To warm cold eggs quickly, submerge them for a couple of minutes in hot tap water.

If you use a disposable pan, results and baking times may vary.

To make the sponge cake into a layer cake, grease and flour three 9-inch round pans and line with Gefen Parchment Paper. Divide the batter evenly among the pans, and bake for 15 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking. Cool completely in pans before removing.

Variations

Lemon Sponge Cake
Once I discovered this method, I applied it to classic lemon sponge cake, and it worked beautifully. This all-purpose cake can be served on its own or in trifles and layer cakes.
Reduce vanilla extract to one teaspoon. Add juice of one lemon to eggs and sugar and continue as directed.

Chocolate Sponge Cake
A little more work than the lemon sponge, but worth the effort—you’ll never want to eat store-bought chocolate sponge cake again.
1. Reduce flour by 1/4 cup and replace with 1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder. Increase baking powder to 1 teaspoon. Mix batter according to instructions above.
2. Melt and slightly cool two ounces dark chocolate (this recipe was tested using 64% chocolate). Pour about 1/4 of the batter into the melted chocolate and whisk to lighten it. Scrape chocolate mixture into the bowl of batter—pour it in along the sides, rather than in the middle, so it doesn’t deflate. Gently fold in and proceed as directed.

  Marble Sponge Cake
I tweaked this recipe many times to achieve a result similar to my brother’s favorite childhood bakery cake that’s no longer available since the bakery closed down. He instructed me that the cake must have a crunchy top and fudgy bottom. I was delighted when he told me that my version was even better!
1. Heat eight ounces bittersweet chocolate, 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and one cup water in a microwave-safe bowl. Whisk until smooth.
2. Grease and flour two 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pans and line with foil so that foil comes all the way up the sides and over the rim of the pan. This is crucial in getting the loaves out in one piece once baked.
3. Prepare sponge cake batter as directed in the recipe and divide batter evenly between the two pans. Then, pour half the chocolate mixture over each pan. It will sink to the bottom. Swirl gently with a knife to marbleize. Bake for one hour, rotating and switching pans halfway through. Once completely cooled, lift cakes out of pans by the foil, peel off and slice.