Victoria Sponge Cake
I make this classic sponge on a very regular basis for customers looking for custom-made celebration cakes. I normally cover mine in fondant icing in all sorts of shapes and designs. However, this is how a Victoria Sponge is traditionally presented – with some freshly whipped cream, jam and fresh strawberries.
Ingredients
350g caster sugar
350g unsalted butter, softened
6 medium eggs
350g self-raising flour
A pinch of salt
284ml carton of fresh cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
1 punnet of fresh strawberries
Strawberry jam
Icing sugar to dust
Method
- Preheat the oven to 160ºC.
- Place the caster sugar and softened butter in a large mixing bowl and beat together with an electric hand-held mixer until pale in colour.
- Add the eggs two at a time, while still beating, mixing well between each two. (I break them all into a jug first so they’re easy to pour in.)
- Next sift the flour and salt into the same bowl and using a spatula slowly fold this into the wet mix until it is well mixed.
- Line a 23cm/9in cake tin with baking paper (or if it’s a spring-form tin in good nick, grease it well with the paper from the butter) and pour the mixture in. Even it out with a spatula and place the tin on the middle shelf of the oven. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes. Do not be tempted to open the oven door for at least the first hour as this can cause the cake to sink. When it’s ready the centre should spring back up when gently pressed; you can also check using a skewer. (If using half the quantity then it should be ready in 40 minutes.)
- Remove the cake carefully from the tin and allow it to cool on a wire rack.
- In the meantime whip the fresh cream in a clean mixing bowl and whip in the vanilla extract (if using). Hull and slice the strawberries into thick slices.
- When the cake is cool, carefully cut it horizontally with a large sharp knife or a cake saw. Spread a generous layer of jam on each half, then add the cream and a layer of strawberries to one half and top with the other half, jam side down. You can also cut the cake in three: spread a generous layer of jam on the bottom, then half the cream, place the middle layer of cake on top, then the other half of the cream, then a layer of strawberries, then the top of the cake.
- Sift a little icing sugar on top before serving.