Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 150℃ (300℉). Grease the base of the 2 cake tins and line with greaseproof paper (parchment paper)1
- Into a mixing bowl sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
- Into your stand mixer bowl or large mixing bowl cream together butter, baking spread, caster sugar and vanilla paste with a paddle attachment on medium to high speed until pale and fluffy . Scrape down the bowl every so often to make sure all the butter is mixed in.2
- Scrape down your bowl and add one egg at time on a medium speed. Allow the egg to completely incorporate and scrape your bowl before adding in the next.3
- Once all the egg is incorporated, add the dry ingredients in ⅓ at a time on a low speed scraping down the bowl in between. Followed by the milk4
- With a spatula give the batter a quick mix just to ensure anything at the bottom of the bowl is mixed in. Split your batter across the 2 tins, approximately 600g in each and spread out evenly with a spatula.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes until golden brown. Insert a toothpick into the centre, if it comes out clean the sponges are ready. Leave the cakes to cool in the tin for 20-30 minutes then turn out onto cooling racks.5
- When you are ready to assemble, cut the top of one the sponge this will be the base of the cake. Smooth out the jam with the back of a spatula and spread evenly across the base of the cake. Whip the cream, icing sugar and vanilla paste to medium peaks and spread out evenly on top of the jam with a palate knife.6
- Top the cake with the second sponge and dust with icing sugar.
Notes
- I only grease and line the base of the pan. I never grease the walls of a tin, I find greasing the walls of the tin cause the cake batter to sink during the cook and you end up with a dense cake.
- You are looking for a pale and fluffy texture, if you pick up the creamed butter with the paddle attachment or spatula it should hold firmly to it. You are actually better off under mixing the butter and sugar than over-mixing. Over-mixing will have too much air incorporated and will cause the cake batter to sink and crack during the bake resulting in a dense and stodgy cake. Under-mixing will have less of a rise but the sponge will contain air pockets making it a little more enjoyable to eat.
- To help with emulsifying the egg into the butter, after each egg is added mix in a tablespoon of your dry ingredients. This is effective especially when using hydrogenated oils, the heat from mixing can bring the temperature up of the baking spread and potentially separate when adding more fats.
- You just want to gentle fold in the dry ingredients, mixing on a fast speed is going to active the gluten and you will end up with a tough, dry sponge. The milk will help loosen the batter a little more, add additional moisture, flavour and aid in the maillard reaction.
- If you are baking your sponges in advance, once the cakes have cooled slightly in the tins, wrap them in cling film while still warm. The sponges will effectively steam off the residual heat and stay soft. Place in the fridge until you are ready to assemble.
- Elevate your Victoria Sponge by replacing the whipped cream with crème diplomate.
- It is important to have all ingredients at room temperature in order for all the fats to emulsify. A difference in temperature will cause fats to split out during the mixing and result in an uneven bake and a cracked sponge.
- If you have slightly over baked your sponge and its a little drier than you would like it, fear not! Make a simple syrup, equal parts sugar and water with some vanilla paste and bring to a boil. Let it cool down slightly and soak your sponges. We'll keep that between us!