Victoria Sponge
This classic cake was probably invented for Queen Victoria due to her affection for something sweet in the afternoon. This promptly sparked a cake-revolution among the high society flyers and aristocrats of the time, however, it was only years later that the notion of adding freshly whipped cream to the filling actually made it worth eating. So here it is today, in all its glory.
Ingredients
- For the sponge cake:
- 250g self-raising flour
- 250g caster sugar
- 250g unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon vanilla paste or vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon of water
- For the filling:
- 150ml double cream
- 50g icing sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla paste or vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons raspberry or strawberry jam
- Icing sugar to dust on the top of the cake
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 10 - 12
Method
- Heat the oven to 180°c on convential (not fan assisted).
- Put the caster sugar and butter for the cake into a large mixing bowl and whisk them together with an electric hand whisk until it has become very pale in colour.
- Crack the eggs into a jug, beat them together using a fork and then, while continuing to whisk the creamed sugar and butter, pour in about 2 tablespoons of the beaten egg.
- Whisk the beaten egg into the sugar and butter until it is totally incorporated, then add another 2 tablespoons of the beaten egg and continue to whisk and add the egg in about 2 tablespoon amounts until it is all in the mixture.
- Whisk in the vanilla.
- Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl with the mixture, add in the salt and then stir it all in using a spoon until there are no lumps of flour.
- Stir in the water.
- Pour the mixture in equal quantities into two non-stick, greased, 20cm cake tins lined with greaseproof paper.
- Put the tins into the ovan and bake them for 30 minutes.
- To test if the sponge is done insert a skewer into the middle and if it comes out clean the sponge is ready.
- When the sponges are cooked, take them out of the oven and leave them to cool in their tins for 10 minutes, then turn them out, upside down, onto a cooling rack. Leave them to cool completely to room temperature.
- When the sponges are cool, choose the nicest shaped sponge to use for the upper tier of the cake.
- Put the double cream, the vanilla and the icing sugar into a large mixing bowl. Then whisk it until it has stiffened to the texture of whipped cream.
- Put the cake that is not going to be used for the top onto a serving plate.
- Evenly spread the jam on to the lower tier.
- Then pile on the whipped cream and spread that to form an even layer.
- Put the upper tier of sponge on to the cream and, using a sieve, dust a good layer of icing sugar on to the top of the cake.
- Slice and serve.
Useful Information
Can it be frozen? Yes, for up to 2 weeks.
Can it be prepared in advance? Yes, it can be finished up to 5 days in advance if kept refrigerated.
Will leftovers be nice? Yes, for up to 5 days refrigerated.
Notes
- If you refrigerate the cake (which you need to because of the cream), you should bring it up to room temperature before serving it as this softens the sponge and massively improves the flavour (cold food tastes less than warm or hot food).