On August 23rd, enjoy National Sponge Cake Day with the quintessential classic of the cake world. This airy queen of teas is the guest of honor, but we get the pleasure of tasting!
One of the trickiest cakes for bakers to master, a perfect sponge stands tall. Another balancing trick for bakers includes maintaining a fine crumb while keeping the cake moist. If you enjoy layering berries and whipped cream, the sponge handles this task beautifully.
The sponge cake is believed to be one of the first non-yeasted cakes.
The sponge cake is thought to have originated in the Caribbean. However, the earliest English printed recipe for sponge cake comes from an English poet and author, Gervase Markham. In 1615 he published a sponge cake recipe in the book The English Huswife, Containing the Inward and Outward Virtues Which Ought to Be in a Complete Woman.
I can’t knit or make plum jam, but I can bake a bloody Victoria sponge. ~ Helen Mirren as Chris in Calendar Girls (2003)
In 2003, the sponge cake played a tiny role in the movie Calendar Girls starring Helen Mirren. In the scene, Mirren’s character, Chris, enters a baking competition. However, she forgets she entered, and instead of entering a sponge cake of her own making, she submits a store-bought Victoria sponge cake.
Want More Cake…
- Let Them Eat Cake
- National Cake Day
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- Sponge Cake Day
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- American Flag Cake
- Chocolate Cake Day
- Cake Decorating Day
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- German Chocolate Cake Day
- Coffee Cake Day
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- Black Forest Cake Day
- Pineapple Upside Down Cake
- National Fruitcake Day
- Fruitcake Toss Day
- Bake and Decorate Month
- Baked Alaska Day
- Ice Cream Cake Day
- Devil’s Food Cake Day
- National Cupcake Day
- Chocolate Cupcake Day
- Vanilla Cupcake Day
- National Dessert Day
- National Dessert Month
HOW TO OBSERVE #SpongeCakeDay
Be sure to find more of your favorite cakes here.
Get some sponge cake and enjoy it. Or, if you are up to the challenge, try this Glorious Sponge Cake recipe. Serve it with berries or a preserve. Use #SpongeCakeDay to post on social media.





















