already sweetened and it is not so creamy as compared to the dairy whipping cream. I use dairy whipping cream for chilled cakes such as no-bake cheesecake. Hope this helps :)

Empressfang said...

Yes, thanks for your advise!

Anonymous said...

Hi HHB,

I tried this sponge cake twice today and both times unsuccessful :( dunno why the cake does not really raise. I did beat the eggs until like ribbons and it looks so fluffy & nice. Am using 20cm aluminium pan too. I suspect it's either bec of me using olive oil or the oven temp is too high at 180degree. The cake taste alright but it's very hard, esp the bottom part. Really hope i can make nice, soft and moist sponge cake like you. I always like to make layered cake, but I must get the sponge right first....thks

Cindy

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Cindy, so sorry to hear about your unsuccessful attempts :(
Did the cakes rise upon baking?
If you have beaten the eggs well, then it could be due to the folding in of the flour (remember to sieve it at least twice before using, and sieve over the egg mixture when ready to fold in). I don't think it has got to do with the olive oil. I use olive or sunflower oil depending on what I have on hand. The cake should not be hard at all. The oven temperature will only cause the cake to be on the dry side or have a burnt top, it shouldn't cause the cake to be hard before the cake surface got burnt. Maybe you can try the other sponge cake recipe which is for 18cm pan size, at my "Santa Claus Cake" post. I have also placed a demo video link there, you can take a look to see how a sponge cake is done. Do let me know if you have any problem. I really hope you can get it right the next time. Good luck!

Anonymous said...

hi, do you think you could convert the recipe to cups, tbsp, and tsp? i tried looking online for a unit converter, but i can't seem to find an accurate one. the cake looks so delicious and i want to make one for my mom. thanks!! :)

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Anonymous, I am sorry I am not able to convert the recipe to cups as I'm afraid it will not be accurate. I use the scale to measure out the ingredients, and I have problem with recipes that uses cups. So it is not advisable to convert the recipe. Would you be able to get a weighing scale? I used a small, simple and cheap Diet scale. Sorry I am not of much help here.

Parita said...

Hi, Your cake looks very nice, you use cake flour, we donot get cake flour here, can i use normal flour, should i add baking soda or baking powder?

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Parita, It is not necessary to use any baking soda or baking powder for this sponge cake recipe. You can refer to this site (http://www.joyofbaking.com/IngredientSubstitution.html) on how to substitute cake flour with normal flour. Hope this helps :)

Anonymous said...

1st, thank you for sharing :) haha! I love yr cake! :) I was wondering how can i make icing for the wording?

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Iris, I just melt some chocolate and use it to pipe the wordings. I have also tried using nutella to pipe letterings on cookies ;)

tris said...

thank you! I'm trying to bake mango strawberry cake today! I'm excited !! WHOO :)

Anonymous said...

What is salad oil?

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Dion, salad oil is just a general term...it refers to vegetable oil, I translated it from the Chinese recipe. You can use sunflower oil, canola oil, olive oil, as long as the type of oil you use doesn't have a strong smell.

Chicken said...

=D THANK YOU SO MUCH. i have never made a sucessful sponge cake before. I made one today! If you want to see it here it is :http://www.flickr.com/photos/14689212@N08/

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Judy, I am happy to know that you have great success with your 1st sponge cake! YOu have done a great job in decorating it too :)

agapejen said...

Hi HHB, I tried your recipe and I must say the cake taste real good.. However, I have to admit that I have failed 2 times as I did not read your instruction properly. The first time, the cake didn't rise at all, second time, only the time layer did, the bottom half is hard, more like Kueh and it is so flat that it couldn't be layered! The third time, I followed all your advice and make sure the egg is well beaten. thank you. This is the first sponge cake I made that is edible.

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi agapejen, glad to hear that you have succeeded. As baking is a Science, it is best to follow recipes as closely as possible.

Anonymous said...

Hi,

Your cake looks delicious :) I really like to try it for Father's Day. I have couple of questions though.

You mentioned "Position rack at the lower bottom of the oven. ". Does that mean I just use the top heater instead of top & bottom heater?

How many gram is 1 cup non dairy whipping cream?

