22 Feb 2011

Victoria Sponge Cake

          "Victoria Sponge Cake" is one of the most easiest of cakes u can ever whip up. This was named after Queen Victoria of England [1819-1901]. The Duchess of Bedford, Anna was one of the queen's "ladies in waiting" [someone like a friend u chat with and munch a cake at the same time].

       
          Anna usually spent her summers in a place called Leicester [like we have summer vacations in Ooty or Kodai] and had her friends for tea which was served around 4 pm in the afternoon along with an assortment of small cakes, bread sandwiches and sweets.

           She carried on practicing this even after returning to London where this "Afternoon Tea" fever spread like wild fire. It went to such an extent that Queen sent out cards to invite friends and dressed up in formal gowns....


          Instead of making small cakes, a large one was made and named after the Queen. That is how this wonderful cake came into existence.

          Wether the idea was Anna's or the Queen's or the multiple cooks who worked in the palace kitchen to come with such a lovely recipe.... all I want to say is a big "Thankyou" to whoever it is for this tasty cake......


        Coming to the cake itself, as I said it is the most easiest of cakes and ingredients are very simple. I got the recipe from the cookbook "Frame by Frame-Baking" that I brought last year.

What did I do: I didn't change much except I reduced the amount of sugar [the original recipe calls for 175gms]and added condensed milk to the whipped cream. Instead of dusting the finished cake with icing sugar, I layered it with whipped cream on top and finished of by arranging fresh strawberries and a sprinkle of sugar balls.


Unsalted butter [softened]: 175 gms + extra for greasing
Self raising flour: 175 gms.
Golden caster sugar: 140 gms.
Baking powder: 1 tsp.
Eggs [medium]: 3.

Filling:
Double cream: 250 ml.
Condensed milk: 3-4 tbsp.
Raspberry jam: 2-3 tbsp.


Garnish:
Fresh strawberries: 5-6.
Sugar balls: a sprinkle.

1.Preheat oven to 180 degrees/350 degrees/ Gas mark 4. Grease and line two 20cm /8 inch cake tins.
2. Sift flour and baking powder together.
3.Add the butter, sugar and eggs. Beat well until smooth.
4.Divide this mix equally into the two prepared cake tins and smooth the surfaces.
5.Bake for 25-30 minutes until well risen and golden brown.
6.Remove from oven. Cool in the tins for 5 minutes. Remove from the tins, turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.


To assemble the filling:
1.Whip the double cream until whipped cream consistency. Add the condensed milk and mix well.
2.Cut the strawberries either into halves or slices.


To assemble:
1.On top of the first cake apply the raspberry jam as the first layer.
2.Layer half of the whipped cream on top of the jam layer.
3.Place the second cake on this whipped cream layer.
4.Layer the rest of the whipped cream on top of this cake. No need to smoothen the cream.
5.Decorate with strawberries and sugar balls.


Serve on the day of making as the cream nor the strawberries doesn't hold good the next day.

Note: I like the taste of condensed milk with the cream. U can use icing sugar instead or just dust icing sugar on top of the cake, the classical way. If u r planning to dust with icing sugar, place the base of the cakes on the wire rack and not the top bubbled surface as u will have marks on the surface.
         U can arrange the strawberries in between the 2 cakes - just make sure to slice the strawberries into thin slices.


Variations: Just take out 1-2 tbsp of the flour and add cocoa powder to make a chocolate sponge. Can add 1-2 tsp of fresh coffee brew along with coffee essence for a mocha effect. Try adding colour to the basic cake mix along with vanilla essence and top with a layer of nuts. Adjust the cream and garnish accordingly.....

Sending this to A.W.E.D-British- event by DK   guest hosted by me...



Enjoy....

Scribbled by Reva.

45 comments:

Vimitha Durai said...

They look just perfect dear...
My culinary Trial room

Saraswathi Ganeshan said...

Awesome click & cake looks delicious with whitey whip cream..

Unknown said...

lovely victoria cake and superb pics...

Priya Suresh said...

Gorgeous and pretty cake, simply delicious.

Priya dharshini said...

