This Sugar Free Sponge Cake is a classic dessert that most anyone can agree on.
Made with cake flour and cream of tartar, this cake is light and airy, making it perfect for enjoying as is or layering with your favorite fruit and Whipped Cream.
What you will read about.
What makes sponge cake so good?
Sponge cake is a unique cake that is known for its delicate texture, low fat content, and versatility when it comes to serving it.
I really like that this cake sort of melts on your tongue with its own kind of goodness.
To make this recipe you will need cake flour. You can find cake flour here.
What you need to make sponge cake.
- Cake Flour- Cake flour is used to make a less dense cake thanks to the lower protein.
- Salt
- Baking Powder
- Eggs- separated. The eggs should be allowed to sit out for about 45 minutes before separating.
- Cream of tartar
- Sugar Alternative- Use a granular alternative that measures 1:1 with sugar and that can be baked with.
- Vanilla Extract
- Vegetable Oil- Some people prefer water for a less dense cake. Using vegetable oil can help in this recipe as we are using sugar alternative.
How to make Sugar Free Sponge Cake
- Because of the nature of this cake, you should not prep your cake pan for nonstick. This is one reason why I prefer to use a springform pan with this recipe. You can line the bottom with parchment paper however. Preheat your oven to 325.
- Sift together the flour, salt, and the baking powder. Set this bowl aside.
- Beat together the egg whites and the cream of tartar in a large bowl until soft peak start to form. Then add ½ cup of the sugar alternative and beat on high. Since we are not using real sugar, you will not get the stiff peaks however, you should get some kind of peaks or fluff which is fine.
- Next, in a mixing bowl, beat together the egg yolks, remaining sugar alternative, vanilla extract, and oil until just combined. Then mix in the dry ingredients from the first bowl.
- For the next step we will add ingredients from the second mixing bowl into the large bowl with the egg white mixture. To do this, use a rubber spatula for fold in the ingredients until just blended. Then slowly and gently transfer this to your cake pan. Use a clean spatula to smooth down the top. Bake this cake for 55-60 minutes or until the cake springs when lightly touched with a finger (be careful).
- Run a butter knife around the sides of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Then allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes. You can place a cooling rack or plate on top of the cake to flip it over and then allow it to continue to cool.
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Tips for making the best sponge cake.
The success of this cake has a lot to do with the eggs. Make sure that your eggs are at room temperature and that you do not use a plastic bowl to whip the whites.
More helpful tips for you.
- All purpose flour can be used in this cake recipe. However, using a cake flour (a finer and lower protein flour) will yield a more fluffy sponge cake.
- The secret of making this cake is properly whipping your eggs. This allows for the spongy texture to form when the cake is baking.
- Because of the texture of this cake, it is easiest to use a serrated knife to cut it with. Doing so will help keep the cake intact while minimizing broken off pieces.
- While I am using vanilla extract, you can use another flavored extract. Some people may add a boozy alternative such as rum.
How to store sponge cake.
This cake should be wrapped in plastic wrapped or stored in an airtight container.
If properly stored, it should keep for a few days at room temperature or for a few months frozen.
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- Easy Sugar Free Banana Cream Pie
- Sugar Free Low Carb Chocolate Cake
- How to Make Sugar Free Marshmallows
- Sugar Free Low Carb Banana Bread
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Print the recipe for Sugar Free Sponge Cake
Sugar Free Sponge Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups Cake Flour
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 ½ tsp Baking Powder
- 6 Eggs -separated
- ¾ tsp Cream or Tartar
- 1¼ cups Sugar Alternative - granular
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- ½ cup Vegetable Oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325 . You can add a liner to the bottom of your baking pan.
- Sift together the flour, salt, and the baking powder. Set this bowl aside.
- Beat together the egg whites and the cream of tartar in a large bowl until soft peak start to form. Then add ½ cup of the sugar alternative and beat on high. Since we are not using real sugar, you will not get the stiff peaks however, you should get some kind of peaks or fluff which is fine.
- Next, in a mixing bowl, beat together the egg yolks, remaining sugar alternative, vanilla extract, and water until just combined. Then mix in the dry ingredients from the first bowl.
