• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Metemgee
  • Althea Brown — A Look at the Woman Behind Metemgee
  • Recipes
  • Shop
  • Contact Me
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Althea Brown — A Look at the Woman Behind Metemgee
  • Recipes
  • Shop
  • Contact Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Althea Brown — A Look at the Woman Behind Metemgee
    • Recipes
    • Shop
    • Contact Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    "Home" » Desserts

    Guyanese Sponge Cake

    Published: Nov 6, 2019 · Modified: May 18, 2023 by Althea Brown · This post may contain affiliate links · 34 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Guyanese Sponge cake is a rich dessert very similar to pound cake. This deliciously decadent cake is often made with multi-colored swirls and is mostly enjoyed at celebrations like birthdays and Christmas.

    Jump to:
    • Guyanese Style Sponge Cake
    • About this Sponge Cake Recipe:
    • Why You'll Love This Guyanese Sponge Cake Recipe
    • Ingredients for Guyanese Sponge Cake
    • How to Make Guyanese Sponge Cake
    • Substitutions & Variations
    • Adding the color swirls (marble) to the batter Step by Step
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • Tips for the Best Guyanese Sponge Cake
    • FAQ
    • Related
    • Printable Recipe Card

    Guyanese Style Sponge Cake

    I have such fond memories of my mother making this sponge cake in Guyana. She made it for all of our birthdays and sometimes for our school Christmas parties. My mom also made sponge cake at Christmas time when baking seem to span over weekends and all of her sisters came by to bake bread, black cake, fruit cake, and sponge cake.

    This Guyanese sponge cake recipe is from my Aunty Cheryl who is one of the best bakers, chefs, and creators, in my family. It is so important to me that my children have similar memories of Guyanese traditions around food. So I make this Guyanese style sponge cake whenever my children ask to bake a cake.

    About this Sponge Cake Recipe:

    And let me say that non Guyanese people reading these ingredients, might say this sounds like a pound cake and it really is. Not sure why we call it sponge cake, except that it looks like "old school" sponges.

    Why You'll Love This Guyanese Sponge Cake Recipe

    • Better Than Storebought: Instead of a box cake, whip this beauty up! It's fresher and tastes much better!
    • Easy to Make: Aside from technique, this recipe is all about combining ingredients. Combine, bake, cool, serve, and devour.
    • Beautiful Presentation: On occasion, we'll add food coloring, each child owning a particular color. It is amazing to watch their reaction when the cake is cut open and they see the colors they worked on.

    Ingredients for Guyanese Sponge Cake

    The bulk of this recipe is eggs, butter, sugar, baking powder, and flour. The other ingredients are for flavor, so pick and choose which to use.

    • Butter: Start with room temperature butter for this recipe. It makes a difference in how the sugar and butter creams together.
    • Granulated sugar: It will integrate much smoother with room temperature butter and eggs.
    • Eggs: I also use room temperature eggs in this recipe. I just take my eggs out an hour or so before I need to bake and let them sit on the counter. You can also just put your eggs in some warm water while you measure out your ingredients and it will be just as good.
    • Flour: Sift all purpose flour.
    • Baking powder: This makes the cake rise.
    • Vanilla essence: You can use vanilla extract in its place but essence has a much stronger flavor.
    • Almond essence: This is an optional ingredient for almond flavor.
    • Navel orange: Use orange zest for a touch of bright, citrus flavor.
    • Rum: This is totally optional but highly suggested. It helps the cake stay fresh longer and does not impact the taste. The alcohol content will burn off.

    See recipe card for quantities.

    How to Make Guyanese Sponge Cake

    This step-by-step video tutorial features my son Andrew as he is helping me with the ingredients. Generally, this recipe makes two 8-inch round sponge cakes. But I explained in the video that my son picked the pan out and there was no convincing him to change his mind.

    It worked out perfectly and the cake was a huge success. The measurements are actually really easy to half and make one cake if you don't want this much cake. That's typically what I do when I make it with the kids.

    Substitutions & Variations

    • Butter: To make this dairy free I use dairy free butter. Earth balance and country crock vegan butter are two of my favorite butter substitutes.
    • Sugar: I've also tried this recipe with coconut sugar and it works as a cup to cup substitute, however the cake is really dark in color because of the coconut sugar.
    • Frosting: Although not traditional, you can add frosting to your Guyanese pound cake.
    • Eggless Guyanese Sponge Cake: You can substitute the eggs in this recipe for ½ cup of unsweetened apple sauce and 1 cup of milk. Or ½ cup of apple sauce, ½ cup of yogurt, and ½ cup of milk.
    • Guyanese Sponge Cake with Cherries: I don't like maraschino cherries in the cake so I didn't add any to this one but you certainly can.
    plated Guyanese sponge cake with a fork
    Christmas Marbled Sponge Cake