Thanks & regards

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi, no, it means that you place the rack at the lower bottom of the rack position, so that your cake is positioned in such a way that it is in the middle of the oven. My oven has only one set of heating element which is at the top, you can use both top and bottom heat. I'm sorry I have not weighed the whipping cream, but I think it should be around 250g. Hope this helps.

Unknown said...

Hi HHB,

I was wondering if you can make these kinds of layer cakes one layer at a time since I don't have very tall baking pans (they're about 3.5cm in height).
Also, if I did that, would it be bad to stick them both in the oven at the same time?
Thanks!

Jenny

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Jenny, yes, you can bake the cake in two separate pans, it is best to bake both at the same time, as once the batter is ready, it should be sent into the oven, otherwise the cake may not rise after baking.

Anonymous said...

What is salad oil? Can I use normal vegetable oil?

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi,
Salad oil is just a general term...it refers to vegetable oil, I translated it from the Chinese recipe. You can use sunflower oil, canola oil, olive oil, as long as the type of oil you use doesn't have a strong smell.

momo said...

hi hi
When u mentioned Whipping Cream, you dun mean those pressured-can whipped cream rite? If not, what kind of whipping cream is it? I have a hard time looking for it cos not knowing how does it look like? ;p

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Momo, no not the can type. I bought NON-Dairy whipping cream from Phoon Huat, the brand is REDMAN. You can try cold storage, look for this brand "Pour & Whip". Hope this helps.

Chicken said...

It comes in liquid form. Look near the milk aisle. It says heavy whipping cream. and you just make sure your bowl and the cream is very cold before you use a whisk or electric beater to beat the %^&** out of the cream until it thickens into soft/ medium/ or stiff peaks =] hope i helped ya

Risu said...

Your pictures looked amazing and a friend had asked for strawberry sponge cake, so I tried out your recipe before I made one for her...and they turned out pretty good! Thank you for sharing the recipe! The sugar content from this one worked very well, and except for forgetting to adjust baking times for baking in two pans (I'm not very good with a knife...), they turned out better than I expected.

I'm afraid I'm no good with decorating and frosting either, but here's how it turned out...
http://i26.tinypic.com/2ypn1p1.jpg

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Risu, you friend is so lucky to have you bake a cake for her. I am glad to see that your cake has turn out well :)

Trish said...

How should I go about to replace peach+cream with red bean + cream, like the green tea layer cake sold at Breadtalk?

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Trish, I am sorry, I have not tried the cake from breadtalk so I am unable to give any comments on this.

lynn said...

Hi HHB!!

Wud like to ask, wat is ur ingreds for making the choco piping?? isit juz melted choco??

thanks!!

Lynn =)

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Lynn, yes it is just melted chocolate, without any other ingredients. I use chocolates that is meant for baking or making desserts. I made a paper cone (using parchment paper) and use it to pipe the wordings.

Lynn said...

HI HHB,

ok thanks for the prompt response! cox i need 2 pipe words later on my fren's bdae cake!! =) but i need white choco~ and the only ones i have @ home is Meiji eating choco!! *heart pain*

Lynn

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Lynn, white chocolate can be a little tricky to melt and use...somehow the texture/consistency is slightly different from dark chocolates, it is much thicker/more dry...but maybe it is due the type of chocolates I am using. You can also try piping with whipping cream instead of white chocolate.

lynn said...

Hi HHB, in the end i did not pipe using white choco, too precious for it to do so, so i juz deco wif the white choco by making the letter.

anyway~ i am alwaes afraid to use springform pan to bake cake, cox i scared the batter will ooze out. may i noe hw u overcome it???

lynn

lynn said...

Oh HHB, forgot to ask u, isit impt to put the cake in cake ring or springform when layering it??? i saw on youtube, they juz frost directly (incl this post)as compared to mango-peach layered cake post.

sorry so many qns!! hehe!!

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Lynn, I don't have a springform pan. My baking pan is one that has got a removeable base, while the sides is fixed, just like a chiffon cake pan without the centre tube. It will not leak.

For layered cakes, if you are using whipped cream, it is not necessary to use a cake ring or a springform pan. I use my same pan with removable base for making layered cakes which uses mousse-like fillings, or to make no-bake cheesecakes, or tiramisu. The consistency of the fillings for these type of cakes are too thin so you need a springform to allow the filling to set before unmoulding. Hope this helps.

lynn said...

