Easy Fluffy Sponge Cake Recipe (Instant Pot). Fluffy and delicious sponge cake is the ultimate in simple, comfort desserts. Master the art of perfectly airy sponge cake with this awesome Instant Pot Sponge Cake recipe!

Easy Fluffy Sponge Cake Recipe (Instant Pot)

Sponge cake is a light and simple cake made in cultures around the world. It has a fluffy and light texture, hence the name “sponge cake.” Most commonly, the sweet cake is very lightly flavored with vanilla, almond, or lemon.

Some parts of the world will steam the sponge cake, but this recipe uses an Instant Pot to create a baked-style cake.

Sponge cake is made by almost every culture in the world, but I think Asian countries have perfected it! Filipino-style sponge cake is airy, delicious, and impossible to resist!

Why You’ll Love This Sponge Cake

This sponge cake is simple and delicious! With the help of some modern tools, like the Instant Pot Duo+ and an electric mixer, you can make this classic bakery dessert in your home kitchen!

This simple and sweet cake is perfect for a sweet midweek snack or for bringing to a celebration. You can dress this sponge cake up or enjoy it plain, making it just right for every occasion!

From young to old, everyone loves sponge cake! Kids love this cake, and adults will feel like kids when they bite into this delightful treat! You really can’t go wrong serving this treat anytime or place, everyone loves sponge cake!

Ingredients for Sponge Cake Recipe (Instant Pot)

Egg Yolks –Using the eggs separately is the key to making this cake spongy. Be sure to very carefully separate the eggs for this cake. Egg yolks contain the fat content of the egg and any yolk in the white will stop the whites from whipping.
Granulated Sugar –Adds sweetness to the recipe.
Canola Oil-Acts as the fat in the recipe. Canola oil has a nice neutral flavor that makes it just right for this cake.
Vanilla-Vanilla is the signature flavor of sponge cake. In a pinch, you can swap the vanilla for almond extract. This gives the cake more of a Chinese sponge cake flavor.
Water-To thin out and add liquid to the batter.
All-Purpose Flour-A.P. Flour is perfect for this spongy cake!
Baking Powder-Helps to give the cake a nice, even rise.
Salt-Acts as a seasoning in the recipe and balances the sweetness.
Egg Whites-Nice, fluffy egg whites are the key to great sponge cake. All of the airiness and lightness of this cake comes from egg whites. Separate them carefully because you will be whipping them to stiff peaks.
Cream of Tartar or Vinegar-This ingredient helps stabilize the whipped egg whites making them hold onto their fluffiness better.
Granulated Sugar-Adds a little more sweetness to the recipe by whipping up with the egg whites.

Step-by-Step Instructions Easy Fluffy Sponge Cake Recipe (Instant Pot)

Beat the Egg Whites:

Place the egg whites into the electric stand bowl. Mix until frothy and add the cream of tartar or vinegar. Mix for one more minute and add the sugar in three additions. Mix on high until stiff.
Remove the bowl and set aside until ready to use.

Mix the Batter:

Place the egg yolks, sugar, oil, and vanilla in a large bowl. Mix using an electric mixer or spatula. Mix until the mixture turns pale in color. Add the water.

Place the flour, salt, and baking powder and add to the egg mixture. Mix until there are no lumps present.
Add in the egg whites and add in three intervals. Fold the egg whites into the flour mixture until there are no white strips present.
Pour the mixture equally into the prepared pan and tap on a flat surface to remove bubbles. Cover the pan with tin foil and make a small slit in it.

Prepare the Instant Pot and Bake:

Place the inner pot into the instant base. Put the trivet in and place the pan on top. Place the dehydrating tray on the pan and place the other pan on top.
Cover with the air fryer lid and set the temperature to 350°F and set the timer to forty minutes. Open the lid in fifteen minutes and check the top cake. If it springs back when tapped, it’s done.
Continue cooking the lower cake and cover it with the air fryer lid. Check the cake again twenty minutes into baking. If it’s still raw, put the lid back on the Instant Pot. Check every five minutes until the cake is completely baked.
When done, remove the parchment paper and let the cake cool on the cooling rack. Remove the cake from the instant pot and let it cool on the cooling rack.

Equipment

Note that I am using my 8 Qt Instant Pot Duo Crips Plus Air Fryer Lid in this recipe. Every model is different, so make sure that you check your manual for instructions. Click here >>>> Beginner’s Guide to Using Instant Pot Duo Crisps plus Air Fryer

Expert Tips and Tricks

Did you know that you can whip egg whites in a food processor? If you have a large enough food processor you can use that instead of an electric mixer to whip the egg whites.
Be very gentle when folding in the egg whites to keep as much air in the mixture as possible. This airy mixture keeps the sponge cake light and fluffy!
Be sure to grease and line your cake pans to ensure an easy release!
Allow the sponge cake to cool completely before decorating or cutting.

