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

He was delighted, but tweaked the dessert slightly upon his return to Japan, substituting the crumbly biscuit-like base with light sponge cake layers.

From Salon • Dec. 24, 2023

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

The moving picture on the front showed a curly-haired witch who was smiling toothily and pointing at a large sponge cake with her wand.

From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling

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