Chinese Bakery Sponge Cake (Chiffon Cake)

This baked Chinese sponge cake recipe is the same soft and fluffy texture you find in modern Chinese bakeries. Also known as a Chiffon cake in Western bakeries, this sponge cake is perfect with fresh fruit and whipped cream. (Updated in 2022!)

Are you familiar with Chinese sponge cake? I spent a lot of time at my Chinese grandparents’ house as a kid, and I always looked forward to seeing this towering snack cake waiting for me on their kitchen table. “Sponge cake,” my Paupau always called it. Everyone in my extended family craved Paupau’s sponge cake. It wasn’t until I tried recreating her famous sponge cake as an adult that I realized I had no idea what kind of cake recipe this was. THANKFULLY, she’s still alive, so I simply called her and asked her for her recipe. And now I’m sharing it with you!

Side note: My Paupau has told me that my youngest cousin makes her cake the best. I don’t know why. We use the exact same recipe. My mom also likes to remind me, repeatedly, that Paupau’s cake is also better than mine. BUT IT’S THE SAME RECIPE. So I don’t know. I guess I just don’t have the magic touch. My kids don’t complain, though. You’ll have to make this cake and be the judge for yourself!

What Are Those Soft Chinese Bakery Cakes?

Before we get started, after posting my original recipe for Chinese bakery cakes, I realized there might be some confusion. There are actually two very popular Chinese sponge cakes: traditional steamed cakes and modern baked cakes. The old school version is steamed in what looks like paper cupcake liners. My Paupau’s recipe is the more modern style cake you can find at bakeries like 85 degrees or in the bakery section of Chinese markets like 99 Ranch. They’re super soft and fluffy and light – completely different from the usual dense and mega sweet butter cakes from American bakeries.

Tangent: Yes, I say 99 Ranch and not Ranch 99, because I’m not a monster. If you are not a Chinese American, this debate probably makes no sense to you; feel free to ignore and move on.

Second tangent: I remember when 85 degrees first opened in Irvine and the lines were like hours long. And then I moved to Seattle and I remember when 85 degrees first opened in Tukwila and the lines were hours long. Again. The lengths that us ABCs will go to for some decent Asian baked goods…

Chinese Bakery Cake vs. Chiffon Cake vs. Sponge Cake

Eventually in my baking journey, I learned that this style of fluffy cake is actually known as a chiffon cake in Western bakeries. So what are the definitions of all these different kinds of cakes? Let’s break it down:

Sponge Cake – There are different types of sponge cakes, but the hallmark seems to be lack of leavening ingredients, relying solely on the whipped eggs to aerate the cake; think of Angel Food Cake or Genoise. Many sponge cakes also do not have any fat.

Butter Cake – Uses butter, as the name implies, and relies on baking powder to rise. This is the usual American style cake.

Chiffon Cake – Uses both beaten egg whites and baking powder to rise; Chiffon cakes also have fat content from egg yolks and oil.

My family always called this cake a “sponge cake,” and so I do too. I don’t even know if there’s a Chinese name for this specific type of cake, and to be honest, I don’t really care what you call it – a Chinese cake vs. a Western cake, or a sponge cake vs. a chiffon cake. Like I tell my kids, just eat it.

How to Make Super Soft Sponge Cake – Egg White Tips

The technique for making sponge cake is not as hard as it seems. Whenever I see a recipe that calls for separating eggs, I, too, internally groan. It’s extra work. It sounds like it’s going to be hard.

But I promise you, this recipe really isn’t so bad. Separate the egg yolks and whites. Beat the whites to stiff peaks. Mix everything else with the yolks. Then fold the two mixtures together. Here are some tips:

• Watch some videos on youtube to see what stiff peaks looks like. You probably are more likely to underbeat than overbeat.
• Make sure there are NO egg yolks in the white mixture. I crack my eggs and separate them in a small bowl first before adding to the large bowl.
• Wipe down the bowl with a paper towel soaked in vinegar before you beat the egg whites. This helps make sure there is no leftover oil on the bowl that will mess up your whites.
• Be gentle when folding your batter. Use a baking spatula to cut down the middle of the bowl and gently scoop from underneath, rotating the bowl as you go.
• If you’re scared about folding the batter, you can mix the whites into the yolks in thirds. Working in smaller batches sometimes helps.

Baking Sponge Cake in an Angel Food Tin

You don’t HAVE to use an angel food cake tin for this recipe, but Paupau always does, and so I do too. I like the height it gets, and it’s easy to slice snack size pieces. Plus, this cake is so soft, it’s harder to make into a typical layer cake if you’re using any frosting other than whipped cream. Some tips for using the angel food cake tin:

• Don’t grease the tin. This helps the cake rise.
• If you can, let the cake cool upside down in the tin, resting on a wire rack. Just be careful that the center portion doesn’t fall out.
• If the sides are stuck to the tin, swipe an offset spatula along the edges before attempting to take the cake out.

Of course, you’re welcome to try baking this in a different size baking dish. Don’t forget to adjust the time of the bake!

That’s all the instruction I have for you! You can serve this with whipped cream and fruit, or just eat it by itself. It’s so soft and fluffy, you won’t even feel gross if you eat the whole thing. 😉 Happy baking!

More Asian Baking Recipes

If you enjoyed this recipe, be sure to check out my yuzu lemon cupcakes and my black sesame layer cake recipe.

More Chinese Grandma Recipes

Pretty much all my Chinese recipes come from my pau pau. If you want to see more of her recipes, you can check out my Chinese vegetables, steamed fish, and my instant pot char siu.