Pesach Sponge Cake (Kosher for Passover)

If there is one cake that defines Pesach in every Ashkenazi home, it is the sponge cake. Tall, golden, impossibly light, scented with lemon and vanilla—this is the cake that appears on every Yom Tov table from the first Seder through the last days. It is the cake your bubbe made, and her bubbe before her, and the recipe has barely changed because it never needed to. When you have eggs, sugar, and a hot oven, you have everything.

The genius of Pesach sponge cake is that it needs no leavening agent at all. No baking powder, no baking soda, no yeast—nothing but air, beaten into egg whites until they hold stiff, proud peaks, then folded with exquisite care into a yolk-and-sugar base. The eggs do all the work. This is not a compromise for Passover; this is a masterclass in what eggs can accomplish when you treat them with respect.

The technique is simple but unforgiving. You must whip the whites to stiff peaks without a trace of fat or yolk contaminating the bowl. You must fold—never stir—with a light hand that preserves every bubble. And you must cool the cake upside down in its pan, suspended on a bottle neck, so that gravity stretches the delicate crumb rather than letting it collapse. Skip any of these steps and you will understand why so many people think Pesach cake is dense and disappointing. Follow them, and you will understand why this cake has survived unchanged for generations.

This recipe gives you both options: a traditional version with matzo cake meal for structure, and a gebrokts-free version using all potato starch for those families who do not eat matzo products mixed with liquid during Pesach. Both produce a magnificent cake—the matzo cake meal version has slightly more body, while the all-potato-starch version is ethereally light and melts on the tongue.

What Makes This Recipe Special

• Zero chemical leavening — Every bit of lift comes from properly whipped eggs. No baking powder, no compromises, no metallic aftertaste
• Two versions in one recipe — Traditional with matzo cake meal or gebrokts-free with all potato starch, clearly marked so every family’s minhag is respected
• Tall, dramatic presentation — Baked in a 10-inch tube pan and cooled upside down for maximum height and the lightest possible crumb
• Bright lemon flavor — Fresh lemon zest and juice cut through the richness of nine eggs, creating a cake that tastes vibrant rather than heavy
• Pareve versatility — Completely dairy-free, so it can follow any Pesach meal—meat or dairy—and pairs beautifully with fresh berries, whipped cream, or a simple dusting of powdered sugar

Ingredients

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Pan

Use an ungreased 10-inch (25 cm) tube pan with a removable bottom, preferably an angel food cake pan with feet. Do NOT grease the pan—this is critical. The batter must cling to the sides of the pan as it rises; a greased pan will cause the cake to slide down and collapse. If your pan does not have feet, have a narrow-necked bottle (such as a wine bottle) ready for cooling. Preheat oven to 165°C (325°F) with a rack positioned in the lower third.

Step 2: Sift the Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, sift together the potato starch and matzo cake meal (or all potato starch for gebrokts-free) with 75g (⅓ cup) of the sugar. Sift this mixture three times—yes, three times. Pesach starches clump aggressively, and any lumps will create dense pockets in your cake. After sifting, set aside.

Step 3: Beat the Egg Yolks

Separate the eggs carefully, placing yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer and whites in a large, perfectly clean, grease-free bowl. Even a trace of yolk in the whites will prevent them from whipping properly. Crack each egg into a clear glass first—check for blood spots, confirm the yolk is intact, then transfer. Using the whisk attachment, beat the yolks with 150g (¾ cup) of the sugar on high speed for 5–7 minutes until the mixture is very thick, pale yellow, and falls in a wide, slowly dissolving ribbon when the whisk is lifted. This is the “ribbon stage”—do not shortcut it. The volume should roughly triple.

Step 4: Add Flavorings to the Yolks

With the mixer on low, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract (or vanilla sugar) to the yolk mixture. Mix until just combined, about 15 seconds. The lemon juice will slightly thin the batter—this is normal. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Transfer the yolk mixture to a very large mixing bowl (you need room for folding) and set aside.

Step 5: Whip the Egg Whites

This is the heart of the recipe. Clean the stand mixer bowl and whisk attachment meticulously—any trace of fat will sabotage the whites. Add the egg whites and salt to the clean bowl. Begin whipping on medium speed until the whites are foamy and opaque, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and begin adding the remaining 75g (⅓ cup) sugar in a slow, steady stream over about 30 seconds. Continue whipping on high speed until the whites form stiff, glossy peaks that hold their shape when the whisk is turned upright, about 3–4 minutes total. The peaks should be firm but not dry or grainy—when you tilt the bowl slightly, the whites should not slide. Stop immediately when you reach this point; over-whipped whites are brittle and will not fold smoothly.

Step 6: Fold the Dry Ingredients into the Yolks

Sift one-third of the dry ingredient mixture over the yolk base. Using a large, flexible silicone spatula, fold gently: cut straight down through the center, sweep along the bottom of the bowl, and fold up and over. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat. Fold only until the flour is barely incorporated—about 8–10 strokes. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients in two more additions. The batter will be thick and somewhat heavy. Do not worry—the egg whites will lighten it.

Step 7: Fold in the Egg Whites — The Critical Step

This step determines the fate of your cake. You are folding air-filled egg whites into a dense yolk batter, and your goal is to deflate as little as possible while achieving an even mixture.

Start by adding about one-quarter of the whipped whites to the yolk batter. Fold this in somewhat vigorously—this “sacrifice” portion lightens the heavy batter so the remaining whites can be folded in more gently without losing their air. About 10–12 strokes.

