Coffee Sponge Cake for Spring

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.

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 | 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.