Victoria Sponge Loaf Cake Recipes

VICTORIA SPONGE LOAF CAKE

Steps:

• Oil a 950g loaf tin (ours measured 19 x 9cm across the base) and line with a strip of baking parchment, leaving a little hanging over the edges - this will help you lift the cake out later. Heat the oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3.
• Put the butter and caster sugar in a large bowl, or stand mixer. Beat together using an electric whisk or the mixer until pale and fluffy - this will take a few minutes.
• Gradually add the egg, a little at a time, beating well between each addition until the mixture is smooth. Add a tablespoon or two of the flour if it's starting to curdle.
• Add the remaining flour, the milk and vanilla, and mix until there are no visible streaks of flour. Scrape into the prepared tin, then use a spatula to evenly spread it and smooth the surface. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 50 mins-1 hr, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. If any wet cake mixture clings to the skewer, bake for 5 mins more, then check again. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins, then carefully transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
• Chop four of the strawberries into small pieces and mix with 1 tsp of the icing sugar. Set aside. Halve or quarter some of the remaining strawberries and leave the rest whole. Mix the remaining icing sugar with 2 tsp of the jam and all the lemon juice to make a thick icing - it should be thick enough to drizzle down the sides of the cake. Pour the cream into a bowl and whisk until it's just holding its shape - be careful not to overwhisk, as it will continue to thicken as you pipe it. Transfer the cream to a piping bag fitted with a fine star nozzle.
• Slice the cake in half lengthways through the middle using a sharp serrated knife. Spread a little of the remaining jam over the base layer. Pipe half the whipped cream over in a zig-zag pattern and top with the chopped strawberries and any syrupy juice from the bowl. Sandwich with the top of the cake. Pipe the remaining whipped cream over in the same way, then arrange the halved, quartered and whole strawberries on top. Drizzle over the icing to finish. Best served the same day, but will keep covered in the fridge for up to three days.

VICTORIA SPONGE CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Grease and line the base of two 19cm/7.5ins loose bottomed cake tins.
• Preheat the oven to 180 deg fan assisted.
• Using an electric mixer. Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Gradually add the eggs, one at a time, adding a little flour between each one. This will help prevent curdling. Mix together until well combined.
• Add the vanilla extract and the remaining flour. Mix until well combined.
• Your batter should be of a dropping consistency. (drop off your spatular easily) If not, add the milk and mix until well combined.
• Pour the cake batter evenly into the two cakes tins. Use scales to ensure you have an equal amount in each tin, or this will affect your baking times.
• Bake in the centre of the oven for 20 mins. Or until baked. Testing the centre of each cake with a skewer until it comes out clean.
• Leave in the tins for 5 - 10 mins to cool a little, before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Turn one of the cakes upside down to flatten the dome.
• When cooled completely place the flattened domed cake on a cake stand with it's base facing upwards. Spread a layer of Raspberry or Strawberry jam. Place the second layer on top.
• Dust with a light coating a caster sugar.

VICTORIA SPONGE LOAF

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C (Electric Oven), 160C (Fan Oven) or Gas Mark 4.
• In a food processor, put in all of the ingredients and mix together until smooth.
• Pour the mixture into a loaf tin with a loaf tin paper case.
• Bake in the oven for 45 - 50 minutes or until golden brown. (To test whether or not it is cooked, press your finger lightly in the middle, if it springs up it is cooked. Alternatively, you can get a skewer, put it in the middle of the cake, if it comes out clean, the cake is cooked)
• Gently lift the paper case out of the tin and leave on a wire rack until cold.
• If butter cream is required, cream together butter and icing sugar until pale and fluffy. (Add vanilla essence and food colouring if required)
• Once the butter cream is made, use a bread knife to cut the loaf in half along the cake.
• Add the butter cream and strawberry jam.
• To add an extra feature to the cake, lightly dust some sieved icing sugar on the top.

THE MOST AMAZING VICTORIA SPONGE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180ºc/160º fan/Gas 4/350ºF Grease and line two 8" (20cm) round loose-bottomed cake tins.
• Put the soft butter (225g) into a large mixing bowl, add the caster sugar (225g) and use a handheld electric mixer to cream together until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs to the mixing bowl, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Place a sieve over the mixing bowl and sift in the flour (225g) and baking powder (2tsps).
• Use a large metal spoon to gently fold the ingredients together. Take care not to overmix.
• Divide the mixture evenly between the two tins (about 430g in each tin). Smooth the top of the mixture with the back of a spoon and gently tap the cake tin on the work surface to release any air bubbles.
• Bake in the oven for 25 minutes. When baked, the cakes will shrink away from the sides of the tin slightly and will feel springy to the touch. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the cake tins before turning out.
• When the cakes are cool place one of the cakes on a cake board or stand and spread it with the strawberry jam (6 tbsps).
• Put the double cream (250 ml), icing sugar (1.5 tbsps) and vanilla extract (1 tsp) into a mixing bowl. Whisk until it is forming soft peaks and holds its shape. Spread it on top of the jam and then sandwich the other sponge on top. To decorate, dust with icing sugar.

MARY BERRY'S EASY VICTORIA SANDWICH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm/8in sandwich tins. Use a piece of baking paper to rub a little butter around the inside of the tins until the sides and base are lightly coated, then line the bottom with a circle of baking paper.
• Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl, then add the sugar, flour, baking powder and butter. Mix together until well combined with an electric hand mixer (you can also use a wooden spoon), but be careful not to over mix. Put a damp cloth under your bowl when you're mixing to stop it moving around. The finished mixture should fall off a spoon easily.
• Divide the mixture evenly between the tins: this doesn't need to be exact, but you can weigh the filled tins if you want to check. Use a spatula to remove all of the mixture from the bowl and gently smooth the surface of the cakes.
• Bake the cakes on the middle shelf of the oven for 25 minutes. Check them after 20 minutes. The cakes are done when they're golden-brown and coming away from the edge of the tins. Press them gently to check - they should be springy to the touch. Set aside to cool in their tins for 5 minutes. Run a palette or rounded butter knife around the inside edge of the tins and carefully turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack.
• To assemble the cake, place one cake upside down onto a plate and spread it with plenty of jam. If you want to, you can spread over whipped cream too. Top with the second cake, top-side up. Sprinkle over the caster sugar.