Victoria Sponge

Method

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1. Heat the oven to 180°C / 350°F. Butter and line two 20 cm sandwich tins.

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2. Beat the butter and sugar for 5 minutes until very pale and visibly increased in volume. This is the most important step in the recipe.

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3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. If it looks like curdling, add a tablespoon of the flour.

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4. Sift over the flour, baking powder and salt and fold in gently with a large metal spoon.

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5. Fold in the milk and vanilla to a soft dropping consistency — the batter should fall from the spoon in 3 seconds.

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6. Divide between the tins, weighing them for accuracy, and level the tops.

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7. Bake 22 to 25 minutes until golden, springy to the touch and shrinking slightly from the sides.

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8. Cool 5 minutes in the tins, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely.

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9. Whip the cream with the icing sugar and vanilla to soft peaks. Spread jam on one layer, cream on top of it, sandwich with the second layer, and dust with caster sugar.

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Chef’s Tips

• Everything at room temperature. Cold eggs curdle the creamed mixture and cost you the rise.
• Weigh the batter between the tins so the layers match. It is the mark of a well-made sponge.
• Dust with caster sugar, not icing sugar — that is the traditional finish.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Double cream won't whip if you swap it, but for the cooking itself, full-fat crème fraîche or a lower-fat single cream works in its place.
• No self-raising flour to hand? Use the same weight of plain flour plus 2 teaspoons of baking powder per 150 g.

Pairing Suggestions

• A pot of strong tea
• Fresh strawberries
• A summer afternoon in a garden

Storage & Reheating

Unfilled sponges keep 2 days in a tin and freeze 2 months. Once filled with cream, refrigerate and eat within a day.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.