Victoria sponge
Two light, golden butter sponges sandwiched with vanilla buttercream and raspberry jam, finished with a dusting of caster sugar.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 180°C. Grease the sandwich tins and line the bases with circles of baking paper.
- 2
Beat the 200 g butter with the caster sugar until very pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes with an electric mixer.
- 3
Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of the flour if the mixture starts to look curdled.
- 4
Sift in the remaining flour with the baking powder and fold gently until smooth, then stir in the milk.
- 5
Divide the batter evenly between the tins and smooth the tops.
- 6
Bake side by side until golden, springy when pressed lightly and just shrinking from the sides of the tins.
- 7
Leave in the tins for a few minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and peel off the paper.
- 8
Leave the sponges to cool completely.
- 9
Beat the 80 g butter until soft, then gradually beat in the icing sugar and vanilla until pale and smooth.
- 10
Set one sponge top side down on a plate and spread it with the buttercream.
- 11
Spread the jam over the buttercream.
- 12
Lay the second sponge on top, top side up, and dust with caster sugar just before serving.
Notes
- A traditional way to keep the balance right is to weigh the eggs in their shells and use the same weight each of butter, sugar and flour.
- For a cream filling, swap the buttercream for 150 ml double cream whipped to soft peaks, and serve the cake the same day.
Equipment
Two 20 cm sandwich tins, Baking paper, Electric hand mixer, Mixing bowls, Sieve, Wire rack, Palette knife