Hi HHB,

thanks for the info! =) planning to make a cake for my mum's bdae, using ur mango & peach layered cake receipe! hope it works out!! thanks!!

Lynn.

sophia said...

Hi, Im from the US where we dont use the metric system. So how many cups of flour will that translate to? Also, I'm using a slightly bigger pan (9 inches) so if i boost the recipe up to 5 eggs, then how much flour, oil, milk, etc. should i use? Thanks

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Sophia, I am sorry I don't have the measurement in cups, and I don't want to give an estimate here as I have not tried it. However, you may look up for the conversion from this site (http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/cookingconversions.asp?Action=find). I wouldn't recommend that you adjust the ingredient amount, as it may affect the outcome. Maybe you can still follow the recipe but with a 9inch pan, you will get a flatter cake.

Jacq said...

Hi HappyHomeBaking,

As I browse through your blog and pages, i have to urge to bake a cake for my boyfriend for the coming valentines day. i see that you've prepared cakes for your children and family, it's so heartwarming. I would like to ask if i could use a springfoam pan to bake the sponge cake instead?

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Jacq, I am sorry I have not tried baking in a springform pan before. Have you tried using it to bake a cake? I have read that some springform pan may leak? If yours doesn't then it should be ok to use it. But do grease and line the pan with parchment paper.

Jacq said...

Hi HappyHomeBaking,

I failed baking the sponge cake! ): when i whisk the egg and the sugar, the batter did not double its volume and did not form the ribbon like thing. could it be because i used brown sugar and i used eggs just taken out from the refreigerator? and when i put the batter into the oven, it did not rise and it was very hard. you stated to use cake flour but i used plain flour instead. is is because of this? and what is the difference between cake flour and plain flour? so sorry for asking so many questions :/

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Jacq, the main reason is due to the beating of the eggs and the sugar. If you use brown sugar, the batter will appear darker brown, try use white caster sugar instead. You need to bring the eggs to room temperature, and beat the eggs and sugar till it doubles in volume, turns pale and thick. Do not proceed unless the batter reaches the ribbon-like stage.
You can use plain flour although cake flour will give better results. Cake flour has lower gluten level than plain flour. Hope this helps.

Anonymous said...

is cake flour same as self raising flour? or just regular all purpose flour?

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi, cake flour is different from self raising flour (which has got baking powder). Cake flour has a lower protein level than all purpose flour, you may like to refer to this site for more details: http://www.joyofbaking.com/flour.html
Hope this helps.

Anonymous said...

Hi, for whipped cream, can I use fresh cream to make whipped cream??

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Anonymous, yes you can use fresh cream.

Anonymous said...

Hi, I tried made the cake but it didn't work. It had hole beneath it.I don't know what went wrong. I couldn't even sliced my cake into two layer.Sooo sad.

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Anonymous, I am sorry to hear about your unsuccessful attempt, to make sponge cake, you will need to follow the recipe closely, the first step is to make sure the eggs and sugar is beaten till it double/triples in volume, becomes pale and thick. Hope this helps.

Oleagopoly said...

Hi HHB!! I've been wanting to try this, and i finally did:
http://oleagopoly.blogspot.com/2010/04/hubbys-27th-peach-layer-sponge-cake.html

Can i check with you a couple of things? how much is the batter suppose to raise? i did double in volume when i beat the eggs and sugar but it deflated slightly when i added flour. Thus is a 7" pan, the batter probably was around 1/3 height, and after baking and cooling, it was around 4cm tall at most. is this expected? or should it be taller? i'd tot it's because of the batter deflating that cause the shorter cake and less fluffy texture. I've failed thrice with cake flour so this is like my best attempt so far. but would hope to understand more about working with cake flour with you =)

and i totally understand what you mean with using canned peaches or other ingredients to deco cake. i'm at a lost when working with whipped cream! mine looked a bit ugly if not because the peaches saved the day =) should sign up for some cake deco classes in future if possible =)

thanks again for the wonderful recipe!!!

