Victoria Sponge Cake

You know how with all things go, they get named after famous people, become classics and remain legends forever. How amazing, to have a dish named after you, and to have everyone know you by that dish. There’s the Elvis sandwich which is basically a grilled peanut butter, banana and bacon sandwich, said to be the favourite of the King himself. Caesar salad which was always believed to have been named after the Roman ruler, but is actually just created by this ordinary dude from Mexico. and then there’s the Giuliana Salad at Giuliana & Bill’s restaurant but I am honestly just kidding about this one (after effects of being glued to E! Entertainment).

When it comes to sweets, the one that really hits me as an all time classic is the Victoria Sponge. Of course, named after Queen Victoria. Out of desperate boredom the other day, I googled the history of the cake and wiki says, “The Victoria sponge cake was named after Queen Victoria, who favoured a slice of the sponge cake with her afternoon tea”. So, at the back of my mind, I was thinking, you get to have a cake named after you just because you like it for your tea break. Mind- blown. Then again, she was a queen, and we are just commoners. With such a long history, nothing comes close to traditional as much as a Victoria Sponge.

I had my fair share of fun and anticipation while making this cake – Eagerly staring at the cakes peeking out of their tins as they bake, crossing my fingers that they stay perfectly round as I removed them, gingerly slicing off the uneven top, sandwiching the cake with the cream. I don’t know if I can call mine a Victoria Sponge Cake simply because I didn’t stick to the traditional whipped cream and jam filling. But I hope I did justice to this somewhat ~royal~ cake.

Recipe:
Adapted from Rachel Allen’s Bake

175g butter, softened
175g caster sugar
3 eggs, beaten
175g self-raising flour, sifted
1 tsp vanilla essence (optional)

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas Mark 4. Grease and flour the sides of two 18cm (7in) cake tins, and line the bases with discs of greaseproof paper.
• Cream the butter until soft, then gradually add the sugar, and beat until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs one by one, beating well all the time. (if using vanilla essence, add it in at this stage)
• Add in the flour and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
• Divide the mixture between the two tins, hollowing it slightly in the centre, so that it will be flat on top when cooked. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the centre of the cake springs back when you push it gently. Turn out onto a wire rack and allow it to cool.

For the frosting:

1/4 cup icing sugar, sifted
175 g cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp raspberry jam (or any other jam that you like)

• Beat the cream cheese till smooth then add in the icing sugar.
• Combine well and add the jam.
• Add more icing sugar if you need a thicker consistency.

• To assemble the cake, spread the frosting over one cake but leaving a 0.5 cm diameter around the edge to allow space for the cream to spread.
• Place the other cake over and press down. Enjoy!

Note: I had to slice the top of one of my cakes because I needed it flat enough to sandwich both cakes together.

To everyone starting school, I hope the Monday blues stay away from you and if all else fails, brighten your week with a dose of sugary goodness.