Name: Victoria Sponge Cake
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: Sponge cake; 200 grams / 7 ounces butter, room temperature; 200 grams / 1 cup superfine/caster sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 3 eggs, room temperature and lightly beaten; 200 grams / 1 1/4 cups plain flour, sifted; 6 grams / 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; Cream filling; 100 grams / 3.5 ounces butter, softened; 115 grams / 1 cup confectioners/icing sugar, sifted; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 100 grams fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced; 40 grams / 2 tablespoons strawberry jam

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One of the most important questions to ask when wanting to create a Victoria Sponge Cake is whether to sandwich jam or fresh fruit? Now, recipe after recipe has jam and yet here from the image above you can see we have a bounty of fresh strawberries and a little jam, you might be wondering why?

This weekend had me spending time in East London that has made me want to explore that side of the city more as it's quirky and cool as I've explored plenty in my year here in West London.

Renne and I roasting marshmallows — Renee and I roasting marshmallows

Why you'll love this

Light sponge cake

The sponge cake is light and has a hint of vanilla throughout and compliments the buttercream and strawberry flavor beautifully.

Buttercream filling

There are effectively two ways to fill a Victoria Sponge Cake and this buttercream is sturdier because it remains nice and creamy without deflating.

Jam and strawberries

One of the reasons we use fresh strawberries here is due to all the comments from people, in my research, all noting the preference of fresh strawberries in their Victoria Sponge. So we use both for a full bodied strawberry flavor.

Ingredients and substitutions for Victoria Sponge Cake

Butter: Butter must be room temperature here to create the nice and fluffy base of the sponge cake which allows more air to be whipped up and help the sugar begin dissolving. Unsalted was used here as this is fresher than salted, however, you could absolutely substitute salted butter here.
Sugar: Superfine or caster sugar gives our cake it’s sweetness without overly flavoring the cake allowing the vanilla to shine and the strawberries in between. You could substitute with raw sugar or half and half with brown sugar, though your cake would have slightly more caramel flavor. Icing or confectioner’s sugar is best here because it dissolves into the butter due to it’s incredibly fine texture.
Plain flour: You don't need much and don't want to overwork the dough so you don't make these too stiff. However, you can substitute with self-raising flour which is most commonly found in
Eggs: The eggs need to be room temperature here to bind with the butter and sugar as room temperature eggs allow more air into them giving our sponge that nice and light texture.
Vanilla extract: Vanilla extract acts as a flavor enhancer in the cake, without it we wouldn't have depth of flavor when we bite into the cake.
Strawberries: Fresh strawberries that are ripe and in season just elevate this cake instead of just using jam which is often what you’ll see in a Victoria Sponge when you search it.
Strawberry Jam: High quality strawberry jam adds a depth of flavor and sweetness alongside fresh strawbs, however, you could double the jam here if you choose not to use fresh fruit.

Equipment needed to make this

Greaseproof paper: Lining your tins will make getting the cakes out a breeze!

Mixing bowl: A medium mixing bowl is needed for the cake batter and buttercream. Additionaly a medium bowl is also need to stir the strawberries and jam.

Hand or stand mixer: To whip the cake batter and buttercream, this is best done with an electric beater. It helps give your sponge cakes the light airy texture and whip your buttercream best. Both can be done by hand, but you will need some elbow grease to get the texture right.

Sieve: Sifting the flour helps ensure it folds into the cake batter nice and smooth. It is also required to add that light layer of confectioner’s sugar to the top of your cake.

Offset spatula: This will help smooth out your cake batter in the tins and spread out the buttercream (if you opt not to pipe it).

Piping bag: This one is completely optional as you do not need to pipe the buttercream onto the cake, however, this does create a beautifully visual and requires only a round piping tip.

Cake tin: Two 18 centimeter or 7 inch cake tins were used here for a higher cake due to the batter not being a large recipe. The smaller your tin the higher the cakes will be. If your cake tin is any larger then 23 centimeters or 9 inches, your cakes will be much flatter than they appear here.

FAQ's for the best Victoria Sponge Cake

Do Victoria Sponge Cake ingredients need to be room temperature?

Yes, to create the best sponge cake your butter and eggs need to be room temperature. This allows the butter to whip up into a fluffy texture and combine with the sugar. Room temperature eggs allow for better aeration resulting in a fluffier texture that results in a the crumb.

More British recipes you'll love

Toad in a Hole

Treacle Tart

Sticky Toffee Pudding

How to make:

Lightly greaseproof a cake tin and line the base with greaseproof paper.

Preheat your oven to 170C/340F.

Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla extract together until pale and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes with an electric beater.

Add in 2 tablespoons of the egg mixture and beat until well combined, approximately 30 seconds.

Repeat with another portion of egg and beating until well combined.

Add in their flour and baking powder and fold into the fluffy batter to incorporate without losing volume.

Pour evenly into the cake tins and place in the oven until golden, approximately 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Remove and allow to cool in the tins for 5 minutes before inverting onto cooling racks.

To make the buttercream, place the butter and sugar into a bowl and beat on medium until pale and fluffy, approximately 4 minutes.

Add in the vanilla extract and combine for a further 30 seconds.

Lay one of the cake portions on a plate and spread the strawberry jam over the top evenly.

Spoon the buttercream on top or pipe around the entire cake.

Place the strawberries and jam into a small bowl and stir together.

Spoon on top of the buttercream evenly.

Lay the remaining cake on top of the buttercream and strawberries.

Sieve a little confectioner’s or icing sugar over the top.

Slice and serve.

Dig in!