Victoria sponge

Tam West

Classically, this sponge is filled with the best raspberry jam and the top is dredged with caster sugar. I have used this delicious sponge as a carrier for whipped cream and summer fruit. Use a soft-set jam and use a little extra to achieve the drizzles down the sides of the cake. For best results, make sure your self-raising flour is very fresh. If you are not sure, open a new packet. Store any uneaten cake, covered, in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.

Ingredients

250 g	Butter, softened
250 g	Caster sugar
4 large	Eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp	Vanilla extract
250 g	Self raising flour, sifted
2 Tbsp	Milk

Filling and topping

450 ml	Cream, whipped (Main)
3 Tbsp	Strawberry jam, or raspberry
1 punnet	Strawberries, sliced
1 punnet	Raspberries

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 180C. Grease and line the base of 2 x 20cm sandwich tins.
2. Place the butter and sugar in a bowl and beat until light and fluffy. (An electric mixer is handy here.) Scrape down the bowl from time to time.
3. Add the eggs, about 1 Tbsp at a time, beating until they are well incorporated. If the mixture looks as if it is about to curdle, add 1 Tbsp of the sifted flour and then continue adding the last of the egg. Add the vanilla extract.
4. Sift the flour once more over the creamed mixture and add the milk. Carefully fold the flour in, using a large metal spoon and being careful not to knock out the air you have beaten in.
5. Spoon mixture into the tins and spread out evenly. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and the sponges are springy when gently pressed with your fingertip.
6. Leave for a minute before running a small spatula or round-bladed knife around the inside of each tin to loosen the sponge. Turn out on to a wire rack and leave to cool.
7. Place 1 sponge upside down on a cake plate and spread with some of the whipped cream. Drizzle over the jam. Place on the remaining sponge, golden crust up. Spread over remaining whipped cream and decorate with cut strawberries and raspberries.

See more of Kathy's sweet treats

• Old-fashioned chocolate fudge slice
• Almond fingers