    Adding the color swirls (marble) to the batter Step by Step

    1. Separate the cake batter into 3 equal parts. Then add 3 drops of gel food coloring with the color of your choice and mix together well. Add more color for darker, more intense color but remember it will darken even more as it bakes.
    colorful sponge cake batter in three separate bowls

    2. Add dollops of the uncolored batter, followed by pats of the colored batter to a 9x13 baking pan. Then using the handle of a wooden spoon swirl to make a marble effect in the batter. If you wanted to have an element of surprise you could divide the batter into 4. Color two and leave two portions uncolored. Then add the two colored batter and one uncolored batter to the pan. Swirl, then top with the remaining uncolored batter, smoothing the batter to cover the top completely. Once it bakes you would only see the marble once you cut into the cake.

    unbaked Guyanese sponge cake in a pan

    3. Bake at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. You could also bake this cake at 325°F for an hour and a really soft cake.

    freshly baked Guyanese pound cake

    4. Cut into it for that beautiful colored marble effect! Depending on how you added the batter you will see either even bits of color or big chunks.

    sliced Guyanese sponge cake

    Equipment

    • Bundt cake pan or two 8 inch round pans: To contain the cake batter and bake the cake. This recipe makes two 8 inch x 3 inch pans or 1 9 inch by 13 inch sheet cake pan.
    • Stand Mixer/Hand Mixer: Use either of these for easy creaming.

    Storage

    Store leftover Guyanese pound cake in an airtight container at room temperature for five days. It will last in the fridge for about 1 week.

    Tips for the Best Guyanese Sponge Cake

    • Do not mix ingredients at high speed. As you incorporate the ingredients to make the batter, keep the stand mixer on a low setting.
    • Incorporate one egg at a time into the cake batter for easier mixing.
    • I prefer to grease the pan but you can also line the baking pan with parchment paper in order to prevent the cake from sticking.
    • For the best results, do not open the oven door to check on the cake. Otherwise, it may sink.
    • Allow the cake to cool completely before removing it from the pan.
    plated Guyanese sponge cake next to a pan full
    Marbled Sponge Cake with Christmas colors

    FAQ

    What's the difference between sponge cake and pound cake?

    Although both cakes contain flour, eggs, and sugar, traditional sponge cakes are made with separated egg whites and egg yolks. Pound cakes also contain butter.

    What are the four main types of sponge cakes?

    The four main types of sponge cake are biscuit sponge, genoise, angel food cake, and chiffon cake.

    Related

    • Non-alcoholic Guyanese Black Cake
    • Chunky slice of fruit cake on a plate
      Guyanese Style Fruit Cake
    • Slice of moist Guyanese black cake
      Guyanese Black Cake Recipe
    • Malasadas (Guyanese Pancakes)

    Do you love this recipe? Have questions or suggestions? Let me know in the comments section. Then check out my YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram for more delicious recipes. Happy baking!

    Printable Recipe Card

    Red, green and yellow colored cake on a white plate with a fork

    Guyanese Sponge Cake

    Althea Brown
    Guyanese Sponge cake is a rich dessert very similar to pound cake. This deliciously decadent cake is often made with multi-colored swirls and is mostly enjoyed at celebrations like birthdays and Christmas.
    5 from 11 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 27 minutes mins
    Cook Time 45 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine Guyanese
    Servings 12
    Calories 478 kcal

    Equipment

    • Bundt cake pan or two 8 inch round pans
    • Stand Mixer/Hand Mixer

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 lb butter room temperature
    • 1 lb granulated sugar
    • 10 eggs room temperature
    • 1 lb flour sifted
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
    • 1 teaspoon almond essence optional
    • zest of one navel orange
    • 1 teaspoon rum optional

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350 °F
    • Cream together the sugar and butter until fluffy and most of the sugar crystals have dissolved
    • Add eggs one as a time and mix into the creamed sugar and butter
    • Then add baking powder to the flour and sift together
    • Next add sifted flour, ½ cup at a time to the creamed butter, sugar and egg mixture and slowly mix together forming a smooth batter.
    • Add vanilla essence, orange zest and rum (if using)
    • Pour mixture into a greased bundt cake pan or two 8 inch round pans
    • Place on the middle rack in the oven and bake for 45 minutes to an hour or until a wooden skewer or tooth pick comes out clean (free of batter) when inserted into the cake
    • Remove from the oven and let cool completely before removing from the baking pan

