How long does it take to make Sponge Cake?

Bake at 160°C (320°F) for 40–50 minutes, and invert the cake right after baking so it doesn't sink.

1 hr 2 minTotal

18 minActive time

45 minSetting

#	What to do	How long
1	Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F). Don't grease the pan (a tube pan)	12 min
2	Whip the egg whites with the salt, gradually adding half the sugar	1 min
3	In another bowl: Whip the yolks with the rest of the sugar and the vanilla on high speed 3–4 minutes	4 min
4	Sift the flour over the top and Fold gently, just	—
5	Fold the egg white foam into the batter, in three additions, gently	—
6	Pour into the pan	1 min
7	Bake 40–50 minutes	45 min
8	Invert the pan right away and let it cool upside down completely	—

Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
Whip egg whites in a clean, dry bowl, without a drop of yolk.
Fold with a spatula, in broad strokes from the bottom up, and stop when there are no streaks: vigorous mixing knocks the air out of the foam. Add whipped mixtures in stages: a quarter first, to lighten the mixture.
Fold with a spatula, in broad strokes from the bottom up, and stop when there's no dry flour: vigorous mixing of a batter with flour develops gluten.
Cool upside down in an ungreased pan: the cake clings to the sides and doesn't collapse under its own weight as it cools.

Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.

For 6 eggs, use a cup of sugar and 1½ cups flour.
Sponge cake is made of flour, sugar and whipped eggs, usually whites and yolks separately; for Passover, the flour is replaced with matzo meal.
Whipping whole eggs with the sugar takes 6–8 minutes, until the mixture is pale, thick and very fluffy.