Victoria Sponge
A classic British cake with layers of light sponge, fresh cream, and strawberry jam
For the Sponge
- Unsalted butter, softened 200g
- Caster sugar 200g
- Large eggs 4
- Self-raising flour 200g
- Baking powder 1 tsp
- Vanilla extract 1 tsp
- Milk 2 tbsp
For the Filling
- Double cream 300ml
- Icing sugar 2 tbsp
- Strawberry jam 200g
- Fresh strawberries For decoration
Method
1
Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Grease and line two 20cm round cake tins with baking parchment.
2
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy. This should take about 3-4 minutes with an electric mixer.
3
Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a tablespoon of flour with each egg to prevent curdling.
4
Sift in the remaining flour and baking powder, then fold in gently with a large metal spoon.
5
Stir in the vanilla extract and milk until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
6
Divide the mixture equally between the two prepared cake tins and smooth the tops with a spatula.
7
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean and the cakes are golden brown.
8
Leave the cakes to cool in their tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
9
For the filling: Whip the cream with the icing sugar until it forms soft peaks.
10
Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread with the strawberry jam.
11
Spread the whipped cream over the jam, then place the second cake layer on top.
12
Dust the top with icing sugar and decorate with fresh strawberries before serving.
Pro Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients for the best results - cold butter won't cream properly.
- Don't overmix the batter once you've added the flour, as this will make the cake tough.
- Make sure your eggs are at room temperature to prevent the mixture from curdling.
- The cakes are ready when they spring back when lightly pressed in the centre.
- For the best presentation, chill the assembled cake for 30 minutes before serving.