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Oleagopoly, this recipe is meant for a 20cm pan. You should be able to fill up 70-75% of the pan with the finished batter. The resulting sponge layer is around 6~7cm in thickness/height.
You have to beat the eggs and sugar till it turns pale, thick and leaves a ribbon like trail when you lift up the whisk. To avoid deflating the batter, you can sieve the flour 3 times before using, and before adding, sieve it over the batter (in 3 separate additions), each time folding in with a spatula. You can look up youtube for demo on how to fold in the flour. I think maybe you have problem folding in the flour, because whether it is plain flour or cake flour, the method is still the same. Cake flour has got less gluten, so the resulting cake will be lighter and gives a 'fine' texture/crumb. Hope this helps, and your peach cake looks lovely :):)

Sue said...

Hi HHB, the non-diary whipping cream from Phoon Huat comes in a big packet. How do you store it after opening it?I have tried to store it in a tumble but mould grew on the cap and near the mouth of the tumble a few days later. How I wish there is a screw cap on the packet or smaller packet is available. It's really impossible to finish such a big packet of whipping cream within a few days.

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Sue, once opened the non-dairy cream must be used within a few days if left in the fridge. What I usually do is, I will pour 250ml each into clean glass (jam) bottles and store them in the freezer. Thaw before using, and even with freezing, it is advisable to use it up as soon as possible.

Sue said...

Thanks for the prompt response and the solution. I didn't know that it can be kept in freezer. This will definitely help to prolong the shelf life. Otherwise I will be wasting a lot.

Oleagopoly said...

Hi HHB, thanks for your response! i was surfing one of the sponge layer cake recipe which calls for 3 eggs/100g cake flour proportion for 7" pan (if my memory didn't fail me) =)

so looks like whether it's the 4 egg/20cm or 3 egg/17-18cm pan, it should have been at 3/4 height of the pan. guess there's where i failed coz the cake was too short/low when i poured into the pan.. ya i saw some of ur other posts with step by step guide to folding. I think I'll research, and try again, religiously follow through the instructions =) I sifted the flour thrice but i didn't sift when i i fold into mixture could have been one of the problem too..

can i ask, can we whip the cream then put in fridge for a while before taking it out to cream the cake? Coz it was quite soft to spread and looks like a mess. not sure if a stiffer cream mixture would help decorating the cake nice and easier. Is it true that adding sugar while beating the whipping cream could help stiffen the cream and avoid 'tearing' of the cream later?

Once again thanks for the effort you put in - clear recipe instructions, giving tips and 'online' help from our constant bugging at ur comments =P, step-by-step etc etc etc - EFFORT TO THE MAX! =)

Happy Homebaker said...

Oleagopoly, yes, for both the 20cm and 18cm pan recipes, the batter should fill up to 3/4 of the pan.

I can't comment on whether it is ok to keep the cream in the fridge as I have not done so. I usually whip and then use it right away.

There are two types of whipping cream, dairy and non-dairy. For dairy cream, it is unsweetened, so u need to add sugar to whip it. For non-dairy, it is already sweetened, no sugar is required. You have to be careful when whipping dairy cream, as over whipping will cause it to 'separate', whereas for non-dairy cream, you can beat till stiff and it will be easier to use. You can read more about it at joyofbaking.com or baking911.com. Hope this helps.

Anonymous said...

Hi HHB, I really like your details step by step guide for the sponge cake. I have a question, do you think it is ok to replace the Milk with just water or fruit juice?

StrawB3rryz said...

Hi!!! I really want to make a sponge cake for mother's day and i think I'll try your recipe! However, I noticed that you are using caster sugar- what is that exactly? Is it similar to granulated sugar? If it isn't, can I just substitute it with granulated sugar? Because I'm not sure if I can find caster sugar in my supermarket.

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Anonymous, I have not tried replacing the milk with water or fruit juice...maybe you can try with water.

StrawB3rryz, caster sugar is more fine than granulated sugar. You need to use caster sugar as the size of the sugar crystal affects the amount of air that can be incorporated into the batter during the beating of the sugar and the eggs. The size of the crystal will also affect how quickly the sugar will dissolve in the batter. Caster or castor sugar is also known as
Superfine sugar. If you really cannot get it, you can try processing granulated sugar in your food processor for a few seconds. Hope this helps.

Germaine said...

