Rosemary Shrager makes this classic British cake recipe look effortless with an easy to follow step-by-step guide – so treat the family to this freshly baked cake next time you have an hour to spare.
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Makes: 1
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Prep time: 30 mins
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Cooking time: 25 mins
Plus 10 minutes cooling time
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Total time: 1 hr 5 mins
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Skill level: Easy peasy
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Costs: Mid-price
That’s goodtoknow
This Victoria sponge cake will keep up to a week in an airtight container or you can freeze the individual cake bases without the filling on them, to make the cake at a later date.
Ingredients
- 220g soft unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
- 220g caster sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 220g self-raising fl our
- 6 tbsp raspberry jam
- 1–2 tbsp icing sugar
Method
- First prepare two 20cm sandwich tins by greasing them well with butter. Line the base of each tin with a circle of baking parchment cut to fit.
- Put the soft butter and the sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy and almost white in colour. This is easiest with an electric beater but you can also use a wooden spoon.
- Lightly whisk the eggs together in a small jug or bowl. Add to the butter mixture a little at a time, beating constantly.
- Now sift in the flour in 3 or 4 additions. Fold in the flour each time with a large metal spoon. Be careful not to knock the air out or the cake will be heavy.
- Divide the cake mixture equally between the 2 sandwich tins and level the surface. Place on the middle shelf of an oven preheated to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 and bake for 25–30 minutes, until well risen and golden brown.
- To check if the cakes are done, press one gently in the middle with your finger – it should spring back up. If you’re still not sure, insert a skewer in the centre – if it comes out clean, the cake is cooked through.
- Remove the cakes from the oven and leave in the tins for 10 minutes. Then run a knife around the edge of each one to loosen it if necessary. Turn out the cakes on to a wire rack. Leave to cool completely. Peel off the baking parchment and put one of the cakes on a serving plate.
- Spread the raspberry jam over the top of the cake. Put the other cake on top of the jam. Then sift the icing sugar over the top through a fine sieve.
By Rosemary Shrager’s Absolutely Foolproof Classic Home Cooking, published by Hamlyn, £18.99.
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Nutritional information
Guideline Daily Amount for 2,000 calories per day are: 70g fat, 20g saturated fat, 90g sugar, 6g salt.
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