Classic Victoria Sponge Cake

Light, delicate and wonderfully straightforward, this Victoria Sponge Cake is sandwiched together with strawberry jam and freshly whipped cream. Made with simple ingredients and an easy method, this classic Victoria sponge proves that when it comes to good baking, less really is more.

What is Victoria Sponge Cake?

The Victoria sponge cake dates back to 1861 and is named after Queen Victoria, who was said to enjoy a slice with her afternoon cup of tea. Traditionally, the layers were sandwiched together with a simple spread of jam. Over the years, the recipe has evolved, and today it’s most commonly filled with jam and either whipped cream or buttercream. Personally, I prefer whipped cream – it’s lighter, quicker to make and uses fewer ingredients. After all, a classic Victoria sponge is all about simplicity.

RECIPE AT A GLANCE

TASTE

A delightfully light and delicate flavour. Subtly sweet sponge paired with fruity strawberry jam and softly whipped cream.

TEXTURE

Soft, airy sponge layers give way to pillowy whipped cream and a hint of sticky jam in every bite, making it melt-in-the-mouth delicious.

SKILL

Perfect for beginner bakers – this classic Victoria sponge cake is straightforward to make with simple techniques and everyday ingredients.

SERVES

Makes about 10 generous slices, ideal for sharing with friends over tea or at afternoon gatherings.

Ingredients for this Victoria Sponge Cake

• Margarine or unsalted butter: Gives the cake a buttery texture and fluffy texture. I prefer to use Stork Original margarine instead of butter. It makes the sponge light and fluffy and helps the cake layers rise with a flat top.
• Sugar: Sweetens the sponge. You can use either white or golden caster sugar for this recipe.
• Self-raising flour: Gives the sponge structure and rise. You can use 300g plain flour + 2 teaspoons baking powder instead if needed.
• Eggs: You’ll need 3 large room temperature eggs for this recipe, or you can use 4 medium eggs.
• Milk: Full-fat or semi-skimmed milk will work just fine.
• Double cream: Whisked to soft peaks for the filling. Double cream is called whipping cream or heavy cream in the US. Do not buy single cream, it will not whip or thicken.
• Jam: Victoria sponge is traditionally made with strawberry jam, but you can use any flavour jam you like.

Which Cake Tin To Use?

This recipe uses two 8-inch round cake tins. The tins I used were non-stick and loose-based which makes it much easier to remove the sponges. Using the same sized tin is important as otherwise the baking time will be affected. Got a different sized tin? Here’s how to adjust the baking time:

• 6-inch round tins = increase the baking time by 10 minutes. Make sure the tins are deep enough to hold the same amount of mixture.
• 9-inch round tins = decrease the baking time by 5 minutes.
• Cupcakes = This recipe will make 18-20 cupcakes. Bake for 20-22 minutes at 160°C (fan).

Start By Making The Sponge Cakes

Start by making the sponge cakes using the creaming method. Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, then gradually add the eggs, mixing well after each addition. Finally, fold in the flour and milk to create a smooth, light batter. Divide the mixture evenly between two cake tins and bake until the sponges are golden, risen and spring back when gently pressed. Allow them to cool completely before filling.

Whisk The Cream for the Filling

I’ve kept this recipe true to the classic, using freshly whipped cream for the filling. However, if you fancy something more sweet, you could swap the cream for vanilla buttercream. The cream needs to be whisked to soft peaks. Soft peaks are when the cream looks like pillowy clouds that hold their shape when you lift the whisk up.

To give a rough idea of timings, if you’re using an electric whisk, it should take roughly 5 minutes to whisk the cream to soft peaks. If you’re whisking the cream using a normal whisk, expect this to take up to 10 minutes (and expect an achy arm!).

Whipped cream can turn from soft peaks to stiff and grainy in a matter of seconds. To prevent this from happening, I recommend swapping the electric whisk for a large metal spoon the moment the cream starts to thicken. That way you have more control and can gently fold the cream until it reaches soft peaks.

Assemble Your Victoria Sponge Cake

Just like scones, there’s an age-old debate as to whether you should layer jam then cream, or cream then jam. Either way, it helps to leave a 1cm border around the outside edge so the filling has space to spread out when the second sponge is placed on top. You can use any jam flavour you like… strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, or even lemon curd. All delicious! For a simple decoration, dust the top with icing sugar. Or if you fancy something more elaborate, garnish with sliced strawberries and more cream.

Classic Victoria Sponge Cake

This soft and fluffy Victoria Sponge Cake is sandwiched together with strawberry jam and whipped cream. It's a classic baking recipe that's simply delicious!

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Prep: 30 minutes minutes

Cook: 45 minutes minutes

Total: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 10

Ingredients

For the victoria sponge cake:

• 300 grams Margarine or unsalted butter If you're using Stork, use it cold straight from the fridge. If you're using butter, make sure it's at room temperature.
• 300 grams Caster sugar
• 300 grams Self-raising flour
• 3 large Eggs room temperature. Or 4 medium eggs.
• 4 tablespoons Milk full-fat or semi-skimmed

For the filling:

• 200 millilitres Double cream use cold straight from the fridge
• 2-3 tablespoons Strawberry jam
• Icing sugar for dusting on top

Metric – US Customary

Instructions

Start by making the sponge cakes:

• Preheat oven to 160°C fan / 180°C conventional. Grease and line two 8-inch round cake tins.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream the margarine (or butter) and caster sugar until light and fluffy.
  300 grams Margarine or unsalted butter, 300 grams Caster sugar
  
• Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  3 large Eggs
  
• Fold in the flour and milk until the mixture is smooth and combined.
  300 grams Self-raising flour, 4 tablespoons Milk
  
• Divide the mixture evenly between the tins. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the cakes are risen, golden and the sponge springs back when pressed in the middle.
  
• Leave to cool for 15 minutes in the tin, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Whisk the cream:

• Whisk the cream using an electric whisk until it reaches soft peaks (this will take roughly 5 minutes). The texture should look like soft, pillowy clouds.
  200 millilitres Double cream
  

Assemble the cake:

• Place one of the cake layers on a cake stand or plate. If the cake has domed on top, use a sharp knife to trim off the top and make the cake flat.
  
• Spread the jam on top. Don't take the jam right to the edge of the cake otherwise it will spill over when you add the cream and the second cake. You want to leave roughly 1inch around the edge.
  2-3 tablespoons Strawberry jam
  
• Spread the whipped cream on top. Again, leave roughly 1inch around the edge.
  
• Place the second cake on top and lightly press down to sandwich the layers together.
  
• Dust the top with icing sugar, slice and serve!
  Icing sugar