Hi , I tried baking the sponge cake & my first attempt was a total failure . It didnt rise & was really hard . Maybe its bcos I didnt beat the eggs enough , so can I add baking powder ?

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Germaine, I am sorry to hear about your unsuccessful attempt, sponge cake doesn't requires baking powder.

To make sponge cake, you will need to follow the recipe closely, the first step is to make sure the eggs and sugar is beaten till it double/triples in volume, becomes pale and thick and leaves a ribbon like trail when you lift up the whisk. Did you get to this stage?

To avoid deflating the batter, you can sieve the flour 3 times before using, and before adding, sieve it over the batter (in 3 separate additions), each time folding in with a spatula. You can look up youtube for demo on how to fold in the flour, or refer to my video clip on "making a cake roll" to get some idea. Hope this helps.

Anonymous said...

Inspired by your recipes, will give it a go...
This blog thing is all new to me so much to read so much to see... Will have to try some of these recipes for my partner too.

Jo

Reira said...

Hi HBB,

I just tried this recipe and finally I successfully baked a sponge cake thats not rubbery!!! I've beat the egg mixture for 10mins with my lousy stand mixer and used another knob on my oven for baking. Somehow it works!

Happy Homebaker said...

Reira, congrats on the successful attempt :)

Anonymous said...

Hi HHB! I was just wondering about this cake because I've attempted this cake but it always turns out flat,hard and spongeless. I've beaten the eggs until they're ribbon-like but I still don't know what's wrong. Any ideas?
Many thanks! :3

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi, if you have beaten the egg mixture well enough to reach the ribbon-like stage, then the possible cause will be the folding of the flour. You can sieve the flour 3 times before using, and when about to add to the batter, sieve it over in 3 separate additions, each time fold in the flour till the flour incorporates into the batter and yet does not deflate the batter. You can take a look at video demos (youtube) to give you an idea how to do the folding. Hope this helps :)

Anonymous said...

Hi HHB, I'm so happy find yr blog. Your creation is really nice. I just want to ask you. Is it ok I change cake flour with top flour? Is the texture of the cake will be more soft. Since I have it at home.
Thx

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Anonymous, I have not used top flour so I am not sure whether the texture will be different. I guess it will be softer??

Anonymous said...

Hi, I love this recipe compared to the other ones that I've seen but out of all of them, you had to mix it til it was light and frothy. How come yours is more creamy?
Thanks (:

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi, are you referring to the beating of the eggs and sugar? As there is no baking powder used in sponge cakes, the eggs and sugar has to be whisked until it double/triple the volume, and the batter has to be thick, creamy and leave a ribbon like trail when u lift up the whisk. This way, the cake will rise during baking and the sponge cake will be tender and fluffy. If the egg mixture is only whisk till frothy, the cake will not rise.

Anonymous said...

hi, i reside in america, i'm wondering did you used medium, or large eggs?

Anonymous said...

hi, after beating the eggs until they double fold, will they deflate if i leave them untouched for 10 minutes? (i want to experiment a little, beat the egg yolk and egg white separately and then mix them together.)

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi, I use eggs that are around 65g with shells.

Hi, this recipe uses the whole egg method...as such I am not able to make any comment as I have not tried using the separate egg method.

hazel said...

Hi HHB,

Am an avid fan of your blog :) Your food shots look so clean and nice. What camera do you use for the food shots? Also, do you use any external flash?

On food stuff> Was just wonderin if I can substitute Skim Milk for the fresh milk here.

Thanks and more power!

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Hazel, I am using a 6yr old canon powershot G3. It is a point and shoot camera. There is no external flash, and it is only 4 megal pixels.
Yes, you can use skim milk.

hazel said...

Wow.. ur not even using SLR :P maybe you can also do a side line as a food photographer :P

I finally conducted my 2nd attempt on this recipe! It was indeed a success compared to the first one which turned out raw and un-edible :P Although I think I still have to make a 3rd attempt here because cake is still a bit dry for my taste (baking temp? replace salad oil with butter?) and the cake did not rise to 6-7cm as yours did (only rose up to 4cm - wrong folding in of the flour?).

Happy Homebaker said...

hazel, I don't own a SLR camera. Will probably won't know how to use it even if I have one ;) All my photos are point and shoot...can never be a food photographer as I don't know much about photography!

