Victoria Sponge Cake Recipe: How to Make Victoria Sponge Cake
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Apr 1, 2023 • 3 min read
Victoria sponge cake is a classic companion for afternoon tea.
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What Is Victoria Sponge Cake?
Victoria sponge cake (also known as Victoria sandwich cake) is a classic British cake made with two vanilla sponge cake layers sandwiched around a layer of jam and clotted cream. The cake itself is a little different from most sponge cakes since it uses self-rising flour for a higher rise, and butter for added richness.
What Is Sponge Cake?
Sponge cake is a light, springy cake made from flour, whisked eggs, and sugar. The defining feature of a sponge cake is the whisked eggs—the foamy structure of the eggs allows the cake to rise without baking powder or baking soda. The airy texture of sponge cake absorbs liquid, which is why it serves as the base for desserts like tres leches cake and trifle.
In the French tradition, sponge cake made by whisking whole eggs is called génoise, while sponge cake made by whisking the egg whites and egg yolks separately is known as biscuit. Some sponge cake includes the addition of cold butter, but many recipes are butter- and oil-free.
Origin of the Victoria Sponge Cake
The Victoria sponge cake is named after Queen Victoria. The first written recipe appears in Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management (1861), 24 years after Victoria became queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Mrs. Beeton's recipe for "Victoria sandwiches" calls for a batter made of beaten butter, flour, sugar, salt, and whisked eggs, baked in a buttered tin, cooled, sliced in half, and spread on one side with "any kind of jam, or marmalade." The other half of the cake is then placed on top, and the sandwich is sliced "into long finger-pieces." Today, the cake is usually served whole, with cream in addition to the jam filling.
Victoria Sponge Cake Cream
Victoria sponge cake is typically made with clotted cream, also known as English double cream. This is much thicker than American heavy cream, so be sure to whip the cream very stiffly to give the cake stability. Alternatively, swap the whipped cream for Italian meringue buttercream, which is incredibly stable and creamy, though less traditional.
Simple Victoria Sponge Cake Recipe
makes
One 8-inch round layer cakeprep time
20 mintotal time
1 hr 45 mincook time
25 minIngredients
For the cakes:
To assemble:
- 1
Lightly grease two 8-inch cake pans with nonstick spray or butter and line with parchment paper.
- 2
Lightly grease the parchment paper and dust it with flour.
- 3
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 4
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed.
- 5
Add the sugar and vanilla extract and continue to beat until very light and fluffy, about 3–5 minutes.
- 6
Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a separate bowl to combine.
- 7
Slowly add the beaten eggs to the butter mixture, pausing to scrape down the bowl as needed.
- 8
Sift one-third of the flour over the butter-egg mixture and gently fold to incorporate, being careful not to deflate the batter.
- 9
Sift the rest of the flour over the batter and gently fold to incorporate. Avoid overmixing.
- 10
Immediately pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake in the preheated oven. Bake and rotate pans halfway through, until the cakes look golden brown, about 25 minutes. The cake should shrink away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come back clean.
- 11
Let cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes.
- 12
Meanwhile, top a wire rack with a piece of parchment and spray with nonstick spray or very lightly grease with butter.
- 13
Invert the cakes onto the greased parchment and let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
- 14
When the cake is cool, make the whipped cream. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk cream, sugar, and vanilla extract to stiff peaks.
- 15
Place the flatter of the two cakes on a serving dish. Spread the top of the cake with an even layer of jam and a layer of whipped cream.
- 16
Gently place the second cake layer on top of the whipped cream and dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired.
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