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Pan di Spagna – a beautiful, light and airy Italian sponge cake made with just four simple ingredients; flour, cornstarch, eggs and sugar. This classic sponge is not only super easy to make but is used to make all kinds of traditional Italian desserts such as Zuccotto and Cassata!
Pan di Spagna is one of the most famous sponge cakes in Italy. It’s used as a base for many classic desserts such as Zuccotto or Sicilian Cassata cake and can even be used to replace Savoiardi (ladyfingers) to make a delicious Tiramisu or Zuppa Inglese.
It’s so light and airy with a super soft texture making it perfect on its own with a light dusting of powdered sugar or use it to create show-stopping layer cakes for special occasions.
Pan di Spagna is really easy to make but there are a few key tips to keep in mind to ensure it comes out perfectly. Make sure to read through our top tips before you start baking.
See the recipe below including notes on ingredients, step by step photos, tips, variations and a video tutorial. For the full printable recipe scroll to the bottom or click the recipe link below
Ingredients
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Pin ItIngredient notes and substitutions
- Italian 00 flour – you can also use all-purpose flour (plain flour UK).
- Corn starch – a common ingredient used in Italian sponges is Fecola di Patate or potato starch. Since it’s not the easiest thing to find, corn starch (cornflour UK) is a perfect substitute. It makes the sponge extra light.
- Eggs – I recommend using large, free-range eggs and they must be at room temperature. Don’t use cold eggs!
- Vanilla – you can use 1 teaspoon of extract or the seeds of a vanilla bean.
- Salt – a pinch of salt really enhances the flavour of the cake.
Step by step photos and instructions
Beat the eggs and sugar – put the eggs, sugar and pinch of salt in a stand mixer and beat on medium speed for 15-20 minutes until thick, pale and fluffy. You’ll know the mixture is ready when you can draw a ribbon without it disappearing (photos 1-4).
Sift the flour – Next, sift both flours and gently fold them into the egg mixture one third at a time (photos 5 & 6).
Transfer to cake pan – transfer the batter to your prepared cake pan and gently flatten the top with a spatula. Don’t tap it on the work surface or you’ll knock too much air out (photos 7 & 8).
Bake – Bake the cake on the lowest shelf of the oven for 40 minutes. Remove the cake and let it cool slightly in the cake pan for 5-10 minutes then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely (photos 9-12).
Recipe tips
- Use a kitchen scale: as with any baking recipe, the only way to get accurate results every time is to weigh the flour with a kitchen scale. I always test our recipes using a scale and American cups but it’s very easy to over-measure flour using cups so I don’t recommend it for baking.
- Use room temperature eggs: Make sure that your eggs are at room temperature before you start making the cake.
- Beat the eggs well: When making Pan di Spagna, the eggs are the key to creating a light and fluffy cake without any rising agents. Be sure to beat the eggs and sugar together for at least 15-20 minutes, until the mixture is pale, thick and fluffy.
- Sift the flour: make sure to sift both flours and add it to the eggs in 3 increments to ensure that there are no lumps in the cake batter.
- Don’t overmix: When folding the flour into the egg mixture do it gently to avoid knocking the air out of the egg and overmixing the batter.
- Don’t open the oven door! it’s very important to not open the oven door until the end of baking or the cake will sink.
- Letting it cool – let the cake cool for 5 minutes in the cake pan but then remove it to a cooling rack. Don’t let it cool completely in the cake pan or it has a risk of overbaking and drying out.
Recipe FAQs
Pan di Spagna needs to be wrapped in plastic wrap or kept in a sealed container once cooled or it’ll dry out (due to low fat content). If you have used the sponge to make another dessert such as Zuccotto or a layer cake it won’t dry out as easily.
The sponge will keep well in an air-tight container for about 3 days without feeling too dry. If used to make another dessert with some sort or cream filling or frosting it will last a little longer (around 5 days).
The two main differences between a regular sponge and Pan di Spagna is the fat content and rising agents. A regular sponge cake uses butter or oil and baking powder so is more moist and dense in texture. Pan di Spagna uses no rising agents or fat so is much lighter and uses whipped eggs to help it rise.