It is either the baking temperature, or you may have baked it too long. In order for the cake to rise nicely, the first step is to make sure the eggs and sugar batter is well beaten till it becomes thick, turns pale and will leave a trail behind when you lift up the whisk. To test: lift up the whisk and 'draw' a '8' with it, the trail should be still visible after you have finished writing it. Then take care not to deflate the batter when folding in the flour. Replacing salad oil with batter will not affect the end result too much. Hope this help :)

hazel said...

I think it is the folding in of the flour as I was able to achieve the first step. When I folded in the flour, the batter deflated a bit. Need to do more research on the proper folding technique :P

One last follow up question, does it mean that the higher the baking temp = higher tendency for the cake to dry out? I baked it at 150C for about 30min. Should I adjust baking time to 180C for around 20min? thanks in advance!

Happy Homebaker said...

hazel, higher temp will likely cause the cake to crack...or the crust browned too quickly while the inside is still under cooked. The best is to follow the recommended temp and baking time, unless you are very familiar with your oven. For my oven, I usually have to bake it longer as it is on the 'cool' side.

Anonymous said...

I tried this today. Somehow, when I took it out of the oven, there was a thin layer that was both hard and kinda waxy. I'm not too sure what went wrong.

Anonymous said...

Hi! I tried your recipe today after failing twice on a diff recipe from another web. It turned out great the only down fall was the bottom base was crusty can you tell my why this is?

thank you for your great recipe and instruction i followed step by step it was great.

Thank you.

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Anonymous, I am not sure what went wrong, did you manage to beat the egg mixture till it becomes thick, turns pale and leave a ribbon-like trail when you lift up the whisk. You can refer to my video clip here "You can refer to my video clip here (http://happyhomebaking.blogspot.com/2008/12/matcha-adzuki-again.html), although it is for a swiss roll, the method is the same. You could have over baked the cake?

Hi Anonymous, I suspect it is due to your oven. The bottom was over baked. Maybe you can bake the cake at a higher rack level...I'm assuming that the heating coil of your oven is at the bottom?

Anonymous said...

Hi, can i use extra virgin olive oil for this recipe?

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi, no, the flavour of extra virgin olive oil is too strong to be used in baking, you can use canola or pure olive oil instead.

Anonymous said...

Hi, can i use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour?

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi, please use cake flour, in order to achieve the light texture.

Anonymous said...

Hi, may i know which brand of non-dairy whip cream did you used?

Happy Homebaker said...

I used 'Redman' non dairy whipping cream from Phoon Huat.

Anonymous said...

Is it possible for me to change the frosting to cream cheese frosting?

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi, yes you can change it to cream cheese frosting.

Denise said...

can i ask if i can put lesser oil, around 20gram of oil. Is it sufficient? and what is the purpose of the oil?

Denise said...

hello, i tried this recipe and it turns out really awsome! thanks alot for the detailed recipe (: but i still want to ask, can i use 30g of butter instead of 30g of oil?

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Denise, for the late reply. It is best to stick to the amount as stated in the recipe. However, you may replace the oil with 30g of Melted butter. Without oil/butter the sponge cake will be too dry.

Denise said...

ok thanks! i tried an attempt on 30th oct sticking to ur recipe! and it's very successful (: going to try another time tomorrow and replace the oil with butter (: can i ask what's the difference if i use self raising flour instead of cake flour?

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Denise, self raising flour has got baking powder in it, so for this recipe, you need to use cake flour as no baking powder is required.

Anonymous said...

Hi,

Can I use Top Flour instead of Cake Flour?
Thanks.

Bebe

Anonymous said...

Hi again,

I'm inspired by you, I love your blog! I admire your patience. I have no experience in baking at all and I always think I can never bake as it is too difficult!
Really thank you! You are great! I have tried your no-baked cheesecake, muffins, wholemeal banana cake and cookies! They turned out great and tasted wonderful! My family love it!
I can BAKE!!! YEAH!

This time, I wld like to try to bake a birthday cake for my 3 yr old daughter on her birthday 3 days later.
As I am new in baking and do not wish to invest too much $$ on baking tools.
I have some pass down baking pans.
Appreciate if you could advise if I can use them for sponge cake?
If not I'll really need to buy some.
Together I have some questions to ask.

