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Victoria Sponge Cake
Victoria sponge cake is the poster child for teatime desserts. Teatime was popularized in the 1800s after Anna, the Duchess of Bedford and one of Queen Victoria’s ladies-in-waiting, felt she needed a snack around 4 p.m. to tide her over until the fashionably late dinners of the time. Friends began to join her for mid-afternoon snacks, and the trend spread. This cake was one of the queen’s favorite sweets.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: Serves 10 1x
- Category: Bakery
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 3/4 cup raspberry jam
- 1 pint fresh raspberries
- Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush two 8-inch round cake pans with the melted butter and line the bottom of each with parchment paper.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until fluffy and light. Beat the eggs in one at a time, then beat in the vanilla and orange zest.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold the flour mixture into the butter mixture just until combined. Divide the batter between the cake pans.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cakes are golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack, remove the parchment, and let cool completely.
- Lightly whip the cream with a whisk until stiff peaks form. Set aside. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate, spread the raspberry jam evenly on the cake, and top with the whipped cream. Sprinkle the raspberries over the whipped cream, reserving some for decoration. Place the other cake layer on top and dust with the confectioners’ sugar. Arrange the reserved raspberries in the center of the cake. Slice and serve.