Now add half the remaining whites. Fold with the gentlest touch you can manage: cut down through the center, sweep along the bottom, fold up and over, rotate the bowl. Count your strokes—aim for 12–15, no more. Some streaks of white are acceptable.

Add the final portion of whites. Fold with 10–12 more gentle strokes until no large white streaks remain. Small wisps of white are perfectly fine and preferable to over-folding, which will deflate the batter and give you a dense, rubbery cake. The finished batter should be voluminous, airy, and flow slowly off the spatula in thick ribbons.

Step 8: Fill the Pan

Pour the batter gently into the ungreased tube pan. Do not dump it—pour in a slow, steady stream, moving around the pan to distribute evenly. Use your spatula to gently smooth the top, but do not press down. Run a knife or long skewer through the batter in a gentle zigzag to release any large air pockets trapped during pouring.

Step 9: Bake

Place the pan in the lower third of the oven. Bake at 165°C (325°F) for 55–65 minutes. The cake is done when the top is deep golden brown, springs back when gently pressed, and a long skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few dry crumbs. Do not open the oven door for the first 45 minutes—the rush of cool air can cause the fragile structure to collapse before it has set.

Step 10: Cool Upside Down

Immediately upon removing from the oven, invert the pan. If your tube pan has feet, simply turn it upside down and let the feet hold it elevated. If it does not have feet, hang the center tube over the neck of a sturdy bottle. The cake must cool completely upside down—at least 1½ to 2 hours. This is not optional. Cooling right-side up will cause the delicate crumb to collapse under its own weight, turning your tall, proud sponge into a squat disappointment. Do not rush this step.

Step 11: Unmold

Once completely cool, run a thin, flexible knife or offset spatula around the edges of the pan and around the center tube. Press gently against the pan, not against the cake, to avoid tearing the crumb. If your pan has a removable bottom, push up from the bottom to release the sides. Run the knife under the bottom of the cake to release it from the base. Invert onto a serving plate. The cake should release cleanly with a beautiful golden crust.

Step 12: Serve

Dust with powdered sugar (confirm it is KFP—many brands contain cornstarch, which is kitniyot). Serve as-is, or with fresh berries, a squeeze of lemon, or a dollop of whipped cream (dairy meals). For a more festive presentation, drizzle with a glaze of powdered sugar and lemon juice. Use a serrated knife with a gentle sawing motion to slice—pressing down with a straight knife will compress the delicate crumb.

Storage & Make-Ahead

• Room temperature: Up to 3 days, well-wrapped in plastic wrap or under a cake dome. The cake dries out quickly once cut, so wrap cut surfaces tightly.
• Refrigerated: Up to 5 days, tightly wrapped. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving—cold sponge cake tastes dry and dense.
• Frozen: Up to 2 months. Wrap the whole cake (or individual slices) in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Thaw at room temperature for 2–3 hours. The texture holds up well after freezing.
• Make-ahead for Pesach: Bake 1–2 days before Yom Tov for best flavor. The cake benefits from an overnight rest, which allows the crumb to set fully and the lemon flavor to develop. Can be baked up to 2 months ahead and frozen.

Troubleshooting

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a regular Bundt pan instead of a tube pan?

A tube pan with a removable bottom is strongly preferred. The removable bottom allows you to unmold the cake without flipping, and the straight sides give the batter something to cling to as it rises. A Bundt pan’s decorative ridges and fixed bottom make unmolding riskier with such a delicate cake. If you must use a Bundt pan, do NOT grease it, and expect some crumb to stick to the ridges. You cannot cool a Bundt pan upside down in the same way, which increases the risk of collapse.

Why can’t I grease the pan?

Sponge cake has no chemical leavening and no fat in the batter. The only thing holding this cake up is the structure of whipped eggs clinging to the sides of the pan as the cake rises. Grease the pan and the batter slides right down, producing a short, dense cake. This is one of the few baking situations where a nonstick pan is actually your enemy. Use a plain aluminum tube pan for best results.

What is the difference between matzo meal and matzo cake meal?

Matzo meal is coarsely ground matzo—the texture of breadcrumbs. Matzo cake meal is matzo ground to a very fine powder, closer to flour in texture. This recipe requires matzo cake meal for a smooth, even crumb. Using coarse matzo meal will produce a gritty, unpleasant texture. They are not interchangeable. If you cannot find matzo cake meal, you can pulse matzo meal in a food processor or spice grinder until powdery fine, then sift it.

My family avoids gebrokts—will the all-potato-starch version work?

Absolutely. The gebrokts-free version made entirely with potato starch produces a lighter, more delicate cake with a melt-on-the-tongue texture. It is slightly more fragile when unmolding, so take extra care when running the knife around the pan. Some bakers actually prefer this version for its ethereal quality. The flavor is identical—the lemon and egg shine through even more without the subtle grain flavor of matzo cake meal.

Can I add other flavors?

The lemon version is classic, but Pesach sponge cake is a canvas for variation. Replace the lemon zest and juice with orange zest and orange juice for an orange sponge cake. Add 20g (3 Tbsp) of KFP cocoa powder (sifted with the dry ingredients, and increase sugar by 25g) for a chocolate version. Fold in 60g of finely ground toasted almonds or hazelnuts with the dry ingredients for a nut version. Just be mindful of the bracha implications if you change the ingredients significantly.