1) Square cake ring (23 X 23 X 7.4)cm
2) How to use Cake ring? What shld be placed at the Base?)
3) Square Pan (17.5 X 17.5 X 5.5)cm
4) Tart Pan with removable base (21cm diameter with 4cm height)
5) what is cake plate?
6) Can I use Top Flour instead of Cake Flour?

Thank you.

Bebe

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Bebe

1, 2) I have not used a cake ring before, so I am unable to comment on this.
3) you can use a square pan for baking sponge cake, but a 17.5cm square pan is slightly smaller than a 20cm round pan (you can calculate the volume) so your sponge cake will be 'taller' compared to using a 18cm pan.
4)Tart pan is meant for tart? dont think it is suitable for a sponge cake
5) cake plate is same as a cake board...that is used to hold the cake at the base.
6) you may use Top flour, but for sponge cake, best is to use cake flour...and for most baking recipes, do try to follow the recipe (ingredients and instructions) as closely as possible.
Hope this helps.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for your prompt reply, Happy Homebaker.

I'm sorry, I've a few more questions:
1) What is the usual height for the baking pan for a birthday cake like this?

2) If I go to Phoon Huat and buy such baking pans, What is the size I should get for often use? 18cm? 20cm? Are all the height the same?
(I saw your other post on a birthday for the same sponge cake, using a 18cm size)

3) You have posted a mango mousse cake. Can you explain how you make the top layer step by step?
"Instead of decorating the cake with whipping cream, I made a mirror layer using a mixture of mango cordial, water and gelatin powder."

Thank you so much!

Bebe

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Bebe,

1. Sorry, I dont know about the usual height for baking pans. I have two round pans, 18cm diameter, 7cm height, and 20cm diameter, 5cm height.

2. It really depends on individuals...for me, I usually use the 18cm pan as most of the time, there are only 3 of us at home, me and my two kids. I think height is not so critical. But I would recommend that you get those round pans with removable base (the base is a separate piece) instead of a normal round pan. You can remove the cake easily, especially for cakes that come with crumbles or fruit toppings.

3. I am sorry, I do not have a specific recipe for that mango mirror layer...I did it by estimation. I am no professional baker, and have not attended any baking class not even a demo. Everything is self taught from books and websites. As such I dont want to be the blind leading the blind unless I have a good, proven recipe to share...hope you understand my situation. You can google for instructions to make the mirror layer, I am sure you can find many suitable recipes.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for taking your time to answer my questions. Really appreciate it.
You are a generous mummy who share all your baking experiences and receipes.
Love your blog! Love your passion!

Bebe

Anonymous said...

Umm.... this might be a stupid question but what is salad oil?

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi, it is a direct translation, it refers to vegetable oil. I usually use canola oil.

Anonymous said...

may i know y i using spatula to folding in the flour always be crumble.after bake can see those flour not mix evenly.what is the right method to folding in the flour.u got divide to 3batches ma?

Anonymous said...

i use spatula folding the flour always got the flour sink at bottom there after i finish folding the flour.and finally the batter will be deflate alot.when the oil and milk mix with 1/3 batter it become airy.the cake will rise at begining but after another while it wil be sink back..

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi, to make it easier, you can add in the flour in 3 separate additions. Each time make sure you move the spatula all the way down to the bottom of the bowl and then lift it up, at the same time, move the bowl in the opposite direction. You may google for video demo on how to make a sponge cake. I am a self taught bake, I always turn to video demo to get an idea. I am sure with practice, you will be able to succeed. cheers!

Anonymous said...

Hi Happy Homebaker,

I found your blog a few days ago and have been reading and enjoying all the amazing breads and cakes you've made. Thank you for sharing your journey and knowledge as a baker.

I just finished my 3rd attempt in making this cake. It is much better than the first two since it did not turn out like a pancake. However, I'm not sure if the density of my cake is correct. I used a 9inch pan and my cake is about one inch high.

Would you mind sharing with me how high your cake rise?

Thank you for your time and generosity!

