European Biskvit Cake with Easy Cream (Sponge cake)

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The European Biskvit sponge cake is a classic, moist and fluffy cake that’s so delicious. It will melt in your mouth. This basic foolproof recipe is made with only a few ingredients resulting in a perfect layer cake.

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The airy cake can be traced back to its humble beginnings during the reign of Queen Victoria in 19^th century England where she enjoyed it with her afternoon teas. The classic European sponge cake or Biskvit as the Slavic people call it is a simple, soft, light, and moist cake that goes well with any additional flavors. It’s also called an Italian sponge cake or Genoise sponge after the Italian city of Genoa.

I’ve been meaning to share this airy sponge cake recipe with you all for quite some time now. It is one of my favorite desserts for so many reasons! Here’s why you’ll absolutely love this:

There are different types of sponge cakes you can make but this sponge cake recipe is super easy to make. You seriously only need 3 ingredients for the sponge. And another 3 for the cream. And you probably already have most, if not all, the basic ingredients at home already.
The cake’s versatility lies in its perfect base. You can eat it plain or garnish it however you want. Because this cake base and cream have a pretty subtle flavor, you can add whatever you’d like on top for extra flavor and to make it unique. Simple syrup, fresh fruit, nuts, jam, ganache, and shredded chocolate all work here! That’s why this is my favorite recipe for a sponge cake.
The delectable sponge cake is perfect for serving guests. Whether you’ve got guests coming over for brunch or dinner, this perfectly sweet treat will always get you tons of compliments.

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This cake has been a favorite of mine for a long time. Since my childhood, actually! And it wasn’t because of the reasons I shared with you above. These are just major pluses once you’re an adult. But I loved this cake because it was just so easy to enjoy.

Confused?

Because it isn’t over-the-top sweet, I’m able to have a larger amount of cake that didn’t leave my teeth aching or my stomach upset. I could enjoy it with tea, or a glass of cold milk. It tasted just as good in the morning as it did after dinner. It was always a no-fuss cake which made it the perfect cake.

So I hope you enjoy my “perfect” cake. I’m sure it will become a staple in your home. Bon Appétit!

Table of Contents

Key Ingredients

For the batter:

Large eggs: Use whole eggs which are separated and at room temperature to leaven the cake.
White sugar: Adds sweetness and flavor.
Flour: Cake flour is best for a lighter, fluffy, and tender texture. Avoid all-purpose flour as it has a higher protein content leading to stiffer doughs.

For the cream filling:

Heavy whipping cream: Holds its shape making it the perfect topper for desserts.
Powdered sugar: Dissolves easily and produces a smooth consistency making it ideal for the cream filling.
Cream cheese: The tangy flavor balances the sweetness of the cream.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

How to make the Fluffy European sponge cake

Step 1: Prepare the equipment

Grease 8-inch cake pan at the bottom, not the sides of the pan.

Step 2: Start to make the cake batter

For the cake batter start by separating egg yolks from egg whites and place them in two different bowls.

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Step 3: Make the egg mixture

Add egg whites into the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on high speed for about a minute or two or until slightly foamy. Then gradually add ⅓ cup of sugar and beat on high speed until thick and fluffy and stiff. Do not over-beat them or they will liquefy again.

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Step 4: Make a sugar mixture

Add the second half of the sugar into the egg yolks and beat on high speed until fluffy and white yellow.

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Step 5: Add the sugar mixture to the egg mixture

Place the egg yolk and sugar mixture into the bowl with the beaten egg whites. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg yolks into egg white mixture.

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Step 6: Use the folding technique to gently fold in the flour

Now sift in ⅔ cup of flour into the egg and sugar mixture and fold until the ingredients are well combined going underneath and then over the top just until no streaks of flour appear. Try not to over-mix; you don’t want to let all the air out of the beaten egg whites. The more air stays in, the fluffier your cake will turn out.

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Step 7: Transfer the batter to the prepared pan

Transfer the batter to a greased 8-inch pan and bake at 355F for 20 minutes. Do not open the oven until 20 minutes are up. Check the cake after 20 minutes and leave it in there for another 5-10 minutes if needed.

biskvit batter in cake pan before going to the oven and right sponge cake baked.

Step 8: Remove the cake from the oven

Once the cake is done and it’s golden brown or you’ve pricked it with a toothpick and it comes out clean, take the cake out of the pan and let the cake cool down on a cooling rack or wire rack. Cut horizontally into two layers.

baked sponge cake on wire rack and sliced baked sponge cake with a black handle knife on the side.

