Friday, October 09, 2009

Victoria Sponge Cake

Victoria sponge is probably the first cake I ever made, it's a traditional family favourite and it's pretty easy to make. The recipe I use is in my Good Housekeeping cookbook that I had for Christmas in 1976, it was from my Aunt. I wonder if she knows I still have it.
For a Victoria sponge you will need the following ingredients:
In the book the basic recipe says
4oz butter
4oz caster sugar
2 eggs
4oz plain flour
1/2 level tsp baking powder
A little milk if necessary.

I make a BIG cake it lasts longer, so I've times the ingredients by four

Line 2 sandwich tins with baking/greaseproof paper (I ran out so I greased and floured the tins.

In a bowl place the butter and sugar and cream together,

Until it is light and fluffy

Most recipes say add the egg first, then the flour. I was once told that if you add an egg with some of the flour it stops the mix from curdling, so that is what I do.
I added 2 eggs with about 4 spoons of the flour & baking powder, and mixed.

Repeat until all the ingredients are mixed together

Divide the mixture equally between the two tins. I always put a little well in the middle because the cake always rises quite high in the middle, this helps to keep the cake more even

Bake in the oven at 170-180degC,gas mark 5 for about 25 mins
For the filling I use jam and make a butter icing

For butter icing you will need:
3oz butter
6oz icing sugar
One or two drops of Vanilla essence
1 or 2 tblsp Warm milk or water to mix

Cream the butter until soft, add sieved icing sugar and vanilla essence.

When baked remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool in the tins for about 10 minutes

Then carefully remove from the tins and allow to cool completely on a wire cooling rack

When cool spread butter icing on one half and jam on the other. Traditionally just raspberry jam is used. I've used home made plum jam.

Place teh two halves together and dust with icing sugar.

Look how lovely and yellow the sponge is! That's free range eggs for you!

It didn't take long for someone to start on it!

8 comments:

  1. Sure does look delicious!Love that domed top too..:)

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  2. Thanks Denny, yeah it's pretty domed lol and that was with making a dent in the middle before popping it in the oven! It would have looked like a snow capped Everest if I hadn't! hahahahaha

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  3. Anonymous2:59 pm

    Would you believe my Auntie Jessie bought me the Good Housekeeping cookbook for Christmas in 1972? My Mum uses the one she bought in the mid-fifties for her "bottom drawer" and I have a newer one from them called "Good Cooking" which focuses on wholefoods and is great.

    Your cake looked fantastic,

    Sue
    xx

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  4. Is yours falling apart like mine! I really should see if I can get it put back together again! It's funny I love cookbooks, but more often than not I end up referring back to that one!

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  5. Anonymous4:42 pm

    It is falling apart and I have lost the dust jacket...Auntie's inscription in the front makes it so precious too,,,,,,,Mum's however is beautiful...it has a black "leather" look cover and the photos inside are pure joy...I'll take pics of both and email them to you in the week,

    xx

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  6. How funny! It was my Auntie Lenna who got me mine! I'll take pics of mine too and post it on here. I think I may look into gettting it fixed and then write to her. I;m a terrible letter writer!

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  7. I am soo impressed!!!

    Love Leanne XX

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