Victoria Sponge

Yesterday morning I baked a cake. I gave in to a terrific urge to make a proper, grown-up Cakey type cake as opposed to the child-orientated buns/cookies/flapjack that I usually bake. I love it when this sort of baking desire strikes, cos it's usually a fairly easy desire to fulfill, and the satisfaction rate is beautifully High. 

The object of my desire yesterday was Victoria Sponge. Nothing else would do. It absolutely, completely, totally had to be this exact cake. Now I'm not sure, but I honestly don't think I've ever made a Victoria Sponge before, excepting maybe at school in cookery class. Although it's a very traditional, classic English cake, it has a reputation for being a little bit tricksy to get right. In fact I think it's entirely possible to make a very bad Victoria sponge (too heavy, too dry, burnt around the edges, uncooked and sunken in the middle etc etc), and not at all easy to achieve the light, airy, moist and golden Object of my Desire. But I took on the challenge and gave it a go anyways.

This is my recipe, adapted from my old never-fail bun recipe::

150g caster sugar, creamed with 150g margarine.

2 beaten eggs with a tsp vanilla essence and a splash of hot water. Whizz it all up furiously until light and fluffy.

150g self raising flour, folded in gently.

Divide mixture between 2 well greased or lined 8" tins, and bake at 180/350/gas 4 for 30mins until risen and lightly golden. The cakes should be slightly springy to the touch.

Turn out of the tins very carefully (my tins have a loose bottom which is very handy for this) and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.

For the filling I made butter cream icing (50g unsalted butter creamed with 100g icing sugar) and added a good spreading of strawberry jam. Sandwich it all together and dust the top lightly with icing sugar.

The resulting cake was quite honestly incredible.

In-CRED-ible.

It was light, oh it was so-so-so light. It was moist and fluffy and sweet and just absolutely scrummy. It looked lovely on my cake stand, all sugar dusty on top with butter cream and jam oozing out from the middle. But truthfully the look of it was nothing compared to the experience of stuffing it sweetly into my mouth.

Incredible I tell you.

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Comments

[not fake]

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[IT Services Melbourne]

That's make me hungry....!

[Ema]

Looks delicious! We made one two days ago, first time in ages!! - we were participating in a 'tea-party across the miles'.

[Julia Jennings]

Lucy, Thanks so much for sharing. My boyfriend spent a year in Brighton studying law. I went to visit for three weeks, and now that we are both back in the United States, we miss England everyday. I was wondering if you had any sausage recipes that you could share. Sausage in the states is vastly different and that is one food that he is always raving about. I would like to cook up some memories for his birthday in a few weeks. I appreciate any help you can give me. Thanks!

[Clare]

For those that are trying to "convert" the recipe, the best way is just weigh your eggs (in their shells). Then weigh out the same amount of sugar, butter and self-raising flour and proceed with the recipe - my granny taught me that way (before the days of sized eggs) and it always worked out perfectly.
I also add a teaspoon of vanilla essence and a wee splash of milk for a plain sponge but quite like fiddling around with flavours (esp coffee) occasionally.

[linnet]

Have you been over to My Tiny Plot blog? She was doing the same thing - well, deciding to have a Cake Friday every week. It's the Collective Unconscious at work again!! Homemade cake is sooooooooo good BUT my oven went on strike this week. Disaster - even the birds are turning up their beaks at the bread that came out half cooked.

[Houdini]

Am no good at baking - but this looks very gorgeous - I think I shall try again using your recipe! Even if it's a disaster at least I'll be able to blog about it ;-)

[Jacqui]

oh i wish haha ...... my cakes are legendery for being flat lol

[Kate]

Hi Lucy, second comment on this post, I remember hearing that the W.I say that the weight of flour, sugar and margarine/ butter should each equal the weight of the eggs, thought that might be helpful to your USA readers who are struggling to convert the recipe.

[Tracy Garrison]

Attempted the recipe and it was disasterous! I "converted" the measurements. The cake didn't rise and I had to "chisle" it out of the pan.

Oh well...........looked good but probably won't try again.

[MrsMummy]

Hello, I have recently discovered using 'sponge' flour when baking cakes. I find it makes a big difference to the texture, much lighter, though yours looks good enough to eat.

[Rebecca]

Lovely, and a tip I learned from making so many failed sponges is to use room temperature eggs only. Something to try. Love the festive bunting too by the way. LOL Bex x

[Jo]

Oooh, now I am salivating! I need to get me some cake, quick!! :)

[colombette29]

your blog is wonderful ! All the colours together, it's beautiful. I do not know this cake but it seams to be delicious. I put your blog in my favourites :)

[Jill Farrell]

When your feeling poorly ( as I am ) what a lovely place to visit to cheer myself up .. Lucy thank you for sharing x xx x

[Christine]

Yum!!!!!

[Sam]

Hello from South Australia Lucy. You make my day with all your updates, the photos, the family chat, the tutorials, I love it all. I look at the photos and want to be back in England to visit again we loved it there, the villages, the green of the countryside, the flowers, everything! Keep writing Lucy I look forward to every one of your new adventures!

[Tracy Garrison]

It lookds delicious and I plan on trying it. However, I have to convert it to American measurements. So, if anyone has some suggestions, I would appreciate it! :-D

[Susie]

Congratulations on your first Victoria Sponge - it looks perfect! I have just found a recipe for a gluten free version that I'm going to try.
:)) yum yum

[Eliz. K]

That cakes looks heavenly! I am scared to death to try sponge cakes... they seem SO finicky! With your recipe, I may work up my nerve... :-) Yum!

[bj]

Ummm, um, Lucy...this looks and sounds so good.
I have a hard time figuring out English recipes, tho....since we use "cups" and "tablespoon" and etc.
I will see if I can google this cake. Just gotta have one now, ya know. :))

[ScoobyDoo]

Ooooohhh! Aaaaahhh! Dribble dribble dribble - I just want to lick the screen, can't wait to bake my own. Thanks for the lovely photos - it looks truly delicious.

[Sarah west mids uk]

Dear Lucy YES a slice of Victoria sponge with a cup of tea for me please.
My mum and my sisters often tease one another about who can make
the lightest sponge!!!!!!!! xx

[Alison]

Your cake looks fab, making me quite hungry...!
Just stumbled apon your blog, looking forward to reading more!
Alison
x

[Joyce Stewart]

And as someone who wishes she had £1 for every one I've made..gosh I'd be rich....it looks absolutely scrumptious. The texture is very morish looking.
I use equal quantities of butter and icing sugar creamed together and a little milk beaten in makes the cream very velvety....real cream added is a wonderful luxury....doesn't take too much milk or cream and you can taste the smoothness! You hit the jackpot with this one...and sometimes when you just 'throw things together' it turns out better than when you fuss over it....but beware...if you want it for something special - well - sometimes they don't work out so well....but that's life. Gorgeous cake.