Victoria Sponge Sandwich Cake with Tate & Lyle

My eldest daughter J9 had her birthday a few weeks ago. This time I asked her pointedly on what birthday cake she likes that she will eat. I did not want to repeat previous years when I buy or bake something and was eaten by all lonesome me. Sigh, they're too fussy these kids. Who are their parents?

Anyways, she said she wanted a Victoria Sponge Sandwich cake which we have been baking regularly this year and always gets eaten within a day. It's a favourite not only because of its nice buttery flavour but it's so easy to make. Before I used to have this notion that sponge cakes are technically challenging for your average baker. Well, not this sponge. Although I haven't tried it yet, I bet you can do a one-bowl mixing of all the ingredients. It's that simple.

This particular cake is also known as Victoria Sponge or Victoria Sandwich. Both of which pertains to a sponge cake with fillings in between layers.

I had some help in the guise of one of my favourite brands in the sugar department. One of Tate & Lyle's marketing people sent me some samples for my own baking use. To be honest I really don't need any introduction to it since I use Tate & Lyle regularly but any free samples is most welcome! As with the march of social networking websites that seems to be making blogs less popular, they have their own Facebook site that you have a peek at - We Love Baking.

Victoria Sponge Sandwich Cake

250 g  [1 cup] butter - at room temperature
250 g  caster sugar (superfine)
250 g  plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
3-4 Tbsp whole full-fat milk

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°F. Butter two 20 cm round cake pan or a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and line its bottoms with greaseproof paper.
2. Mix the flour and baking powder until well combined. Set aside.
3. Beat the butter and caster sugar together until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
4. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the flour mixture. Mix until well incorporated.
5. Add enough milk to the batter so that it falls off easily from a spoon.
6. Divide the mixture between the two prepared pans.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes for the round pans or 50-55 minutes for the loaf pan or until a skewer poked in the middle comes out clean.
8. Turn out on a rack and cool completely.
9. Either level the top of one of the cake layer and spread the fillings on it or spread it on the bottom without leveling the top.
10. Put the second cake layer on top and dust a little icing sugar over it.
11. You have a choice of fillings below or spread whatever you like on it which in my daughter's case means - Nutella !

Note: You may use self-rising flour instead of plain flour, just make sure to omit the baking powder.


*Traditional Filling:
100 g  butter - softened to room temperature
125 g  icing sugar
1 cup strawberry jam

• Beat the butter with the icing sugar.
• Spread this first then put the strawberry jam on top of it.

*Filling 2:
1 cup double cream
fresh strawberries
strawberry jam

• Whip the double cream to stiff peaks.
• Assemble the fresh strawberries on the first cake layer then spoon a little jam on it.
• Spread the whipped double cream on it.