I recommend using a 9 inch (23cm) springform cake pan. Make sure to grease the pan with butter and line the bottom with baking parchment so it can be removed easily.
Why is it called Pan di Spagna?
You might be wondering why an Italian sponge cake has the name Pan di Spagna which means Spanish Bread.
One theory is that the sponge cake was created by a Genovese chef named Giabatta Cabona who made this cake for the King of Spain during a visit to the country in the mid-18th century.
Whether this is true or not? I don’t know. One thing that’s for sure is that this light, golden and airy sponge is much loved all over Italy (and by us too!).
Variations and ways to use Pan di Spagna
There are so many ways to customise and adapt Pan di Spagna. Why not add in some vanilla or almond extract for a subtle boost of flavour.
You could also add lemon or orange zest for freshness (I particularly love adding in vanilla and lemon together) or cocoa powder to make a chocolate version.
Ways to use Pan di Spagna
Pan di Spagna is a great substitute for Savoiardi biscuits (ladyfingers) when making Tiramisu or any kind of trifle.
It can also be used to make Zuccotto (dome cake filled with ricotta, chocolate and candied fruit), Zuppa Inglese (Italian trifle with custard) or layer cakes.
If you’re using the sponge to make a layer cake try filling it with a classic pastry cream like Crema Pasticcera, Crema al Cioccolato (our chocolate version) or Crema al Pistacchio (a delicious pistachio cream).
Italian Desserts
Zuppa Inglese (Italian Trifle)
Italian Desserts
Irresistible Chocolate Tiramisu
Italian Desserts
Italian Pastry Cream: Crema Pasticcera
Italian Desserts
Chocolate Pastry Cream (Crema al Cioccolato)
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Step By Step Photos Above
Most of our recipes come with step by step photos, helpful tips and tricks to make it perfectly first time and even video!
Pan di Spagna (Italian Sponge Cake)
Equipment
- 8.5 inch springform cake tin
- Baking parchment
- Sieve
- Stand mixer with whisk attachment or electric whisk
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature (don't use cold eggs)
- 65 g Italian 00 flour, (00 is recommended but all-purpose flour can also be used) (1/2 cup)
- 65 g corn starch, (cornflour) (1/2 cup)
- 130 g caster sugar, (superfine sugar) (3/4 cup)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, (optional, see notes for other flavour options)
- 1 pinch salt
- Butter, for greasing
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 320F (160C). A static oven (no fan) is best for this recipe.
- Grease the cake tin with butter and place a cut-out disk of baking parchment in the bottom of the tin so the cake doesn’t stick.
- Put the eggs, vanilla, and a pinch of salt in a bowl of a stand mixer. Start whisking the eggs on a medium speed and gradually add the sugar in 3 goes.
- Whisk the eggs for 15-20 minutes until thick, pale and fluffy. You’ll know the eggs are whisked enough when you can draw a ribbon in the mixture without it disappearing.
- Sieve both flours into the egg mixture a third at a time making sure to gently fold the flour into the egg so you don’t remove too much air. Doing this in three goes will also help avoid lumps in the batter.
- Once the flour is fully combined transfer the batter to the cake tin and bake on the lowest shelf of the oven for 35-40 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the tin for 10 minutes, remove then let it cool completely on a cooling rack.
Video
Notes
-
- Use a kitchen scale: as with any baking recipe, the only way to get accurate results every time is to weigh the flour with a kitchen scale. I always test our recipes using a scale and American cups but it’s very easy to over-measure flour using cups so I don’t recommend it for baking.
- Use room temperature eggs: Make sure that your eggs are at room temperature before you start making the cake.
- Don’t overmix: When folding the flour into the egg mixture do it gently to avoid knocking the air out of the egg and overmixing the batter.
- Don’t open the oven door! it’s very important to not open the oven door until the end of baking or the cake will sink.
- Letting it cool – let the cake cool for 5-10 minutes in the cake pan but then remove it to a cooling rack. Don’t let it cool completely in the cake pan or it has a risk of overbaking and drying out.
- Storage – wrap the Pan di Spagna in plastic wrap or store in an air-tight container otherwise it’ll dry out. It’ll keep well for up to 3 days.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
- When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
- All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
- All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
- Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
- Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
- You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