How to Serve Sponge Cake

There are so many delicious ways to enjoy sponge cake. Try it the simple Filipino way with butter and sugar. You can try a simple glaze made from citrus juice and powdered sugar or keep it classic with some fresh fruit.
If you’re serving this to a party, try making a sponge cake bar. Set up plenty of topping options, like fruit, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and more. Let your guests go wild creating their perfect slice of sponge cake!
No matter how you dress up this Instant Pot Sponge Cake, every forkful is a bite of pure nostalgic joy!

How to Store Sponge Cake

Once fully cooled, move the sponge cake to an airtight container or wrap it tightly in plastic. Properly contained cake can be kept at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Can Sponge Cake be Frozen?

If you want to make these cakes in bulk for later, freezing the sponge cake is a great option! A properly-stored sponge cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow the finished cake to cool completely then follow these steps to safely freeze the sponge cake:

Tightly wrap the cake in plastic wrap.
Wrap again in aluminum foil.
Place the wrapped cake into a freezer-safe bag, press the excess air out, and seal.
Label the bag with the date and contents then freeze.
To thaw, place the cake in the refrigerator overnight, then move it to the counter for up to 1 week.

More Recipes You’ll Love

If you loved making this fluffy sponge cake, try out some of my other Instant Pot baking recipes!

Easy Fluffy Sponge Cake Recipe (Instant Pot)

Fluffy and delicious sponge cake is the ultimate in simple, comfort desserts. Master the art of perfectly airy sponge cake with this awesome Instant Pot Sponge Cake recipe!

5 from 1 vote

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Author: Shobee

Equipment

parchment paper
2 six inch round pan
Instant Pot Duo Crisps Plus Air Fryer Lid 8 quart please see notes for the Beginner's Guide

Ingredients

Cake Ingredients

4 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Meringue Ingredients

4 egg whites
1/2 tsp vinegar or cream of tartar
1/3 cup granulated sugar

Instructions

Prepare the Pan

Line two six-inch pans with parchment paper. Spray them with nonstick oil. Make sure that the sides are also coated with oil. Set aside until ready to use.

Mix the egg yolks

Place the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl and mix until pale in color. Add the oil and vanilla. Mix using an electric mixer or wire whisk. Mix until the mixture turns pale in color. Add the water.
Sift the flour, salt, and baking powder and add to the egg mixture. Mix until there are no lumps present.

Make the Meringue

Place the egg whites into the electric stand bowl. Mix until frothy and add the cream of tartar or vinegar.
Mix for one more minute and add the sugar in three additions. Mix on high until stiff. Remove the bowl and set aside until ready to use
Add the prepared egg whites to the egg yolk mixture. Add the egg whites in three intervals. Fold the egg whites into the egg mixture until there are no white strips present.
Pour the mixture equally into the prepared pan and tap on a flat surface to remove bubbles. Cover the pan with tin foil and make a small slit in it.

Prepare the Instant Pot

Place the inner pot into the instant base. Put the trivet in and put the pan on top. Please see the photo above.
Place the dehydrating tray on top of the first pan and put the second pan on top of it.
Cover with the air fryer lid and push the bake setting button. Set the temperature to 350 F. Set the Instant pot timer to forty minutes.
Now, set your phone timer to ten minutes. When ten minutes is up, check the cake. Open the air fryer lid and check the top pan and see if the sponge cake is cooked. If it springs back when tapped, or when the toothpick comes out clean, it’s done.
Cancel your phone timer.
Remove the top pan from the Instant Pot and let it cool for five minutes and remove the parchment paper. Let it cool completely on the cooling rack.
let the second pan cook.
Now set your phone timer again for ten minutes. Let the second cake continue to cook by putting the air fryer lid back. Check the cake again when the ten minutes are up. If it’s still raw, put the lid back on the Instant Pot. Check every five minutes until the cake is completely baked.
When the second cake is done, remove it from the Instant pot and let the cake cool for five minutes, and then cool completely on the cooling rack.

How to cook Sponge Cake in the Oven

Follow all the steps except preheat your oven to 350 F and set the oven rack in the middle of the oven. When ready put the pan and bake for ten to fifteen minutes. Start checking the cake by toothpick test at eight minutes.
please see the notes for the decorated Yema cake

Notes

This recipe was adapted from Savor Easy

Make sure that you turn off the instant pot and pull the cord out of the socket.
You might be wondering why we set the Instant Pot timer to forty minutes and use our phones for different times. It's because the cakes don't cook at the same time because they are in different levels of the inner pot. Also, the thickness of the batter may not be the same weight so they cook at different times.

Beginner's Guide to Using Instant Pot Duo Crisps plus Air Fryer

Yema Cake

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Hi, my name is Shobee. Welcome to The Skinny Pot, where we cook Easy Recipes from the available ingredients from our pantry and fridge! We’re your go-to source for simple and delicious recipes that make the most of what you already have at home. Talk about the pantry challenge. Read more...