Victoria Sponge Cake

No afternoon tea party in my home is complete without this royal treat. The Victoria sponge cake is named after Queen Victoria, a monarch known for her sweet tooth, who regularly enjoyed a slice with her tea each afternoon. The confection’s royal patron enjoyed it so much that the sweet and simple sponge cake reigned supreme on her table, outshining all others.

Today, the Victoria sponge is so well-known that it’s easy to assume it is the original sponge cake. The sponge originated in Spain during the Renaissance era. The first recorded mention of sponge cakes in England appears in a 1615 recipe book by the English author Gervase Markham, titled The English Huswife. These original confections, while undoubtedly the forerunners of the modern sponge cake, were more closely related to a type of sponge cookie known as Ladyfingers or “boudoir biscuits.”

The simplicity and flexibility of the Victorian sponge are true testaments to its longstanding popularity.

The sponge cake evolved when, in 1843, Alfred Bird invented baking powder, revolutionizing cake baking and creating a richer, more sponge-like texture. Due to its simple design—comprising two sponge cakes filled with cream, fruit, and jam, then dusted with sugar—the cake is often referred to as a Victoria sandwich.

Of course, today there are numerous debates about the best cooking method, what flavor of jam to use, or whether fresh cream or buttercream (which is markedly sweeter) works best as a filling. The simplicity and flexibility of the Victorian sponge are true testaments to its longstanding popularity. Almost any berry can be used. Furthermore, the strawberries can be chopped rather than sliced. It’s a perfect companion for a nice cup of tea.

Ingredients

For the Sponge

8 oz caster sugar*

8 oz softened unsalted butter

4 eggs, beaten

8 oz self-rising flour

2 tsp. baking powder

*Caster sugar is fine-grained sugar. If you don’t have any, place your regular granulated sugar in a spice grinder or your food processor and pulse. Note, however, Caster sugar is not the same thing as powdered sugar.

For the Filling

Powdered sugar for dusting

Fresh sliced strawberries (about 9 ounces)

5 ounces heavy cream, whipped

1 12-oz jar of strawberry jam (I used Smucker’s seedless jam, but any good quality jam will work)

½ tbsp. vanilla

1 tsp. powdered sugar for the cream (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Using vegetable oil or Crisco, grease and then line two round 8-inch baking pans with wax or parchment paper.

3. In a large bowl, beat all the sponge ingredients together until a smooth mixture forms.

4. Divide the mixture between the two pans and smooth the surface with a spatula or spoon.

5. Place both cake pans on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden.

6. Remove from the pans and cool completely on a wire cooling rack.

7. In a medium bowl, whip the cream, vanilla extract, and one tablespoon of powdered sugar and set aside.

8. Slice strawberries and mix over low heat with the jam, stirring with a spatula. You want the jam smooth (think a thin syrup texture) and well-incorporated with the fruit, but you’re not cooking the strawberries. Allow the jam mixture to cool.

9. Place the first sponge round on a pretty plate and top with the cream. Next, carefully arrange the sliced fruit on top of the cream. Drizzle with a small amount of the jam, and top with the remaining sponge round—dust with powdered sugar.

10. When serving slices, drizzle with additional strawberry jam sauce.