Cocoa Sponge Cake Without Leavening
Italian pan di spagna made with whipped eggs and sugar, folded with flour, potato starch, and cocoa powder. Baked in a static oven until a skewer test confirms doneness. A delicate, tender crumb cake requiring no chemical leavening agents.
Ingredients
- 6 eggs, room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- 1 ¼ cups flour 00
- 1 ¾ oz potato starch
- 5 ½ tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- 1
Whip eggs with sugar and salt for at least 15 minutes until light and fluffy.
- 2
Sift together flour, potato starch, and cocoa powder.
- 3
Fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture using downward strokes to avoid deflating.
- 4
Butter and flour an 7 ⅛" pan.
- 5
Pour batter into prepared pan.
- 6
Bake in a static oven until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, approximately 40 minutes.
Tips
Use eggs at room temperature for maximum volume when whipping.
Sift cocoa powder with dry ingredients to avoid lumps.
Fold gently to preserve airiness from whipped eggs; do not overmix or the cake will be dense.
Good to Know
Cover and store at room temperature for 1-2 days, or refrigerate up to 4 days.
Bake up to 1 day ahead. Store covered to prevent drying.
Serve at room temperature as a plain cake or dust with powdered sugar.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip the full 15-minute whipping to avoid a dense, flat cake.
Do not stir vigorously when folding dry ingredients to avoid deflating the batter and losing lift.
Do not open the oven door during baking to prevent collapse.
Substitutions
Gluten-Free Swaps
same protein content and gluten development