The sponge cake is possibly one of the first types of cake ever made. The first recorded sponge cake recipe can be found in the 1615 English book entitled The Huswife” by poet Gervase Markham and is based on a mixture of butter, sugar, eggs, flour and at a later date a raising agent in the form of baking powder.
There are many variations on the sponge cake such as fairy cakes, butterfly cakes, and chocolate cake, but one variation that has stood the test of time is the Victoria sponge cake or more commonly known, the Victoria Sandwich.
The Victoria Sponge Cake
The Victoria sponge cake was named after Queen Victoria who loved to eat a slice of sponge cake with her afternoon tea, a tradition that is still continued today in the UK. A Victoria sponge is made up of two sponge cakes sandwiched together with jam and whipped double cream.or just jam, and the top sprinkled with icing sugar.
Sponge Cake Recipe
This recipe is so easy to make and can be the basis for a chocolate sponge cake, fairy cakes, coconut cake, pineapple upside-down cake or indeed the Victoria Sponge Cake.
Ingredients:
- 8oz/225g unsalted butter
- 4 large eggs
- 8oz/225g caster sugar
- 8oz/225g self-raising flour or all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
Method:
1. Preheat the over to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 – Reduce by 20C/F and Gask Mark 3 if using a fan assisted oven.
2. Grease and line an 10 in the baking tin.
3. In the bowl of an electric food, mixer breaks the eggs, add the butter, sugar, flour and baking powder.
4. Mix everything together until well combined and you have a smooth, creamy, ‘dropping’ consistency, that should fall off a spoon easily. NB: Be careful not to over-mix.
5. Spoon the mixture into the baking tin and place it in the middle of the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Under no circumstances should you open the door whilst the cake is cooking.
6. The cake will be finished when it is golden-brown and coming away from the edge of the baking tin. You will know if it is done by gently pressing the top and it is springy to the touch.
7. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool in its tin for 5 minutes before taking it out and placing on a wire rack.
Victoria Sponge Cake Recipe
- 8oz/225g unsalted butter
- 4 large eggs
- 8oz/225g caster sugar
- 8oz/225g self-raising flour or all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
Middle Filling
Good quality strawberry or raspberry jam
240ml heavy whipping double cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons icing sugar (confectioners sugar)
Method:
Follow the same method as the sponge cake except that you will divide the mixture evenly between two 8 inch tins.
Middle Filling: Whilst the sponge cakes are cooling you can prepare your cream filling.
In a large bowl add the double cream, vanilla extract, and icing sugar. With an electric hand, whisk beat well until the mixture forms stiff peaks. Put in the fridge until ready to use.
Putting it all together
Assemble the cakes by placing one cake upside down onto a plate and spread it with plenty of jam, and then spread the whipped cream on top.
Top with the second cake, top side up and sieve with icing sugar.
Sources:
- Davidson A. “The Penguin Companion to Food”. Penguin Books, 2002
- Berry M. “Mary Berry’s Perfect Victoria Sandwich.” bbc.co.uk.
