Anne Morgan This feather-light fatless sponge recipe is made with just three ingredients: eggs, caster sugar and plain flour with no butter or oil at all. Sometimes called a whisked sponge, it bakes in only 15 minutes and comes out airy enough to fill with jam, cream or fresh fruit.
I make this sponge whenever I need a quick trifle base or a lighter alternative to Victoria sponge. It takes a bit of faith trusting that eggs alone will hold the structure, but they always do.
The “Ribbon Stage” Secret
This cake has no butter/fat, so the only lift comes from air. You must whisk the eggs until they triple in volume. Delia uses an electric whisk to trap maximum air without the arm-ache.
See the tool for the job »Delia Smith Fatless Sponge Recipe Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 75g (3 oz) caster sugar
- 75g (3 oz) plain flour, sifted
- 1 tbsp hot water
- Jam, cream, or fruit for filling
How To Make Delia Smith Fatless Sponge Recipe
- Prep the tins: Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan/400°F/Gas 6). Grease two 18cm (7 inch) sandwich tins and line the bases with baking parchment. Dust the sides with a little flour and shake out the excess.
- Whisk the base: Break the eggs into a large, heatproof bowl and add the sugar. Place the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water). Whisk with an electric hand whisk until the mixture is pale, thick, and mousse-like. It should leave a trail when you lift the whisk (the “ribbon stage”).
Kenwood Hand Mixer (White)
Whisking over heat is hard work. You need to maintain high speed while the bowl is over simmering water. This mixer does the hard work for you, ensuring the foam becomes stable before the egg scrambles.
Check Deal Price »Delia’s “Must Have” Tool
- Cool whisk: Remove the bowl from the heat and continue whisking for another 2 minutes until the mixture is cool.
- Fold the flour: Sift half the flour over the egg mixture. Using a large metal spoon, fold it in very gently using a cutting and turning action. Sift in the remaining flour and fold again.
- Add water: Quickly fold in the tablespoon of hot water. This helps the sponge rise.
- Bake: Divide the mixture equally between the two tins. Tilt the tins gently to spread the mixture (don’t spread with a knife or you’ll knock out air). Bake near the top of the oven for 15–20 minutes.
- Cool: The cakes are done when they are pale golden, shrinking slightly from the sides, and springy to the touch. Turn them out immediately onto a wire rack and peel off the paper. Allow to cool completely.
What Are The Secrets To A Perfect Fatless Sponge?
- The Ribbon Stage: This is the most critical step! You must whisk the eggs and sugar until they are incredibly thick. If you draw a figure ‘8’ with the whisk, it should stay visible on the surface for a few seconds. If it sinks immediately, keep whisking!
- Metal Spoon: Use a large metal spoon for folding, not a wooden one. The thin edge of the metal cuts through the foam cleanly without knocking out the precious air bubbles you just whisked in.
- Grease-Free Bowl: Ensure your bowl and whisk are spotlessly clean and free of grease. Any trace of fat will stop the eggs from reaching their full volume.
- Immediate Turnout: Unlike butter cakes which need to settle, fatless sponges can stick as they cool. Turn them out onto the rack the moment they come out of the oven.
What Can You Fill a Fatless Sponge With?
This sponge is a blank canvas for fillings. A layer of raspberry jam and whipped cream creates a classic Victoria sponge feel but much lighter. For a citrus twist, try Delia’s lemon sponge cake instead.
It also works brilliantly as a trifle base cut the sponge into chunks and soak them in sherry and fruit juice. You can also use it for Swiss rolls if baked in a rectangular tin.
How Long Does Fatless Sponge Keep?
- Room Temp: Store the unfilled sponges in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Because there is no fat, they stale faster than butter cakes, so eat them fresh!
- Freeze: These sponges freeze brilliantly! Wrap them individually in cling film and foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. They thaw in about 30 minutes at room temperature.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 140 kcal
- Fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Protein: 5g
Nutrition information is estimated per slice (based on 6 servings).
Power-whisking guarantees a feather-light texture.
FAQs
Can I use self-raising flour?
You can, but plain flour is traditional for a true whisked sponge as the lift comes from the air. Self-raising might make it rise too fast and then collapse.
Why is it rubbery?
A rubbery sponge usually means the flour was over-mixed, developing the gluten, or the air was knocked out, resulting in a dense, egg-white omelet texture.
Do I have to heat the eggs?
Heating the eggs over water helps the sugar dissolve and the proteins expand, creating a much more stable foam. You can do it cold, but it takes much longer to whisk.
How long does a fatless sponge take to cook?
It bakes in 15–20 minutes at 200°C. Total time including whisking and prep is about 35 minutes.
Is a fatless sponge healthier?
Yes. It has around 2g of fat and 140 kcal per slice, compared to 12g fat and 250 kcal in a Victoria sponge.
How do you get a light fluffy sponge?
Whisk the eggs and sugar to ribbon stage so the mixture triples in volume. Use an electric whisk, keep the bowl grease-free and fold flour in gently with a metal spoon.
What is the difference between a fatless sponge and a Genoise sponge?
A Genoise adds a little melted butter at the end. Delia’s fatless version skips butter entirely, making it lighter but it stales faster.
How does Delia’s fatless sponge compare to Mary Berry’s?
Both use the same whisked method with eggs, sugar and flour. Mary Berry sometimes adds an extra egg. Results are very similar.
Can I use this fatless sponge as a Swiss roll?
Yes. Bake in a lined rectangular tin for 8–10 minutes. Roll while warm, unroll when cool, fill and re-roll.
Delia Smith Fatless Sponge Recipe
Course: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy6
servings20
minutes15
minutes140
kcalThis fatless sponge recipe needs just eggs, sugar and flour. No butter, no oil — only air gives it lift. Ready in 35 minutes and perfect as a trifle base or light cake.
Ingredients
3 eggs
75g caster sugar
75g plain flour
1 tbsp hot water
Jam, cream, or fruit for filling
Directions
- Prep the tins: Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan/400°F/Gas 6). Grease two 18cm (7 inch) sandwich tins and line the bases with baking parchment. Dust the sides with a little flour and shake out the excess.
- Whisk the base: Break the eggs into a large, heatproof bowl and add the sugar. Place the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water). Whisk with an electric hand whisk until the mixture is pale, thick, and mousse-like. It should leave a trail when you lift the whisk (the “ribbon stage”).
- Cool whisk: Remove the bowl from the heat and continue whisking for another 2 minutes until the mixture is cool.
- Fold the flour: Sift half the flour over the egg mixture. Using a large metal spoon, fold it in very gently using a cutting and turning action. Sift in the remaining flour and fold again.
- Add water: Quickly fold in the tablespoon of hot water. This helps the sponge rise.
- Bake: Divide the mixture equally between the two tins. Tilt the tins gently to spread the mixture (don’t spread with a knife or you’ll knock out air). Bake near the top of the oven for 15–20 minutes.
- Cool: The cakes are done when they are pale golden, shrinking slightly from the sides, and springy to the touch. Turn them out immediately onto a wire rack and peel off the paper. Allow to cool completely.
Notes
- Whisk until the mixture leaves a trail.
- Use a metal spoon to fold, never wood.
- Eat within 2 days as fatless sponges stale quickly.
