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The Victoria Sponge Cake is named after Queen Victoria as she used to enjoy a slice with her afternoon tea! Her habits helped to popularise afternoon tea, as pictures of her taking tea when on holiday on the lawn at Osbourne House on the Isle of Wight, and were regularly published in the illustrated London News.  

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This cake is also famous for being the cake to test your oven with. In the Great British Bake Off, a Victoria Sponge Cake is made in all of the ovens before the contestants start baking. 

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This type of cake became popular when baking powder was invented, giving it a lovely rise and soft sponge like texture. One of the first places this recipe appeared in is Isabella Beeton's best-selling Book of Cookery and Household Management in 1861.

Recipe from Mrs Beaton’s Book of Cookery and Household Management (1861)

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Cook Time:

25 Minutes

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Serves:

6

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Ability:

Easy

Ingredients:

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200g Self Raising Flour

200g Caster Sugar

200g Butter

4 Eggs

1tsp Baking Powder

1tsbp Vanilla Extract

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FOR THE FILLING:

70g Jam (I used the Raspberry Jam from this recipe)

Icing sugar, for dusting

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Equipment:

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Mixing Bowl

Electric Whisk

Spatula

2x20cm Sandwich Tins

Baking Parchment

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Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180c

  2. Grease 2 x 20cm sandwich tins and line the bases with baking parchment.

  3. In a large bowl, add the caster sugar and butter to the bowl of your electric mixer and cream together until light and fluffy.

  4. Gradually beat in the eggs little by little and beat well after each addition.

  5. Sift the flour and baking powder into the cake mixture and gently fold in until smooth. Then add the extract, giving it one final whisk.

  6. Divide equally between the two tins and spread level.

  7. Bake for 20 minutes until well risen and the tops spring back when gently pressed with a fingertip

  8. Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 5 minutes then loosen the edges and turn out onto a wire rack.

  9. Peel off the lining paper and leave to cool completely

  10. Arrange one of the cakes on a serving plate and spread with the jam and cream.

  11. Top with the second cake and dust with a little extra sugar to decorate. 

  12. Enjoy with a nice cup of tea on a summer’s afternoon.

Video Tutorial Here

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