You don’t need to be from the United Kingdom to like this classic British cake. Named after Queen Victoria, who it is said enjoyed sponge cake with her afternoon tea, Victoria sponge cake is a delicious treat for any time of day. Two light and airy vanilla cakes are layered with cream and jam for a dessert that’s both simple and elegant.
Because of its sandwich presentation, this cake doesn’t require any fancy decorating skills or tools. Let the layers of colors and textures and a bit of powdered sugar on top do all the work. The Victoria sponge is beautiful at Christmas, Valentine’s Day, 4th of July … or even on those “just because” days.
Sponge cake:
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1-/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 Tablespoons milk (or as needed for consistency)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and lightly flour two 9” round cake pans.
Cream the butter and sugar in a medium-sized mixing bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, beating after each addition.
Add the vanilla extract and beat.
Using a spatula, fold in the flour, baking powder and salt.
Add milk in, a Tablespoon or so at a time until the batter has a soft, slightly runny consistency.
Divide the batter between the two cake pans.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Use a toothpick or skewer to check that the cake is cooked through.
Let sit for 5 minutes and then remove from tin and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
Sandwich the cakes with jam, berries and/or whipped cream. Or, just enjoy plain. Cake shown here was made with Smucker’s raspberry seedless jam and homemade whipped cream. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve with extra whipped cream on the side.
(Recipe inspiration found here.)
Homemade whipped cream:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar
Add ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. If available, use a whisk attachment to make this even easier. This will take approximately 5 minutes, so don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t thicken immediately.
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