The objective of this study was to determine whether or not it would be possible, and in what extent, to replace traditional shortenings, characterized by high amounts of trans fatty acids, with some specially modified fats based on palm oil, with a lower content of trans isomers. The scope of the study comprised the assessment of two factors: the composition of acids contained in four plant shortenings, which differed, in particular, in their contents of trans isomers (from 1.0 to 49.8%), and the selected physical and sensory properties of sponge cakes made using the above fats. The composition of fatty acids was determined using a technique of gas chromatography. Depending on the kind of fats applied, various sponge cake kinds were produced; they showed different physical properties, among other things: volume of sponge cakes baked (from 675.0 to 741.7 cm³), porosity of crumb (60.9 and 65.9%), and compressibility of crumb (3300 to 5807.1 [N/m]). The overall sensory evaluation proved that all the sponge cakes manufactured were of a good quality (their score in the evaluation was between 12.3 and 12.5 with 15 as the maximum score possible) regardless of the shortening kind applied. On the basis of the investigation performed, it was stated that there was no correlation between the content of isomers of trans fatty acids and the volume and sensory quality of sponge cakes. However, it was evidenced that the content of trans isomers favourably impacted the porosity and compressibility of the cake crumb. The results obtained allow for the following conclusion: the application of special fats with a lower content of trans isomers (from 25 to 1%) makes it possible to produce good quality sponge cakes.