Victoria Sponge cake was made popular in the Victorian times in the U.K. and named after Queen Victoria, and its lead to believe her majesty was very fond of this particular cake. It would be served for afternoon tea when ladies & gentlemen would take tea, sandwiches and cake for refreshments before their evening meal to bridge that hunger gap!
Rosie, of Rosie bakes a peace of cake and Maria, of The Goddess’s Kitchen, have created Sweet and Simple Bakes, and each month they host a different event giving a recipe which we have to recreate and blog about it, sharing our experiences.
What a great way to celebrate my blog’s first anniversay!
In such a short time and I’ve made so many blogging friends. Thank you all for visit my blog!
As you may have understood by now, I hate following instructions but this time I read the instructions several times to be sure that I understood everything.
I did not have 2 x 20 cm tins but I did have some tins in which I do not usually bake in, but I use them to roast nuts in and as they were the right size I decided to use them, so I had them both lined and ready to use.
I followed the instructions but when I finished the procedure the mixture didn’t seem enough for me.
I emptied the mixture into one of the baking tins but as I thought that it would be just a small cake, I decided to make another one.
I had already packed the scale and put all the ingredients away, I was frustrated as I had to start from the beginning, the oven was already hot and the temperature outside was about 40 degrees making baking intolerable, although I had the air condition on, so I decided to get done with it the soonest possible, just adding the ingredients by heart, without the use of the scale I don’t know why but I also decided to add some cocoa in it but I did not have any, so I added two spoonfuls of drinking chocolate.
When I emptied the second one in the tin, I thought it was too much for each tin, so I decided to remove a little bit from each tin and made a little one as well.
While they were baking, I prepared the buttercream.
When they cooled down I cut the first sponge cake, spread some buttercream on, some jam, added the chocolate cake in the middle and again buttercream and jam and the second sponge cake on top. I sprinkled some icing sugar on top, et voila.
I still had the third sponge cake and some buttermilk left but it was not enough so I decided to make some trifle.
I had some cream cheese and a whipping cream in the refrigerator, so I added the cheese into the buttercream and combined them and whipped them together and I whipped the whipping cream separately but instead of adding sugar I added two spoonfuls of jam.
The third smaller sponge cake broke into pieces when I tried to remove it from the tin, so I decided to bind it together adding layers of broken sponge, cream cheese and whipping cream and here is the result.
I think I’ve learned a lesson and I shall try next time to be patient with baking. Nevertheless, tastewise, it was great and the combination of both of them was even better and the children loved it.
Victoria Sandwich Cake and Trifle
Ingredients:
For The sponge:
175 g (6oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
175 g (6oz) caster sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature, beaten
175 g (6 oz) self-raising flour
Pinch of salt
4-6 tbsp strawberry jam, or your own choice of flavour
1 tbsp caster sugar
Buttercream (optional):
75 g (3 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
175 g (6 oz) icing sugar
Few drops of vanilla extract
You will need 2 sandwich tins (cake pans) 2 x 20cm (8 in) with depth of at least 5cm (2 in). Grease and base line the bottom of the tins with greaseproof paper or baking paper.
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°F/gas mark 4.
- Cream the butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl using a wooden spoon or mixer until the mixture is pale in colour and light and fluffy. This can take up to 5 minutes or more to achieve depending on if you are using a wooden spoon or mixer.
- Add the beaten egg, a teaspoon at a time, beating well after each addition *see my top tip above*Sift the flour and salt and carefully add to the mixture, folding in with a metal spoon or spatula.
- Divide the mixture equally between the tins and smooth over with a spatula.
- Place the tins on the same shelf in the centre of the oven and bake for 25 – 30 minutes until well risen, golden brown and beginning to shrink from the sides of the tin.
- Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 3 – 5 minutes
- Loosen the cakes from around the edge of the tins using a palette knife. Turn the cakes out onto a clean tea towel, remove the paper and invert them onto a wire rack (this prevents the wire rack from marking the top of the cakes).
- When completely cool, spread the jam on the bottom sponge and place the 2nd sponge on top to sandwich them together. To finish off, sprinkle the top of the cake with caster sugar.
- If you wish to add the optional buttercream, add the butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract to a mixing bowl with a wooden spoon or mixer and beat until light and fluffy. Spread the buttercream carefully over the jam.
I have a couple of Awards to acknowledge, so I shall start with the Awards first.
Vani, of Illatharasi has passed on to me the Brilliante Weblog Award. Thank you so much Vani 🙂
Brilliant Weblog is a prize given to sites and blogs that are smart and brilliant both in their content and their design. The purpose of the prize is to promote as many blogs as possible in the blogsphere.
Here are the rules to follow :-
When you receive the prize you must write a post showing it, together with the name of who has given it to you, and link them back.
Choose a minimum of 7 blogs (or even more) that you find brilliant in their content or design.
Show their names and links and leave them a comment informing they were prized with ‘Brilliant Weblog’.
Show a picture of those who awarded you and those you give the prize (optional).
As always it’s not easy to chose among so many wonderful blogs, but I have to so I am passing this award to:
1. Peter, of Souvlaki for the Soul
2. Swati, of Swati’s Sugarcraft
3. Ben, of What’s Cooking
4. Val, of More than Burnt Toast
5. Mike, of Mike’s Table
6. Corinne, of A Gourmet Love Affair
7. Jenn, of The Leftover Queen
Swati, of Swati’s Sugarcraft, has awarded me with the Magic Lamp of Luck Award. Thank you Swati for the Award. It seems that it worked because I was not expecting to publish the new site so soon.
There were no rules to follow so I am passing this award to some friends so that I may wish them good luck in what they are doing.
1.To Farida, of Farida’s Azerbaijani Cookbook, who is moving from WordPress.com to WordPress.org.
2.To Sam, of Greek Food, Recipes and Reflections, who is also in the process of preparing his new site
3. To Giz and Psychgrad, of Equal Opportunity Kitchen, Giz is moving to her new condo and both mother and daughter are preparing catering for a Bar Mitzavh party, for fifty people
4. To Pixie, of You say Tomahto, I say Tomayto, who is away from blogging for a long time now and I want to wish her good luck and that she can take her time and come back when she is ready
5. To Vani, of Illatharasi, who has awarded me with the previous award and wish her good luck to whatever she is doing
6. To any other friend who needs luck. Well we all need some good luck in our life, so feel free to grab this award.
Kopiaste and Kali Orexi!
Rei
Wednesday 3rd of September 2008
Congrats on the award and happy anniversary! What a great idea to add chocolate to this cake! Must have tasted really good!
Cecily
Tuesday 2nd of September 2008
Wow ...Ivy ...great site! Congrats to you on getting the awards .... they really motivate you to continue blogging too :-) Happy blog anniversary and to many more! It's a great idea to have chocolate in this recipe too. It must taste yummy :-)
Maria
Monday 1st of September 2008
Hi Ivy
Loving your new blog and congratulations on your blog anniversary and this well deserved award!
Your cake looks so delicious and love how you added chocolate. Thanks so much for taking part and hoping you will join us in our next bake!
Maria x
Ivy
Monday 1st of September 2008
Thanks Maria and looking forward to the new challenge.
Ivy
Monday 1st of September 2008
Thanks Amu.