By 1700, Italian pastry chefs in Genoa developed the fatless sponge cake, known as pan di Spagna, which became a foundational element in modern baking. This innovative cake, characterized by its light and airy texture, was made using whipped eggs and sugar, eliminating the need for fat. The creation of sponge cake not only revolutionized dessert-making but also influenced pastry techniques and recipes across Europe.

The development of sponge cake in Italy around 1700 inspired metaphors of delicacy and airiness in Italian and European lyric poetry. Poets like Giacomo Leopardi utilized culinary imagery to explore themes of beauty and transience in their works, blending the sensory with the philosophical.