Name: Coffee Sponge Cake With Cream
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 225 min
Ingredients: 45 g warm milk; 10 g coffee powder; 3 medium eggs (separating egg yolks and whites); 10 g granulated sugar; 45 g vegetable oil (or unsalted butter); 80 g cake flour (or all-purpose flour); 100 g mascarpone; 40 g granulated sugar; 250 g heavy cream; 2 tsp coffee powder; 1 tbsp hot water

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If you’re a coffee lover like me, you’re going to absolutely adore this soft, fluffy coffee sponge cake with a dreamy coffee cream filling. It’s one of my absolute favorites to bake for family and friends. It’s surprisingly simple but packed with flavor! Let’s dive into this step by step. I promise that if you follow along carefully, you’ll have a stunning dessert ready to impress!

Why This Coffee Sponge Cake With Cream Steals Our Hearts

Cloud-like texture: When I tell you this classic coffee cake is as light as a cloud, I honestly mean it! The secret is in how the egg whites and egg yolks are whipped separately. This technique really helps to trap air in both components, creating a batter that’s light, delicate, and just melts in your mouth.

Moist sponge cake: The moistness of this cake is another reason why I absolutely love this recipe! When you take a bite, the sponge just holds onto that luscious, melt-in-your-mouth moisture without being soggy. It’s perfectly balanced—soft but not too airy.

Rick coffee flavor (Not too overpowering!): It’s rich and aromatic but not overwhelming—just the right amount to make each bite feel like a warm hug in dessert form. You can easily taste the coffee bote in both the sponge and the whipped cream so that you get a consistent coffee flavor in every bite. And if you’re someone who likes to taste different coffee nuances, try this coffee cake or this pumpkin coffee cake!

13 Basic Steps To Make Coffee Sponge Cake With Cream

Coffee Sponge Cake

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Don’t forget to line your baking pan—grab one that’s about 40 x 25 cm (or 10 x 15 inches) and line it with parchment paper.

Trust me, it’ll make your life easier when you try to take the cake out after it’s baked!

Step 2

In a small bowl, dissolve 10g of coffee powder in 45g of warm milk. I like using a good quality instant coffee here for that deep, aromatic flavor, but you can use whatever you have on hand.

The milk should be warm but not boiling—just warm enough to dissolve the coffee nicely. Set this aside.

Step 3

Now, separate 3 medium eggs into two bowls—one for the yolks and one for the whites. Take your time here; we want the yolks and whites to stay separate and clean.

Step 4

Into the bowl with the egg yolks, add 10g of sugar, and mix it well until it’s nice and smooth.

Add 45g of vegetable oil to the yolk-sugar mix and give it another good whisk. I like vegetable oil because it gives the cake a soft, moist texture without altering the flavor.

Step 5

Now pour in the coffee mixture (from Step 2) and whisk it together. I love how the coffee brings this warm, inviting aroma into the batter! It really adds that wow factor.

Time to sift in 80g of cake flour (or all-purpose flour if that’s what you have). Sifting is super important to avoid lumps in the batter.

Mix it in until you have a smooth, lump-free batter. You don’t want any flour streaks left, so take your time to mix it all through.

Step 6

In the bowl with the egg whites, add a tiny pinch of salt. This helps stabilize the meringue and makes the whipped whites so much fluffier.

Whisk the egg whites until they become foamy using an electric mixer with a whisk attachment—this is where the magic happens! It should start looking frothy after a minute or so.

Step 7

Gradually add 60g of sugar in three batches. After the first batch, wait about 30 seconds before adding the second batch of sugar. Then, add the third batch.

Keep whisking until you get stiff peaks that just bend slightly at the tips. If you’ve done meringue before, you’ll know it’s ready when it holds its shape and doesn’t flop over.

Step 8

Now, take 1/3 of your whipped egg whites and gently fold them into the egg yolk batter. I love using a folding motion here—just gently cut through the batter with your spatula, scoop, and fold.

You’re trying to preserve all that air you just whipped into the whites.

Add the remaining egg whites in two batches, folding gently after each addition. The goal here is to mix it just enough that everything is incorporated without losing all that fluffy air.

Be patient! The texture should be light and airy when you’re done.

Step 9

Pour your cake batter into the prepared pan. Smooth out the surface with an offset spatula or a scraper. I always tap the pan gently on the counter to release any air bubbles (it’s so satisfying!).

Bake at 180°C for about 12 to 15 minutes. Every oven is different, so start checking around the 12-minute mark.

The cake is ready when it’s golden brown on top, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Once baked, take the cake out of the oven and cool it completely in the pan. Don’t rush this step—let it cool off fully before we move on to the filling.

Coffee Cream Filling

Step 10

This is my favorite part! The coffee cream frosting is velvety and smooth, and the best part is that it’s not overly sweet. It pairs perfectly with the sponge.

In a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp of hot water with 2 tsp of coffee powder. Stir it well and let it cool down. This little coffee mix will be the flavor bomb in the cream.

Step 11

In a separate large bowl, whisk 40g of sugar with 100g of mascarpone cheese. Mascarpone gives this cream a luscious, rich texture—it’s my go-to for these kinds of fillings.

Add 250g of cold heavy cream to the mascarpone mixture and whip until soft peaks form. You don’t want to overdo it here—keep an eye on it! Once it starts holding its shape but still looks silky, it’s perfect.

Stir in the cooled coffee mixture and give it one last gentle whisk to combine. This is where the magic happens, and you’ll fall in love with the creamy texture.

Assembly

Step 12

Cut your cooled sponge cake into 3 equal sheets. You can use a serrated knife to get neat, even cuts. If the edges are a little uneven, don’t worry; we’ll trim them later!

Pipe or spread the coffee cream frostinig onto the first sheet of cake. I find a piping bag is super helpful here for an even layer, but you can spread it with a spatula, too. Make it nice and smooth.

Place the second layer of cake on top and repeat the process. Layering it up with that gorgeous cream feels like a mini victory each time!

Finish it off with the third layer of cake, and cover the top with the last bit of cream. Smooth it out carefully with a spatula or offset spatula.

Now, let the cake sit in the fridge for at least 3 hours, but if you can wait overnight, that would be even better! The flavors deepen, and it firms up into a perfect sliceable dessert.

Step 13

Trim the edges of the cake to make it look neat and polished. This part is optional, but it does make it look even more like a pro cake!

Cut the cake into serving slices. I usually get about 5 good-sized rectangle slices from this, but you can slice it however you like. If you’re throwing a party for kiddos, I recommend dividing it into 10 square pieces.

Decorate with a light dusting of cocoa powder, and if you’re feeling extra fancy, add some chopped hazelnuts on top. A little crunch always wows my guests!

Or, you can sprinkle some mini chocolate chips on top for an indulgent chocolate note.

Baking Tip: Preventing Curdled Batter

Oh no, curdled batter! We’ve all been there! But don’t worry—curdling is usually pretty easy to fix, and once you know what causes it, it’s much easier to prevent.

The first thing I always check is whether all my ingredients are at room temperature. This is key! When eggs and other liquids are too cold, they can cause the fats and liquids to separate, leading to that dreaded curdled texture.

Another reason for curdling could be that there’s too much liquid in your batter. If you find the cake mixture is too runny or starts to separate, don’t panic! Just grab a tablespoon or so of flour and fold it in gently. I’ve done this a few times when I’ve made too much coffee mixture, and it’s always saved the day without affecting the texture of the cake.