Chocolate sponge cake base — the basic recipe
Six eggs, one base, endless cakes
Hello gourmets! You might already know this sponge from our Black Forest cherry cake. Here it stands on its own: as a basic recipe that you can fill and decorate however you like.
It keeps for two days at room temperature and can be frozen — one of the reasons why we bake it so often.
Ingredients
Step by Step
Sponge Mixture and Baking
Preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to 160 °C fan.
Separate the eggs
Crack six eggs and separate the egg whites from the yolks.
Whip the egg whites
Whip the sugar and salt with the egg whites on the highest speed. This takes varying amounts of time depending on your mixer and the egg temperature — with eggs at room temperature it goes faster.
Until the meringue holds. Add the yolks one at a time
The meringue must be very well whipped. If you don't whip it enough, it will collapse as soon as the yolks are added.
Beat in the six egg yolks one after the other on the lowest speed. Don't stir too much, or the mixture will collapse.
Sift the flour and cocoa
Sift 120 g flour and 30 g Cocoa powder together onto the meringue — this way no lumps form.
Fold in
Mix for ten seconds on the lowest speed, then finish folding with the Dough scraper until the mixture is even.
Spray the tin and bake
Spray the tin with Non-stick spray — no flour, no butter.
Pour in the mixture and bake for 45–55 minutes in the middle of the oven. Don't open the oven before 45 minutes, or the sponge will collapse.
Doneness test
After 45 minutes, poke a knife into the centre. If the blade comes out clean, it's done — otherwise bake five minutes longer.
Turn out and cool
Turn the tin out directly onto a Cake rack and let the sponge cool completely before you cut it.
Cut to size
Cut into even layers with a Cake cutter.
Chocolate sponge cake base
Ingredients
Preparation
- Meringue: Oven to 160 °C fan. Separate six eggs. Whisk the egg whites with 150 g sugar and 1 pinch of salt on the highest setting until very firm, then beat in the egg yolks one at a time on the lowest setting.
- Batter: Sieve 120 g flour and 30 g cocoa on top, mix for 10 seconds on the lowest setting, then finish folding with the Dough scraper.
- Baking: Spray the tin, pour in the batter, 45–55 min. in the middle of the oven. Do not open before 45 min. Test with a knife, then turn out onto the Cake rack.
- Storing: Two days at room temperature, well wrapped. Or frozen — take out two hours before use.
Nutritional values per 100 g
Storage & shelf life
Everything for this recipe
Recommended from our bakery — exactly the sizes the recipe was tested with.
Ingredients
Cocoa powder Velvet, 80 g
Swiss White flour, 1 kg
Non-stick spray, 400 ml
Accessories
One-handed stainless steel flour sieve
Silicone dough scraper, black
Sponge/cake cutter with adjustable wires
Tall round cake tin - diameter 15 cm
Delivery in 1–2 working days · Free shipping from CHF 100
So it turns out perfectly every time
Cold eggs take considerably longer for the egg whites to hold their shape. Take them out of the fridge an hour beforehand.
Don't open it before 45 minutes. The cold air makes the sponge collapse, and it won't rise again.
Multiply all quantities by 1.5. The baking time stays similar, the skewer test decides.
Frequently asked questions
Usually two reasons: the Meringue wasn't whisked enough, or the oven was opened too early.
Yes. Two days at room temperature, well wrapped — or frozen, then taken out two hours before use.
No. Without a K-beater you fold in flour and cocoa with the Dough scraper — we always do that at the end anyway.
Print recipe
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Comments
Question de Emilie
By: Emilie P. On 2025-02-19Bonjour!
Je souhaite réaliséêr cette recette pour 20 personnes. J'ai un moule rectangulaire ajustable. Quelle dimension me conseilleriez vous pour faire un gâteau à 2 étages ?
Je vous remercie d'avance et vous souhaite une bonne journée !
Replied by: Karin On 2025-02-19
Replied by: Emilie P. On 2025-02-20
Replied by: Emilie P. On 2025-02-20
Question de Elodie
By: Elodie V. On 2024-10-04Bonjour!
Mon fils m’a demandé pour son anniversaire un gâteau « tout au chocolat », si je fais cette génoise chocolat avec ganache chocolat au lait ça fera vraiment trop vous pensez? ?
Il faudrait que je prenne le moule de 20 ou 25 cm pour minimum 15-16 parts? Sachant que s’il y a un reste ce n’est jamais grave avec des desserts! ? Et pour le moule 20cm je peux multiplier la recette par 1.5 et si 25cm par 2 vous pensez?
Merci d’avance pour votre réponse! ??
Replied by: Karin On 2024-10-04
Question de Maude
By: Maude R. On 2024-09-20Bonjour, est-ce que cette génoise gonfle beaucoup ? car c'est le but recherché pour du cake design, en général je fais le gâteau chocolat noisette que mes enfants adorent mais malheureusement après avoir tout essayé ce genre de gâteau ne gonfle pas assez pour avoir les décors en pâte à sucre ajustés dessus...Merci pour votre réponse
Replied by: Maude R. On 2024-09-20
Replied by: Maude R. On 2024-09-20
Question de Moira
By: Moira P. On 2024-08-14Bonjour, si je veux faire une génoise dans un moule de 21 et hauteur 6, sachant que je vais diviser que en 2 disques, les quantités dans votre recette pourrait suffire? Merci
Replied by: Karin On 2024-08-16
Question de Noémie
By: Noémie D. On 2024-04-24Bonjour,
Un gâteau de 15 cm de diamètre et 10 cm de haut est pour combien de personne? En sachant qu’il y aura des étages. Merci pour votre réponse!
Noémie
Replied by: Karin On 2024-04-25
Replied by: Noémie D. On 2024-04-25
Question de Stéphanie
By: Stéphanie Z. On 2024-03-27Bonjour, pour un gateau au format A4, par combien multiplier les quantités?
Replied by: Karin On 2024-03-27