The Victoria Sandwich is a classic British cake sandwiched with homemade strawberry jam and clotted cream. Also known as a Victoria Sponge Cake, it’s perfect for afternoon tea!
Every now and again a surprise package will turn up and the other week a lovely parcel arrived from Rodda’s to celebrate World Baking Day. Shamefully I hadn’t been aware of this day and had not planned any baking (goes to the back of the class)!
So armed with a supply of clotted cream and butter (and a new apron) I knew I simply had to make a Victoria Sandwich.
I hadn’t made a Victoria Sponge since I was at school! As I wanted this cake to be extra special I decided I also had to make a portion of strawberry jam to go in it! Hence my Quick One Punnet Strawberry Jam post came about.
I’m over the moon with the number of people who have been encouraged to make jam for the first time because of it!
I read the other day in The Kitchen Magpie by James Steen that Mary Berry’s favourite cake is Victoria Sponge – well now it’s my husband’s too.
He was absolutely over the moon with it (its lovely hearing your husband singing your praises to someone over the phone)!
I do have to agree that the 3 elements, the jam, the cream and the sponge all come together to form the most wonderful, simple but delicious cake!
What is a Victoria Sandwich Cake?
A Victoria Sandwich Cake is a plain cake often flavoured with a hint of vanilla and sandwiched with a layer of jam
This British classic was first inspired by and named after Queen Victoria who would enjoy a simple jam filled Victoria Sandwich Cake for afternoon tea. Later on cream or buttercream became popular additions.
The Victoria Sandwich Cake is erroneously called a Victoria Sponge according to Alysa Leven of Oxford Brookes University.
It has it’s roots in the pound cake which became popular in the eighteenth century when fashion moved away from heavy fruit cakes to lighter, more golden cakes.
Never formally decorated the Victoria Sandwich can either be finished off with a dusting of caster sugar or icing sugar like I’ve done here.
Victoria Sandwich Ingredients
- Lightly salted butter for depth of flavour (softened for ease of mixing).
- Caster sugar – any type is fine (white or golden).
- Vanilla sugar – I use a quality organic one for a hint of vanilla.
- Self raising flour – if you don’t have any just add 1 tsp of baking powder and 1 tsp of bicarbonate of soda per 300 g of plain flour, you can make up a big batch and store in a jar.
- 3 large eggs, beaten.
- Strawberry jam, homemade preferably or you can use raspberry jam etc.
- Clotted cream which is better than whipped cream as it holds its shape better and tastes just divine.
How do you make a Victoria Sandwich Cake?
- Start by preheating your oven to 190⁰C.
- Grease and line 2 x 20 cm (8″) baking tins with baking paper (you can use butter or oil).
- Cream together the softened butter and sugar with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Be patient as it could take between 5 to 10 minutes.
- Very gradually whisk in the beaten egg (don’t worry if the mixture splits, but if you whisked it enough it shouldn’t).
- Fold in the self raising flour with a metal spoon in a figure of 8.
- Spoon the mixture equally into the 2 cake tins.
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden and springs back to the touch.
- Allow to cool completely – no-one wants melted clotted cream!
- Use a spatula to spread the clotted cream on one cake and the strawberry jam on the other, then sandwich together.
- Finish off with a dusting of icing sugar (you can use a paper doily template for an extra touch of glamour).
Use a doily template and cut a heart shape out of the middle before dusting with icing sugar.
More Classic Cake Recipes
Once you’ve made my Victoria Sandwich Cake here are some more fabulous cakes recipes for you to try:
- Banana Cake
- Spelt Banana Bread
- Chocolate Cake
- Easy Iced Lime Cake
- Easy Lemon Drizzle Cake
- Cherry Bakewell Cake
- Coffee & Walnut Cake
Other Jams and spreads you could use to fill a Victoria Sandwich
The most common jam fillings for Victoria Sandwiches are strawberry jam or raspberry jam but there’s no reason to not be adventurous and choose something else! Fruit curds go really well too!
Check out the following recipes for inspiration:
- Strawberry & Peach Jam
- Rhubarb & Strawberry Jam
- Raspberry Jam
- Easy Seedless Raspberry Jam
- Rhubarb & Gin Jam
- Granny’s Quick Lemon Curd
- Easy Lemon & Elderflower Curd
I’m sure you’ll love this Victoria Sponge Cake so do leave a comment and rating below. You can also tag @FabFood4All on social media with photos of your creations as I love seeing my recipes come to life!
Pin for later!
Victoria Sandwich
Equipment
- 2 x 20 cm (8 inch) sandwich tins
- baking paper
- large mixing bowl
- Electric whisk
- Large metal spoon
- wire rack
- spatula
Ingredients
- 175 g Butter, lightly salted softened
- 175 g Caster sugar minus 1tsp
- 1 tsp Vanilla sugar
- 175 g Self Raising Flour
- 3 Eggs large, beaten
- Filling:
- 4 tbsp Home-made strawberry jam (see notes for link)
- 150 g Clotted cream I used Roddas
- Icing sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 190⁰C.
- Grease and line 2 x 20cm (8 inch) baking tins with baking paper.
- Cream the butter and sugars together with an electric whisk until light and fluffy (be patient)!
- Whisk in the beaten eggs a little at a time.
- Fold in the flour gradually with a metal spoon (turning in a figure of eight).
- Divide the mixture equally between the 2 cake tins (I use scales to be accurate).
- Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and springs back to the touch.
- Turn onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
- Once cool, use a spatula to spread the clotted cream over the base of one cake and strawberry jam over the other, then sandwich together.
- Dust the top surface with icing sugar and if you want extra Brownie points use a paper doily to make a pretty lace pattern on top!
Nickki
Camilla this looks gorgeous! I love the idea of adding clotted cream instead of cream or buttercream. I’m definitely going to try this!
Camilla
Thanks Nickki, it’s become a favourite in our house:-)
Chloe Edges
Oooh decadent! I tend to add buttercream but I’ve never thought of putting clotted cream in the middle – I will def be trying that in my next attempt. I love that you use the creaming method too. I’ve never been a fan of the all in one method. It’s simply not as satisfying to make it nothing else!
Camilla
Thanks Chloe. Yes I wouldn’t dream of making a classic Victoria Sponge by any other method, it just wouldn’t be the same:-) The clotted cream and strawberry jam is a winning combo:-)
Margaret gallagher
This beauty has to BE my favourite of all time
especially when home made
Camilla
It’s such a classic:-)
Kirsty
Hey I love baking this looks ace, is there any reason you use clotted cream not whipped cream? Thanks
Camilla
I think I mentioned in the post that Roddas sent me the cream so hence the inspiration:-)