Ultimate Victoria sponge
- Adam Bush
Published: May 17, 2022 at 7:05 PM
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Serves 8-10
Easy
Total time: 1 hr and 10 mins
+ cooling
A star rating of 5 out of 5.6 ratingsRate
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Follow these simple steps to get a beautiful, classic jam and cream Victoria sponge sandwich cake that is lighter than air
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Try this classic Victoria sponge, then check out our vanilla cake, carrot cake classic marble cake and more easy cake recipes.
The secret to the perfect victoria sponge is making the lightest, airiest cake possible. There are lots of little steps in the method that will culminate in big differences to the final bake. We’ve swapped raspberries for strawberries as we think the extra tartness they give balances out all that sugar. Try our easy victoria sponge for a simpler recipe.
Follow our expert tips on how to make a Victoria sponge cake:
8 simple steps to the perfect Victoria sponge
1. BE PREPARED
Having everything weighed out, the tins lined and oven heated beforehand means you can get the cakes into the oven quickly before the airy batter starts losing volume.
2. SOFT BUTTER
Make sure your butter is extremely soft (but not melted). The butter will bond more easily with the sugar allowing for extra air bubbles when you beat it.
3. GOOD EGGS
Fresh, room temperature eggs hold more air than old or fridge cold ones, so this will give you a head start on creating a lighter sponge.
4. ADDING THE EGGS
At once would make the mixture too heavy, stopping it from whipping up. Adding them one by one means you can avoid knocking the air out of the mix.
5. SIFT
Sifting the flour separates out the particles, creating more air pockets, meaning more air gets into the mixture.
6. FOLDING
Using a large metal spoon to gently fold the flour in, in two halves, means you knock out as little of the air you’ve created as possible.
7. DROPPING CONSISTENCY
‘Dropping consistency’ – getting a batter that drops easily off a metal spoon – is a careful balance between butter, sugar and flour. If the mix is a little stiff, add a little milk until you get exactly the right consistency, which will mean the sponge will bake to its full, light potential.
8. GET THE KETTLE ON
Victoria sponge should be eaten on the day, when it’s at its soft, springy best.
Ingredients
Nutrition
-
200g salted butter
softened, plus a little for the tins
-
200g golden caster sugar
-
4 large eggs
room temperature
-
200g self-raising flour
-
¾ tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
-
1 tsp baking powder
-
a splash whole milk
(if needed)
FILLING
-
300ml double cream
-
1 tbsp icing sugar
plus extra to serve
-
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
-
150g seedless raspberry jam
-
200g raspberries
Nutrition: per serving
- kcal533
- fat34.7g
- saturates21g
- carbs49.1g
- sugars33.9g
- fibre1.5g
- protein5.4g
- salt0.8g
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Method
-
step 1
Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and butter and base-line 2 x 20cm loose-bottomed sandwich tins with baking paper. Put the butter and golden caster sugar into a large bowl and use electric beaters to beat the mixture for at least 5 minutes until it turns pale creamy white. Add the eggs 1 at a time, along with 1 tbsp of flour with each egg, and beat for 1 minute between each addition. Continue to beat until tripled in volume and very light and airy. Beat in the vanilla paste.
-
step 2
Sift the remaining flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt into a separate bowl. Add half into the batter and use a large metal spoon to gently fold it in, being careful not to knock out any air. Add the remaining flour mixture and gently fold in. The mixture should drop off the spoon easily – if not, add 1 tbsp of milk and gently fold again. Divide equally between the tins and bake for 20-25 minutes or until risen, golden and a skewer poked into the centres come out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in their tins, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
-
step 3
Whip the cream, icing sugar and vanilla to soft peaks. Put the jam into a bowl and add 1 tbsp of boiling water to loosen to a drizzle-able consistency. Put one of the sponges onto a serving plate, then spoon over the cream. Scatter the raspberries evenly all over, then drizzle over the jam. Put the other sponge on top, then dust over icing sugar and serve.
Discover our best easy cake recipes
Authors
Adam BushDeputy food editor
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