How Do You Keep a Sponge Cake from Sinking in the Middle? Expert Tips for Perfect Results

When your sponge cake sinks in the middle, it’s usually because the batter didn’t set right during baking. To keep your sponge cake from sinking, keep your oven temperature steady and don’t open the oven door too soon. That way, the cake can rise and firm up evenly.

Too much liquid or fat can also make the center sink, since it weakens the cake’s structure. Double-check that you’re using the right pan size and measuring your ingredients carefully.

Small tweaks in your method can make a big difference. Once you get the hang of it, baking a sponge cake that holds its shape feels pretty satisfying.

Key Techniques To Prevent A Sponge Cake From Sinking

Pay close attention to how you mix the batter, keep an eye on oven temperature, and measure ingredients exactly. Even small mistakes in these steps can mess with the cake’s structure or cause uneven baking.

Proper Mixing And Folding

Whip a lot of air into the eggs or egg whites until they’re light and fluffy. That air helps the cake rise and stay firm.

Don’t overmix after you add flour—knocking out the air makes the cake dense and more likely to sink. Use a gentle folding motion with a spatula, turning the bowl in wide sweeps.

Mixing too fast or stirring hard will pop those bubbles and the cake might collapse while baking.

Correct Oven Temperature Control

Your oven’s temperature needs to stay steady and accurate. If it’s too low, the cake won’t rise and can sink as it cools.

If it’s too hot, the outside cooks too quickly and the middle falls. Always preheat the oven and use a thermometer, since most ovens aren’t as precise as they claim.

Try not to open the oven door while baking—those sudden temperature drops can make your sponge deflate.

Accurate Measurement Of Ingredients

Measuring precisely really matters here. Too much liquid or fat weakens the cake and leads to sinking.

Extra butter or milk adds weight that flour or eggs can’t support. Use a kitchen scale if you can.

If you’re using measuring cups, spoon in the ingredients and level them off instead of scooping, so you don’t pack in too much. Make sure your baking powder or soda is fresh, because old leaveners just don’t give enough lift.

For more details, check out these tips on measuring ingredients correctly.

Additional Factors Affecting Sponge Cake Stability

Your sponge cake’s texture really depends on how you handle the batter and when you pull it from the oven. Get either wrong, and you might see that dreaded dip in the middle.

Impact Of Overbeating Or Underbeating Batter

Beat the batter too much, and you’ll break down the air bubbles that help your cake rise. That usually leads to a collapsed center.

Don’t beat it enough, though, and the cake won’t have enough air to rise at all. Try to mix just until everything comes together and looks smooth.

For sponge cakes, beating egg whites to stiff peaks is important, but folding them in gently is what keeps the air inside. Once you add the dry ingredients, avoid mixing at high speed.

It’s all about balance—gentle hands make for a stable cake.

Testing For Doneness

Testing your cake at just the right moment keeps it from ending up underbaked. If you pull it out too soon, the center will probably sink as it cools—nobody wants that.

After the minimum bake time, grab a toothpick or skewer and poke it into the center. If it comes out clean or with just a couple moist crumbs, you’re good.

But what if the toothpick’s clean and the cake still sinks? It probably needs a few more minutes in the oven. Slide it back in for 3 to 5 minutes, then check again.

Try not to open the oven door too early. That sudden blast of cool air can make the cake drop, which is honestly kind of heartbreaking.

Curious about more reasons why sponge cakes sink? Check out this guide on sponge cake sinking in middle.