    Notes

    1. For best results use room temperature butter. It makes the creaming process easier and helps the batter to be fluffier. Room temperature eggs are also great in the recipe. If I plan to make this I leave the eggs and the butter out over night. If I am doing it spur of the moment, I microwave the butter a little (not the best, but it works) and drop the eggs (shell on) in some warm water.
    2. To add color to this cake, divide the batter into 3 then add 3-5 drops of food coloring of your choice to two of the three portions of batter. Then add the batter into a greased baking pan. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, swirl to make a marble pattern. Then bake. 
    3. Adding the rum to the batter might be new to most but I promise you it makes the cake fresher longer. Give it a try and tell me what you think!
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 478kcalCarbohydrates: 98gProtein: 10gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 136mgSodium: 399mgPotassium: 111mgFiber: 1gSugar: 54gVitamin A: 198IUCalcium: 146mgIron: 3mg
    Keyword caribbean sponge cake recipe, guyana sponge cake, guyanese cake, guyanese cake recipe, guyanese pound cake, guyanese sponge cake, guyanese sponge cake metemgee, guyanese sponge cake recipe, guyanese style pound cake, guyanese style sponge cake, how to bake a guyanese sponge cake, how to bake sponge cake guyanese style, how to make guyanese sponge cake, how to make guyanese sponge cake at home, how to make sponge cake guyanese style, sponge cake, sponge cake recipe, what is sponge cake
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More Desserts

    • A black cake with a single slice on a wooden plate with a gold and black spoon
      Almond Flour Black Cake
    • Flutie (Guyanese Ice Block)
    • Sago Porridge
    • Guyanese Sweet Rice Recipe

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jonelle says

      December 23, 2019 at 2:33 pm

      5 stars
      This is the best sponge cake recipe I've tried. Thank you for suvh an amazing treat!!

      Reply
      • Althea Brown says

        December 23, 2019 at 7:03 pm

        You are welcome. So glad you tried and liked it.

        Reply
        • Bernadette Elizabeth Gouveia says

          August 11, 2020 at 7:49 pm

          5 stars
          This reminds me of my mommy in the kitchen Christmas time....

          Reply
          • Doll says

            October 04, 2020 at 2:27 am

            5 stars
            I try this recipe and my cake was very soft,moist and delicious thank you

            Reply
            • Althea Brown says

              October 04, 2020 at 8:57 am

              This is awesome. Thanks for sharing.

    2. Sabita says

      March 22, 2020 at 8:37 am

      Why does this recipe contain So much eggs...seems a bit excessive...is that many necessary?

      Reply
      • Althea Brown says

        March 22, 2020 at 8:41 am

        This is how my family makes it. If you google sponge cake or pound cake you will see this many eggs in the recipe. You can try reducing the eggs but I can’t guarantee the texture will be the same. Also this recipe makes two cakes. So you can half the ingredients for 1 cake if you like.

        Reply
      • Petal says

        April 09, 2020 at 11:11 am

        The eggs add texture. Some people put 12. I do.

        Reply
    3. Diane christiani says

      April 27, 2020 at 2:32 pm

      Althea, thank you so much for this recipe. It's pretty close to my mother-in-love cake and i consider her the best baker. I made it yesterday and it's divine. I also make your bakes often. you are amazing!!

      Reply
      • Althea Brown says

        April 27, 2020 at 9:29 pm

        This is awesome. It’s my Aunt’s recipe and I think she’s the best baker! Thank you so much.

        Reply
    4. Shanay says

      May 11, 2020 at 5:58 am

      5 stars
      I used this recipe a few weeks ago and my cake came out amazing. I used it again for mothers day to bake a fruit cake but i used a little less flour and i was pleased. I love your recipes.keep up the good work!!!

      Reply
    5. Shanay says

      May 11, 2020 at 6:00 am

      5 stars
      I used this recipe a few weeks ago and my cake came out wonderful. I used it again for mothers day to bake a fruit cake but i used a little less flour and i was pleased. I love your recipes.keep up the good work!!!

      Reply
      • Althea Brown says

        May 11, 2020 at 6:58 pm

        So glad you loved it. I also have a really great fruit cake recipe. Take a look when you can.

        Reply
      • Dianne Lopez says

        December 04, 2020 at 8:20 am

        How much less flor did you use for fruit cake

        Reply
    6. Nichette R says

      November 11, 2020 at 7:07 am

      5 stars
      OMG!!! I tried this recipe today-my first time ever baking a sponge cake from scratch and it was off the charts PERFECT. Love the touch of rum which is not a noticeable taste in the finished product. GREAT RECIPE! I will continue to use it. Thanks.

      Reply
      • Althea Brown says

        November 11, 2020 at 12:32 pm

        Thank you so much for trying the recipe and sharing. It’s a family favorite.

        Reply
    7. Michaela says

      November 14, 2020 at 7:51 am

      This is my favourite cake! I’m making it for my son’s birthday today. Was my Grandma the only one to put almond essence in hers?
      Love your recipes!

