Preparing the Pan

If using a layer cake pan, coat the interior of the pan with baking spray with flour. Then set a parchment round in the bottom. (The round will stick to the cake and help when removing the bottom crust so that the cake can absorb syrup. Leave the parchment on the cake until ready to apply syrup.) Wipe off the rim of the pan. There is no need to use a cake strip as sponge cakes don’t tend to dome and also any dryness at the edges will be corrected when the cake is brushed with syrup after baking.