Step 9: Prepare the cream

While your cake is cooling down prepare the cream. Start by beating the heavy whipping cream, start on low speed then increase to medium speed then high speed. Beat until light and fluffy, but do not overbeat.

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Step 10: Add powdered sugar

Add powdered sugar and mix on low speed for 1 minute.

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Step 11: Add cream cheese

This is an optional step. Add softened cream cheese which is very soft; you don’t want chunks of cream cheese in your light and fluffy cream.

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Step 12: Put the cake together

Once the cake layers are cooled down, you can start putting the cake together. Place an equal amount of cream on each layer. spread it evenly and put layers on top of each layer of cream. Apply cream all around the cake and decorate as desired.

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Step 13: Let it stand then serve and enjoy

Let it stand for 2-3 hours before serving. Enjoy with a cup of tea!

How to store leftover European Biskvit Cake

Genoise sponge without a filling tends to dry out quickly. It’s best to freeze it and thaw it overnight in the fridge. You can also brush it with a flavored syrup, to keep it moist and adds a complementary flavor to the finished cake.
Once the cake has a filling, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.

Expert Tips

Do not open the oven door to check on the cake before 20 minutes into the baking. Sponge cake (Biskvit) is very delicate. Opening the oven too early into the baking will allow hot air to escape and with sudden change in temperature/pressure the delicate cake structure that has not been solidified by baking yet will collapse under its own weight.
Sift the flour first so that you have a consistent texture.
When no streaks of flour remain in the dough, fold a few extra times to ensure you aren’t missing pockets of flour at the bottom
You will get more volume while beating the egg whites if you first bring the eggs to room temperature.
It’s important to fold the batter, not stir because stirring it will make the mixture runny and the cake will turn out flat. The purpose of folding is to retain the air you have beaten into your egg whites.
For the best texture, leave the cooled cake covered in plastic wrap on the table for around 8 hours then add the filling.

Recipe FAQs

What is Genoise or Biskvit?

Biskvit is a soft and fluffy sponge cake which is also called Genoise cake or Genoise sponge cake. It’s made with eggs, sugar, and flour. There’s no baking powder or baking soda to leaven the cake. Instead, whipped eggs are used to achieve volume in the batter, resulting in a light, fluffy and airy cake.

How can l prevent my Genoise cake from deflating or shrinking?

The simplest and easiest way to ensure that the cake rises in the oven and doesn’t collapse as you take it out is to whip it until the proper thickness of the batter. The way to check if you have whipped it enough is to raise the whisk from the batter and watch the ribbon fall back into the bowl. If the ribbon disappears into the batter right away, continue whipping. You want the ribbon to not disappear for about 2-4 seconds. At this stage, the air bubbles will be the perfect size and your cake will not deflate when you remove it from the oven.

Why does my Italian sponge cake have a dense texture?

This happens when the cake is over-mixed or too much flour is added. To prevent this, mix the cake batter just until no flour streaks are seen, using the folding technique to incorporate the flour and minimally mix after adding the flour. Bake the cake as soon as you’re done mixing it and make sure you properly measure all key ingredients for the cake.

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I love making cakes for dessert! Here are some more of my favorite cake recipes:

This Russian Bird’s Milk Cake Recipe with Chocolate is an airy, cloudy, creamy, and rich layered cake.
You can make a unique Zebra Cake with an easy cream recipe and fun layers!

More Tasty Desserts with Cream Cheese

If you tried this European Biskvit Cake with Easy Cream (Sponge Cake) or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you enjoyed it in the📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

2 Comments

Carolyn Abbot says:

August 27, 2024 at 2:24 am

I have been looking for a Russian sponge cake for a long time. I used to buy it from a Russian/deli restaurant in Brighton Beach in Brooklyn New York. It was baked in a large sheet pan. One was vanilla (sort of) and the other marbled with chocolate swirls. The cake when finished was 5 to 6 inches high and very spongey. I thought it was made with 8 or 9 eggs. It was sold by the pound. It was so tall it had a 4 inch collar in the pan. Any ideas?

1. Marina Rizhkov says:
  
  August 27, 2024 at 12:14 pm
  
  They probably doubled the recipe of a vanilla biskvit. Regarding marbled, it’s similar to this zebra cake: https://allweeat.com/zebra-cake/ but instead of layered, swirl in the chocolate part into the vanilla cake and bake.