Step 1

Preheat oven to 170 C / 340 F (no fan) and bring all the cake ingredients to room temperature.

Step 2

Prepare a 20 cm / 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper on the bottom and side as well. Prepare your homemade or store-bought cake strip and dip in water.

Step 3

In a mixing bowl, whip together the eggs, vanilla extract, and sugar with an electric hand mixer for at least 5 minutes at high speed until very pale, creamy, and fluffy. You can also use a stand mixer. We are aiming to achieve a so-called ribbon stage, where the eggs and sugar mixture is whipped until it's thick and pale and forms a "ribbon" when you lift the whisk and let the mixture fall back into the bowl.

Step 4

Next, reduce the mixer to a lower speed and continue whipping for another 1-2 minutes. This helps break down larger air bubbles into smaller ones, preventing large holes in your sponge cake.

Step 5

Sift the flour, and then gently fold it into the egg mixture with a rubber spatula, just until combined, making sure not to deflate the sponge cake batter.

Step 6

Then, pour in the room temperature milk and oil and mix it with "cut and fold" movements just until combined. See expert tips on how to "cut and fold".

Step 7

Pour the sponge cake batter into your prepared pan and bake at 170 C / 340 F (no fan) for approximately 40 minutes. Do not open the oven door in the first 30 minutes. The cake is ready when an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Step 8

Flip the sponge cake upside down and let it completely cool on a wire cooling rack.

Step 9

Once the sponge cake cools to room temperature, cut and / or frost the sponge cake according to your recipe.