Victoria sponge
This buttery sponge, the best you’ll ever taste, is still my favourite to serve with afternoon tea. It keeps brilliantly and it’s even more delicious if you add some softly-whipped cream and fresh raspberries, in season, as well as the jam
SERVES
10
PEOPLE
PREP TIME
15
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
20
MINUTES
Ingredients
125g butter
175g caster sugar
3 eggs
175g flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp milk
For the filling:
110g homemade raspberry jam
300ml whipped cream
caster sugar, to sprinkle
2 x 7 inch (18cm) sponge cake tins
Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C. Grease the tin with melted butter, dust with flour and line the base of each with a round of greaseproof paper.
Cream the butter and gradually add the caster sugar, beat until soft and light and quite pale in colour.
Add the eggs one at a time and beat well between each addition.
Sieve the flour and baking powder and stir in gradually. Mix all together lightly and add the milk to moisten.
Divide the mixture evenly between the 2 tins, hollowing it slightly in the centre. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until cooked — the cake will shrink in slightly from the edge of the tin when it is cooked, the centre should feel exactly the same texture as the edge. Alternatively, a skewer should come out clean when put into the centre of the cake. Turn out onto a wire tray and allow to cool.
Sandwich the two bases together with homemade raspberry jam and whipped cream. Sprinkle with sieved caster sugar.
