I made a sponge.can someone

nzbrat, Aug 25, 2:03am
please tell me why it ended with a huge sinkhole in the middle. I can bake just about anything but I cant do sponge or pav

cgvl, Aug 25, 3:30am
did you drop it when you took it out of the oven. By drop I mean that I always take sponge from oven and carefully drop the hot pan to the floor or onto bench from a height of about 60cms, this release air from the sponge quickly and stops sinking occurring.

kaddiew, Aug 25, 4:24am
I do that too, just like my mum did. She always made the highest, fluffiest "Fielders Sponges" ever.

ljayl, Aug 26, 6:27am
I drop mine before putting into oven . breakss the big air bubbles . and then again as I take them out. I just drop from oven onto open oven door

marcs, Aug 26, 2:32pm
LOL I am the same. I am a good baker but can not bake sponge for the life of me. I can make Pavs. The trick is to beat them for 20 - 25 minutes. If you want a recipe let me know.

sarahb5, Aug 27, 12:05pm
My 17 year old don makes a better sponge than me - if in doubt make a Victoria sandwich instead, it's more robust and less prone to sinking because of the fat but dropping before baking is what we were told at school

biggles45, Aug 27, 11:25pm
Don't open the oven door until very close to the time it should be cooked, and use eggs at room temperature. I keep eggs in the fridge, so if I intend making a sponge, I take them out the night before. Never heard of dropping it but never had a problem with it sinking.

biggles45, Aug 27, 11:27pm
Oh and get all ingredients out before starting, the rising agents work pretty fast so if the mix sits around while you get other ingredients out or line tins etc it will sink.Add eggs a little at a time.

griffo4, Aug 27, 11:33pm
l was hopeless at making sponges until a lady told me she only made sponges when she was angry she beat the living daylights out of them

one day l tried it beat the eggs as usual and when it came to folding in the dry ingredients l beat them in and voila a perfect sponge and l drop it on the floor as l take it out of the oven

So now always beat in the dry ingredients

l love the old fielder's sponge recipe been making it for years
l also wait till it starts to come away from the side of the tin and then press in centre to see if it is cooked it should bounce back

marcs, Aug 28, 1:15pm
I'll try and remember that about the sponge griffo4. The last one I made had funny texture and I want to make one for my birthday in Oct.

griffo4, Aug 28, 8:01pm
Let us know how you get on l have the mixer going at top speed

Wonder if with the high speed it makes the air bubbles smaller and makes sponge more robust?
Mine is always nice soft and like a sponge should be and from my memory as a child

The old fielder's recipe is my favourite recipe

madj, Aug 29, 3:19am
I have never had any success with the Fielders sponge recipe, I cannot for the life of me make it work and have found that for some reason some people it simply doesn't work for. So after searching and trying different recipes (and I tried all of the above hints etc) I have finally found a recipe and method that works for me.

4 eggs
6 oz / 175grmsCornflour
6 oz / 175grmsSugar
Heaped teaspoon Baking powder
2 Tablespoons Boiling water.

Using a cake mixer is the easiest way to make this.

Separate Eggs.

Beat whites till stiff.

Add sugar and water mixing in.
Add yolks and fold the dry ingredients.

Bake in two 9inch cake tins. greased and bottoms lined.

Bake 350 F / 180C for 20 mins.

When you remove from oven, drop from knee height square onto floor, this 'shocks' the sponge and it won't sink when cooled. Cool on a cake rack.

NB don't try making these in sponge tins cos they will over flow.once filled this makes a huge deep sponge.

You can use any fruit for the center that you like.

This is the result: https://trademe.tmcdn.co.nz/photoserver/full/406791084.jpg

kaddiew, Aug 29, 3:47am
That looks delicious. : ) And has the same light looking texture as the Fielders sponge.

The Fielders sponge has so many different versions now - I don't know why the original recipe has been tinkered with so much over the decades.

samanya, Aug 29, 4:02am
Wow . that looks delicious & fluffy.
I use the same recipe from my grandmother (don't think they ever look as good as yours, though)
A little story she told me . A local (rural) woman used to make sponges like yours, beautiful & way bigger than anyone else & the old meanie basked in the compliments & would always say "it's just a Fielders" if asked for the recipe & then Nan got this one & could match her with a lovely sponge too. No wonder it's better with four eggs 'n all.

griffo4, Aug 29, 5:43am
This is the version of Fielder's sponge l use

3 eggs
pinch of salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cornflour
1 dessertspoon flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Beat egg whites and salt until stiff
Add sugar and beat well until sugar dissolved
Add egg yolks and beat well
Add sifted dry ingredients and beat well
Bake at 190C for about 20 mins
Drop on floor when you take out of the oven

macandrosie, Nov 26, 2:15am
Make sure your eggs are not too fresh & that they are room temperature. My efforts are hit & miss so I can talk!