That is an awesome cake...Luv'd all the clicks on yummy cake..

Panchpakwan said...

Wow so yummy cake..beautiful clicks.

Reshmi Mahesh said...

Superb cake and great pics...

Anonymous said...

Hi Reva,
Thanks for visiting my blog and ur sweet comment.. This cake looks really tempting .. beautiful frosting, the sugar balls give an elegant touch..

JishasKitchen said...

wow..that's a beautiful looking cake...Looks so Yummy !!

Torviewtoronto said...

one of my favourite cakes beautifully done paired with raspberry would taste superb

KrithisKitchen said...

Perfect and beautiful..

http://krithiskitchen.blogspot.com

divya said...

Gorgeous and pretty cake, simply delicious.

Rachu said...

Reva,
Magnificent creation!!!
cake is so beautiful.. and thanks to Anna!Her afternoon tea has indirectly helped us too :D

ammaandbaby.blogspot.com/

Sravs said...

wow !!! wonderful and pretty cake..very colorful and awesome clicks !!!
Thxs for visiting and following my blog! following u too..

Unknown said...

Yummilicious they look....beautiful presentation also

shriannalakshmi said...

Cake looks super soft!BNeautiful clicks:-)

Radhika said...

Simply gorgeous and the cake looks so perfect to even taste it. lovely clicks.

Rekha shoban said...

wow!!creamyyyyy amd yummy cake!!!beautiful click!

A little bit of everything said...

the cake looks amazing. i'd love a slice right now.

thanks for the idea of mixing whipped cream with condensed milk. I'll try it next time I whipping some heavy cream.

Have a wonderful day

Aishwarya said...

Pretty cake I am sure it taste as good it looks.

Asiya Omar said...

wow!fanatafabulous!

Padhu Sankar said...

Pass it on to me .Looks awesome

Deliah's Deli said...

hi :) delicately awesome and mouth watering indeed! simply love your blog space and arrangements here :) fantastic photo skills! hope 2 c u a lot more often! thanks :)

Srivalli said...

Beautiful pictures reva

Kitchen Stories said...

Delicious!
Nice to meet you :)

Nandita SS said...

The cakes looks fabulous. I bet it would have tasted as good as it looks :)

schmetterlingwords said...

The cake looks fantafabulous.... Your new template also - attakaasama irukku :-) Lovely presentation!!

GEETHA ACHAL said...

Looks so tempting and nice clicks...

Sushma Mallya said...

Lovely Blog ..cake looks fab, beautifully captured as well!

Mahi said...

Cute Clicks and cake looks lovely!

Jincy Joseph said...

cake looks so yummy..amazing pictures.. following you

Tahemeem said...

Wow.. thats perfect :) love the beautiful cake and beautiful clicks.. will surely try this :)
thanks a lot for stopping by my blog and following me :)
am following u too :)

sharada said...

the victoria sponge cake looks awesome and the pics are just great!

Anonymous said...

wow it looks delicious Reva

arthi said...

am drooling here..looks super yum!!

Plateful said...

That's one delectable treat and that too with strawberries, ah! Beautiful pictures, too.

Unknown said...

Lovely post Reva - The strawberry on top is waiting to be bitten into -
Also stop by my blog dear and collect a couple of things waiting for you - congrats :)

Preety said...

cake looks so spongy and yumm

Binys Recipes said...

simple recipe but the look is surely royal...deserves the name

Malli said...

I love the story behind this cake..looks awfully tempting too!

Neenu Praveen said...

Really Really Tempting....

apsara-illam said...

wow..... very nice reva...
ungka keek paarkka nanraaka irukku.
ungka photo,s ellaam present panra vitham mika arumai.
decorative panrathum superb.

apsara.

Ramya said...

The Victoria sandwich cake looks awesome!!
Love the clicks

DV said...

Wonderful! The sugar balls are interesting! (They look like mercury drops seen in the Chemistry lab)...Awesome cake!

Unknown said...

I love whipped cream frostings on cakes . Cake, cream and strawberries are always a winning combination. I'm drooling .
Thanks for stopping by my blog. Glad to follow you.

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