Victoria Sponge
Our next historical recipe takes as back across the pond to afternoon tea with Queen Victoria. In fact, it’s named after her! The Victoria Sponge cake is a quintessential British treat traditionally served at afternoon tea.
Fun fact, afternoon tea wasn’t a thing until the mid-19th century. There was high tea, which was 8-9pm, but this was apparently too late for Anne Russell, the 7th Duchess of Bedford. She took it upon herself to request tea and light food be brought to her drawing room to dodge those afternoon hunger pains. A snack to avoid being hangry? Sign me up! Eventually, she started inviting friends to this new afternoon tea, one of them of course being Queen Victoria. I’ve read in a few places that she loved all kinds of cakes with her tea, but simple was better, which brings us to our sponge!
Appropriately, I found this recipe on the Great British Bake Off website. Traditionally, this cake is made with equal parts eggs, butter, sugar and flour, with a layer of cream and jam between the two cake layers. This is how I made it as well to keep it traditional, but baking powder was eventually added after its invention to make the cakes rise higher. Sponge cake itself came about during the Renaissance, possibly in Spain. It is since evolved to what we know it to be today, and has so many different variations. I personally love making cakes because the basics of it really are so easy. And you can always add to it: fruit, frosting, cream, cookie dough, nuts, chocolate..the list could go on.
If you decide to take on the Victoria Sponge, you’ll find a few variations in the fillings. Most might call for raspberry jam, but I’ve seen some that say strawberry as well. I love strawberry jam, so that’s what I chose to do for mine. I also saw a few here and there that have buttercream in the middle, but I would say whipped cream is definitely the way to go. It makes it feel a little lighter and fluffier, plus who doesn’t love to eat…I mean, make a giant bowl of whipped cream?
Enjoy!
-S
Ingredients:
3 medium eggs at room temperature
About 175g unsalted butter, softened
About 175g sugar
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
175g self-rising flour
1 tbs warm water
6 tbs (ish) strawberry or raspberry jam
For the cream:
1 pint heavy whipping cream, well chilled
1 tsp powdered sugar (or to taste)
Method:
Preheat oven to 350° and grease two cake tins with butter and line them with parchment paper.
Weigh the eggs - 3 medium eggs in their shells should be around 175g - then use the same weight for the butter, sugar, and flour
Put the softened butter into a large mixing bowl and beat with the paddle attachment or a wooden spoon if you’re not using a mixer. Beat until creamy, scraping down any butter from the sides of the bowl.
Gradually add the sugar a few tablespoons at a time and beat well until the mixture looks light and fluffy.
Crack your eggs until a large measuring cup, add vanilla and beat until eggs are broken up. Gradually add to the butter mixture a tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. If it looks like its splitting (curdling), add a tablespoon of flour with the last two additions of egg.
Add the rest of the flour to the bowl and gently fold it in with the rest of the mixture with a large metal spoon or rubber spatula. After 2-3 movements add the warm water. Keep folding until the flour is well mixed and there are no streaks.
Divide batter between the two prepped tins and spread evenly. Bake for 20-25 minutes until sponges are a light golden brown. Check on them at 15 minutes and rotate if they don’t look like they’re baking evenly. When they’re done, it should spring back when lightly pressed in the middle.
Run a butter knife around the inside of each tin to loosen the sponge if it’s stuck. Leave for a minute or two and then turn out onto a wire rack to completely cool.
If using cream, but a bowl and whisk or whisk attachment in the fridge to chill for 10 minutes before proceeding to the next step.
For the cream: Pour the heavy whipping cream into a bowl of a stand mixer and add 1 tsp of powdered sugar (or more if you prefer it). Whip at medium-high speed until it thickens and soft peaks form when you lift the whisk from the bowl.
To assemble:
Set one sponge, crust-side down on a serving plate. Spread the jam evenly using the back of a spoon.
Spoon the cream into cake and gently smooth it evenly over the jam. Top with second sponge and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Garnish with fresh strawberries or raspberries.