      Reply
      • Althea Brown says

        November 14, 2020 at 4:30 pm

        You can totally put almond essence. Some people also add mixed essence.

        Reply
      • Althea Brown says

        November 14, 2020 at 4:30 pm

        Happy Birthday to your son!

        Reply
    8. Viji Debideen says

      February 07, 2021 at 2:56 pm

      5 stars
      Hi my name is viji and I used your sponge and fruit cake recipe last Christmas and today .
      It's not flattering for myself but I can say your recipe" ROCKS".

      Reply
      • Althea Brown says

        February 07, 2021 at 2:58 pm

        Thank you so much! And for trying them yumm

        Reply
        • Martha says

          May 07, 2021 at 2:23 pm

          Hello ...I will definitely will try it what kind of run used Eldorado Rum.

          Reply
    9. Sandy says

      September 06, 2021 at 2:49 pm

      5 stars
      Made this during last Christmas and it was a hit. Will be making it again!

      Reply
    10. Rowena says

      September 06, 2021 at 7:01 pm

      5 stars
      I tried this sponge cake for Christmas last year...The recipe helped me achieve an amazing cake! Better than I was even expecting 🙂 Everyone was pleasantly surprised and now somehow thinks I magically like baking! Lol Thanks Altee 🙂

      Reply
    11. pamela rai says

      December 04, 2021 at 7:16 pm

      hi there how much cups of flour is equal to one pound of flour, and butter. i would like to bake you sponge cake. thank you pam.

      Reply
      • Althea Brown says

        December 13, 2021 at 9:32 pm

        There is about 3 1/3 cups in 1 pound of all purpose flour and 2 cups for 1 pound of butter.

        Reply
    12. Hema says

      December 11, 2021 at 12:27 pm

      5 stars
      Made this today for the first time after seeing your instagram story; I swirled in some batter mixed with maraschino cherries for a pink swirl. So good! Thanks so much for this, Althea.

      Reply
      • Althea Brown says

        December 13, 2021 at 9:28 pm

        Thank you so much for trying it! So glad it was a hit.

        Reply
    13. Jo says

      October 01, 2022 at 8:16 pm

      5 stars
      MY KITCHEN SMELLS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO DELICIOUS. I know it's gonna be great!

      Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. Banana Walnut Bread (with Dairy Free & Gluten Free Options) - Metemgee says:
      September 15, 2021 at 8:22 am

      […] Sponge / Pound Cake […]

      Reply
    2. Guyanese Style Fruit Cake - Metemgee says:
      December 2, 2021 at 9:33 am

      […] I grew up eating. For me, Guyanese Style fruit cake is a mash-up between pound cake also called sponge cake in Guyana and black cake. It is light and fluffy in texture, with bits of macerated fruits but not […]

      Reply
    3. Gluten Free Black Cake - Metemgee says:
      December 3, 2021 at 3:29 am

      […] I lived in Guyana my mom baked her Black cake, Fruit Cake and Sponge Cake in danish cookie tins. For a bit of nostalgia and because I didn't have a tin small enough for this […]

      Reply
    4. 1thereby says:
      January 12, 2022 at 4:35 pm

      1introspective

      Reply
    5. Guyanese Sponge Cake Recipe - CookCrews.com says:
      July 24, 2022 at 9:43 am

      […] Guyanese Style Sponge Cake […]

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Althea! I have a real passion for cooking, especially traditional Caribbean recipes with deep roots! I was born and raised in Georgetown, Guyana and now live in Denver, Colorado with my husband and 3 kids. I am a Whole30 Certified Coach and love sharing wholesome remixes to traditional Guyanese and Caribbean dishes.

    More about me →

    New Recipes

    • gluten free doubles on brown parchment paper.
      Gluten Free Doubles
    • How to break down a whole chicken over cut up chicken
      How to Break Down a Whole Chicken
    • plated gluten free Guyanese pholourie with dipping sauce
      Gluten Free Guyanese Pholourie
    • Flan in a pan with a slice of flan on an aqua background. Orange and yellow napkins folded on a green background with a brass and black fork resting on top
      Pumpkin Flan

    Wholesome Faves

    • Boneless Brown Stew Chicken
    • Dhal in a wooden bowl with a red wiri wiri pepper floating on top
      Instant Pot Dhal {Whole30}
    • Gluten Free and Grain Free Guyanese Roti (Paleo)
    • parasad, pomegranate and dragon fruit on a gray plate
      Guyanese Parsad

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Meet Althea
    • Privacy Policy
    • Recipes

    Newsletter

    • Sign up to stay connected!

    Contact

    • Get In Touch

    Copyright © 2022 Metemgee, LLC