by The BBC Food team

Our easy sponge cake recipe is foolproof. With only five ingredients this basic cake recipe just needs your favourite icing and you're sorted. It's a small sponge cake, made in an 18cm or 7in cake tin.

If you are looking for a larger recipe for a different tin size, or with some additional icing, try our sponge cake calculator for the perfect fit to your equipment or style.

Cakes and baking

Buyer's guide

Unrefined golden caster sugar with some molasses left in is also available. This gives baked dishes a more intense flavour and a darker result.

Storage

Keep caster sugar in a cool, dry cupboard away from heat or moisture.

Preparation

Ideal for meringues, caster sugar is used in baking, desserts, drinks and cocktails. It adds more volume to baked goods, and gives them a lighter texture. If you do not have caster sugar to hand, grind granulated sugar in a food processor for a couple of minutes.