- For the next step we will add ingredients from the second mixing bowl into the large bowl with the egg white mixture. To do this, use a rubber spatula for fold in the ingredients until just blended. Then slowly and gently transfer this to your cake pan. Use a clean spatula to smooth down the top. Bake this cake for 55-60 minutes or until the cake springs when lightly touched with a finger (be careful). Run a butter knife around the sides of the cake to loosen it from the pan. The allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes.
- Allow this cake to cool before serving.
Recipe Notes
Please see recipe post for further details on this recipe.
Nutritional Information is only an estimate and can vary especially with ingredients that are used. See thesugarfreediva.com for details on this recipe.
most recently updated:
February 23, 2022*About Sugar Alternatives
Specific sugar alternatives are not given in the recipes presented on this site. Only suggestions are given as to the 'kind' of alternative to use. It is up to you to select the alternative to use that suits your needs best. If the recipe is heated or cooked, it is best to use an alternative that can be heated or cooked with for best results. This site does not endorse any specific ingredients,
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that the links on this website, and specifically on this post, that lead to other sites may be affiliate links.
Nutrition
Please note: Nutritional data has been calculated using a tool that comes with this recipe card and not by me. This means that Nutritional Information is only an estimate and can vary especially with ingredients that you use. The accuracy of this tool may differ from other tools as expected. Also note that there is no instructional value to the video that may be attached to this recipe. It is only there for visual pleasure. For more information about the images in this recipe, please refer the the recipe instructions. Thank you!
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Irene
I made the sugar free sponge cake and it seems like the quantities listed are wrong. The batter was very thick and gloppy and could not be poured but dropped and then had to be leveled. The batter was more like a shortbread and when finally done baking it also looked like one. I followed your recipe exactly so I can't figure out what went wrong. Do you have any clue as to what went wrong?
Thanks,
Irene
SFD
Hi. When we use sugar alternatives, we lose moisture in what we are baking. This means that often we need to adjust a recipe by adding a bit of extra moisture- such as the milk or creme. It is hard to say without seeing what you were working with. However, I would probably add a bit of extra butter or the liquid that you are using, a tablespoon at a time (small amounts) until you reach a good consistency. This is more often the case then not it seems when using sugar alternatives in baking. thanks!
Debby
Have you tried using honey as the sugar substitute? Do you think it would work?
SFD
Hi. This would be a recipe that I would recommend a granular sugar alternative rather than liquid one. A granular sweetener behaves more like sugar when it comes to maintaining volume and balance in the recipe. Thanks!
Lee Madison
I made this recipe twice: first, exactly as written, and then, modifying according to the suggestions of SFD. Neither succeeded.
In the second trial, I used cream and increased the dairy liquid and butter by one tablespoon each. In both cases, the butter had been left out of the refrigerator overnight and the dairy had been out for an hour. The flour for both was King Arthur All-Purpose and the sugar substitute was Truvia. Each was baked in an aluminum tube pan lightly sprayed for non-stick.
Both attempts failed. The texture was sponge-like, but like a soggy, water-logged dishwashing sponge. The exterioir was very pale, except for the edge near the exterior of the tube pan. The finished product did not taste bad, but it wasn't yummy.
I have been making sponge cakes for more than fifty years. I have used different amounts and types of flour, fat, liquid, flavoring and sweetener, but nothing ever failed the way the two rounds with your recipe. I have had the stove for six years, and, as far as I know, there is no problem with maintaining an even temperature.
I would like to try again, but I would like to know the maximum amount of additional fat or liquid that you would suggest or if there is a particular ratio to maintain.
SFD
Hi. It sounds like there was definitely an issue with the balance between the liquids and the dry ingredients. I am wondering if the Truvia that you used was a 1:1 volume equivalent with sugar. Many products require less of that product than sugar in a recipe. The result would be a an imbalance such as this one. Also, the butter may have been softened to a point were it behave like both a fat and a liquid. I have found that there is some trial and error in baking with sugar alternatives as alternatives simply mimic the sweet flavor and not the other attributes that sugar can bring to a recipe (such as moisture retention).
Thanks for checking in and please let me know if you try this again.
Tricia
So much wrong information and guidelines to follow. 1) Use water WHERE'S THE WATER LISTED? 😡
Sugar Free Diva
In the ingredient section I mention that some folks like to sub in water for part of the oil for a less dense cake. This is optional. I hope this clarifies things for you. Thanks!