The Oxford Companion to Food reports that one of the earliest references to sponge cake is found in a letter written in 1808 by Jane Austen expressing her admiration for the confection, a cake in which egg yolks are beaten with sugar, then flour and other ingredients.  Sponge cake is light, fluffy and often sandwiched with whipped cream and strawberry jam.  It is likely that the term sponge cake came into common use in the 18^th century and gained popularity in the 19^th century when it showcased baking powder, a new invention that made baking less of a chore by eliminating the need for yeast to make dough rise (see leavening lessons). Towards the end of the 19^th century, a creation called sponge cake pudding appeared and was eventually simply called sponge pudding.  The ingredients are similar to the cake and the pudding can be either steamed or  baked.

Claimed as a British invention and considered a characteristic dish of British cuisine, pudding is celebrated annually in the United Kingdom with British Pudding Day on November 9^th.  It’s a day when pudding lovers can gather to explore their country’s rich pudding making (and eating) traditions.