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi, thank you for your kind comments. I am no professional baker, I am just sharing based on my experience :) The sponge cake is usually about 2 inches high. For sponge cakes you need to beat the eggs and sugar until the batter becomes very thick and will leave a ribbon like trail when you lift the beater. Also take care not to deflate the batter when folding in the flour. Do not stir or whisk, use a spatula to fold. The finished batter should be thick and not thin and runny. The texture should be airy and light, not dense like pound cake or butter cake. Hope this helps :)

sherene said...

Hi...writing on the cake is it just melt the chocolate den after the cake have set u just write down??tq :)

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Sherene, yes, that was what I did.

Anonymous said...

Hi HHB, is tis e recipe u're referring for the domo kun cake u've made? I wish to make the domo kun cake similar to the size of urs..do I need to increase the recipe amt by 2 times or just follow this recipe's amt? Also, how do u cut the cake into the shape so nicely(curve shape of the domo's hand),any tips to it? Looking forward to ur reply! ;)

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi, I used this sponge layer recipe here:
http://happyhomebaking.blogspot.sg/2008/09/nutella-swiss-roll.html

as for how I went about making the domokun cake, you can read my post here:
http://happyhomebaking.blogspot.sg/2008/12/happy-birthday.html

I made two sponge layers, ie two portion of the recipe. The cake has got two sponge layers only, not three. I drew the shapes on baking paper and use as template to cut I simply cut with a knife. ot difficult at all. The arms are separate from the body. The body from head to toe is about 10-11" , you can estimate the size with your own baking try.

May I ask if you have baked a sponge cake before? If not, I would suggest you try making one to test...coz most readers have problem baking sponge cake...the likely pit falls are due to not beating the eggs and sugar correctly, or deflating the batter when folding in the flour. Forget about my comment if you are an experienced baker.

Hope this helps.

Anonymous said...

hi homebaker,

can share where I can buy the ladies finger please

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi, I used to get it from carrefour, u can try cold storage.

Anonymous said...

Hi HHB,
May I know if the chocolate writing will bleed on the fresh cream cakes? Thanks!

-pris

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi pris, no it wont.

Unknown said...

I made this cake last night...cake is too dry..

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Cheong Kit Kum, sorry to hear that this recipe didn't turn out well. Hope you can find a better recipe that works for you. Cheers!

Anonymous said...

Hi, for the cake flour, salad oil and fresh milk, what are the brands that you used?

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi, I used prima cake flour, for the oil I used canola oil (Naturel) and meiji milk.

Anonymous said...

Hi HHB, what brand of non-dairy whipping cream did u use and where to get it? After frosting the cake, does it need refrigeration? Can it be left in aircon room for abt 3 hrs? Thanks.

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi, I used Redman brand from phoon huat. The frosted cake has to be kept in fridge. I don't think it can stay so long even in aircon room.

Anonymous said...

Hi, I just bought a pack of non-dairy whipping cream in preparation to try out your recipe. The packet is already frozen when I bought it. As you are only using 1 cup of the whipping cream, do I defrost the whole packet? Can I re-freeze the remaining un-whipped cream? TIA!

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi, i think it is best not to re-freeze anything that has been thawed. the ones I bought (so far I have tried phoon huat's redman brand and 'pour n whip' brand from cold storage) not frozen...I pour into glass jars(1 cup each) and freeze it.

VeryBerry said...

:) Aaah, I finally found out what was my problem with my cake.

I used a non-stick pan to bake the batter in - The cake didn't fall flat or anything, but remained at the same level as the liquid batter that was poured into the pan. It tastes awesome but the sides were hard/tough.

:) I was too delicate with the batter when folding in the flour, so there were tiny clumps of flour at the bottom of the mixer bowl. I'll try my second attempt later today. Many thanks for sharing! <3 Much appreciated

Celine from M'sia.

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Celine, did you beat the eggs and sugar until the batter becomes very thick and triple in volume? If the batter is prepared correctly, the cake should rise upon baking. The sides was hard as it was overbaked as I believe you use those black non-stick pan which absorbs heat too quickly before the centre is cooked. Good luck for your next attempt :)

Anonymous said...

Hi, thank you for the recipe, I made it yesterday and found it smelling very eggy, did I make it right?

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi, sponge cakes will smell eggy especially when just out of the oven, upon cooling, the smell should go away. You may add vanilla extract to the batter to take away the smell. hope this helps.