[This post was edited on 25 May 2021.]
This Victoria sponge cake is delicate and fluffy, with a layer of sour fruit preserve and a delicious double cream frosting, topped with fresh strawberries. This fail-proof cake recipe is the perfect way to start celebrating summer in your kitchen.
Ingredients in Victoria sponge cake
- Butter – to make the cake moist and delicate.
- Sugar – you can replace regular sugar for brown sugar in 1:1 proportion. To get the most ‘traditional’ flavour use the standard, white sugar.
- Eggs – try to use eggs at room temperature. If you forget to take them out of your fridge early, just pop them in warm water for a few minutes before baking.
- Flour – there are so many theories behind the use of ‘the right’ flour, that I decided to write more on that. See all the details in the next paragraph below!
- Double cream – with cakes such as this Victoria sponge, where cake frosting is equally important as the cake itself, I love relying on a good quality cream. It will almost certainly make for a perfectly light frosting and an awe inspiring final effect.
- Sour fruit preserve – a.k.a. the secret sauce of this recipe! The sponge cake and the double cream are quite sweet which is why it is so important to use a good quality, sour fruit preserve to balance the sweetness out. I usually use blackberry fruit preserve that I made the year before. You can also rely on your favourite brand’s produce.
What Flour to Use for a Victoria Sponge?
Since this is a sponge cake, it needs to raise properly. There are two flour options for this recipe:
- all purpose flour – it will require you to add a teaspoon of baking powder per 75 g of flour. It’ll also do the trick and will make your cake raise well!
- self-raising flour – in this case you won’t need to add any baking powder.
Irrespective of which flour type you use, remember to always choose your tried and tested, high quality flour. After all, flour is the most important ingredient of almost every cake and it can quite literally make it or break it!
Make The Cake Your Own!
You can use this sponge cake recipe which I share below and decide on your own toppings and ingredients which will help you customise your cake and make it unique! Some ideas for other toppings might include:
- 200 g of double cream whipped with 2 tablespoons of icing sugar, with a topping of sour fresh berries of your choice (eg. blackcurrants or blackberries)
- 200 g of mascarpone whipped with 70 g of double cream and 2 tablespoons of icing sugar, topped with raspberries
- 200 g of whipping cream in the middle, fresh fruit and icing sugar layered on top
Irresistibly Easy Victoria Sponge Cake
This Victoria sponge cake is delicate and fluffy, with a layer of sour fruit preserve and a delicious double cream frosting, topped with fresh strawberries. This fail-proof cake recipe is the perfect way to start celebrating summer in your kitchen.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 200 g butter (at room temperature)
- 150 g icing sugar
- 4 eggs (large, at room temperature)
- 200 g flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
For the Frosting
- 400 g double cream (chilled)
- 70 g icing sugar
For the filling & topping
- 240 g sour fruit preserve (e.g. blackcurrant)
- 200 g fresh strawberries
Instructions
For the Cake
- Prepare two 18 cm (7 inch) cake tins, grease the base and sides and line them with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F).
- Fit a large bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment. Cream butter with sugar on medium speed for 5 minutes until pale and fluffy. Scrape off sides of the bowl and mix on medium speed for 20 more seconds.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well on low speed for 30 seconds. Make sure to scape off sides of the bowl after each addition.
- Sift flour with baking powder into a separate bowl. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the flour in two portions to the cake batter just until incorporated. Scrape off sides of the bowl and mix everything together for an additional minute on low speed.
- Pour the cake batter evenly between the two cake tins. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for approx. 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. After this time, take the cake out of the oven, place on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
For the Frosting
- Whisk double cream in a large bowl of a stand mixer fit with a whisk attachment. Start with a low speed for 30 seconds. Then increase to high speed and beat the cream until it has a thick consistency and the whisk leaves clear marks in the cream.
- Add icing sugar and whisk on low speed just until incorporated.
Assembling the Cake
- Take the cake out of the cake tins and peel off the parchment paper. Level off the doomed tops of the cakes.
- Place one of the cakes on a serving plate and spread the entire fruit preserve, all the way to the edges. Now, layer half of the whipped cream and spread evenly across the cake. Place the second layer of the cake, gently pressing it in with your hand. Layer the second half of the whipped cream and spread it evenly. Top with fresh strawberries. Store in the fridge until serving. Enjoy!
Did you make this recipe? Tag @foods_by_marta on Instagram and hastag #foodsbymarta.
