Victoria Sponge Recipe

I have wanted to try my hand at a Victoria Sponge for a long time.  First, because I brake for cake!  Second, it is just so quintessentially English (although you will find this cake on the menu at most Scottish eateries as well).

I researched several different recipes, and they all seem to be pretty consistent, with just some minor variations between them. Equal parts butter, sugar, and flour appears to be the common thread. For my cake today, I decided to try a recipe by BBC Good Food. I modified it little, as I chose a different mixing method. Also, instead of the buttercream filling, I made a lighter, less sweet whipped cream filling instead.

Here is what you do:

Step 1:  Set your oven and gather your ingredients

Ingredients to make a Victoria Sponge.

Preheat oven to 190°C/ 375°F

*In this recipe, the sugar, butter, and flour are measured in grams.  I used a good kitchen scale to get precise measurements.

For the cake:

200 g caster sugar

200 g butter at room temperature

4 eggs, beaten and at room temperature

200 g self-rising flour

1 tsp. baking powder

2 Tbsp milk

For the filling:

1 C heavy whipping cream

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Your favorite jam

For the top of cake:

Confectioner’s/powdered sugar

Also known as a Victoria Sandwich or a Victorian Cake, the Victorian Sponge became popular during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901).

Step 2: Prepare your pans

Grease the bottom and sides of two 8″ round cake pans with butter.  Cover the bottom of each with a circle of ovenproof/nonstick parchment paper.

Round cake pan.

Step 3:  Mix ingredients together

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine caster sugar and butter (which should be at room temperature – this is important).

Beat in each egg one at a time.  Eggs should be at room temperature to prevent curdling of the sponge mixture.

Next, mix in the flour and baking powder.

Add the milk.

Beat the ingredients together until you have a smooth, soft batter.

An electric mixer in a bowl of dough.

Anna, the Duchess of Bedford (1788-1861) and one of Queen Victoria’s ladies-in-waiting, is credited as the inventor of tea time.

Step 4:  Fill pans

Divide the mixture evenly between the two cake pans, smoothing the surface with a knife or spoon.

A filled round cake pan ready for baking.

Step 5:  Bake

Bake the cakes at 375° for 20 minutes.  Cakes are done when they spring to the touch and when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes.

Two round baked cakes.

Step 6:  Turn out cakes

After cakes have cooled on a rack for 10 minutes, turn cakes out onto a sheet of parchment or other non-stick surface.  Gently peel off the parchment circles. Continue to cool completely.

Two round cakes ready to be assembled into a Victoria Sponge.

Even though the Victoria Sponge originated in England, you will find it served in coffee shops, tea rooms, and bakeries throughout Scotland.

Step 7:  Prepare cream filling

Beat 1 C heavy whipping cream and 1/4 tsp vanilla extract until you have whipped cream (I used our trusty Ninja, but a hand mixer would work well too).

Ninja blender.

Step 8:  Fill and prepare

Take one of the cakes (bottom side facing up) and evenly spread a layer of your favorite jam.  *I used Stonewall Kitchen’s Black Raspberry Jam

Gently spread the whipped cream over the jam.  Top with the second cake (top side facing up).  Dust the top of cake with confectioner’s/powdered sugar.

Step 9:  Make a pot of tea, set a pretty table, and enjoy!

A Victoria Sponge on a pretty plate next to a matching teapot.
A Victoria Sponge that has been sliced.
A beautiful table set with china and flowers.

Thank you for stopping by today, friends. Please let me know if you make this cake and how it turned out. Happy baking!

Cheers,

20170929_090548

17 thoughts on “Victoria Sponge Recipe

Leave a Reply