sponge cake

American

noun

a light, sweet cake made with a comparatively large proportion of eggs but no shortening.

sponge cake British

noun

a light porous cake, made of eggs, sugar, flour, and flavourings traditionally without any fat

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of sponge cake

First recorded in 1795–1805

Compare meaning

How does sponge-cake compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

sponge cake vs. angel food cake

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

When asked how he feels to be immortalized as a sculpted sponge cake with coconut lime mousse, he doesn’t flinch.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 5, 2025

It consists of two layers of moist sponge cake smothered in custard filling and whipped cream that’s then topped with a glorious spread of saucy strawberries and dollops of extra whipped cream.

From Salon • Aug. 7, 2025

Mullen Road Cellars also offer some eclectic wine pairings with desserts from a rhubarb sponge cake to a chocolate hazelnut tart.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 13, 2023

The ad for Tony n' Tina's Wedding, a dinner show at Wonderville, Haymarket, featured a three-tier sponge cake.

From BBC • Jul. 7, 2023

“Chocolate cake, vanilla cake, carrot cake, sponge cake, coconut cake, marble cake, pineapple cake, mousse cake, nougat cake, cheesecake, pound cake, and Black Forest cake,” Miss Mortimer explained.

From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023