Breakfast & Brunch

Coffee Sponge Cake for Spring

Sponge cakes are wonderful in the spring, and the subtle aroma and flavor of coffee in this coffee sponge cake make it something really special.

A slice of frosted cake on a small plate with a fork rests next to the remaining cake on a larger plate, both on a wooden table.

Photo Credit: Seavey, Aimee
Welcome spring with coffee sponge cake! Finally, warmer days have arrived, and the change in season has had many of us throwing open our windows, filling vases with tulips and forsythia, and digging out our sneakers for an after-supper stroll around the neighborhood. Breathing in the clean, fresh air sure feels good. Another way to welcome the warm weather is with our taste buds. Light and airy sponge cakes are wonderful in the spring and summer, and I particularly love this coffee sponge cake for Mother’s Day. Mom deserves a special treat, but since May is too early for fresh berries (my favorite way to dress up a dessert), the subtle aroma and flavor of coffee really make it something special.
Coffee Sponge Cake.
Coffee Sponge Cake
Photo Credit : Aimee Tucker
Sponge cakes get their lift from pillowy mounds of meringue-like, foamy beaten egg whites, which are gently folded into the cake batter. This step can be a little intimidating, and it takes a little extra effort, but your hard work will be rewarded when you sit down on a warm afternoon and enjoy a slice of this delicious cake.  Sunshine and the sound of birds chirping optional, but encouraged. When I brought this cake into the Yankee editorial offices it was met with eager forks.
Coffee Sponge Cake
This light and airy coffee sponge cake is perfect for spring.
Photo Credit : Aimee Tucker
Coffee Sponge Cake | Kitchen Tip I tripled the amount of icing and frosted the whole cake without slicing it into layers. Feel free to thickly frost the top, or slice into layers, frost, and leave the sides bare. Just remember to adjust your icing measurements accordingly!

GET THE RECIPE: Coffee Sponge Cake

Want more bright and flavorful cakes for spring? We also love our recipes for Coconut Pound Cake, Chocolate Chiffon Cake, and Maids of Honor Tarts. This post was first published in 2012 and has been updated. 

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Aimee Tucker

Aimee Tucker is Yankee Magazine’s Senior Digital Editor. A lifelong New Englander and Yankee contributor since 2010, Aimee has written columns devoted to history, foliage, retro food, and architecture, and regularly shares her experiences in New England travel, home, and gardening. Her most memorable Yankee experiences to date include meeting Stephen King, singing along to a James Taylor Fourth of July concert at Tanglewood, and taking to the skies in the Hood blimp for an open-air tour of the Massachusetts coastline.

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