The humble Victoria Sponge. It’s likely to have been one of the first bakes that you ever made but always a favourite recipe that you return to time and time again. Our quick and easy classic Victoria Sponge cake recipe is exactly that. A classic everyday recipe, with soft sponge sandwiched with fruity jam and a light and fluffy homemade buttercream.
Named after Queen Victoria, this nostalgic British bake is perfect for every occasion; simply dusted with Silver Spoon icing sugar for an afternoon tea or a rainy day bake, or perhaps coated in buttercream or fondant icing as a birthday cake or wedding cake.
What's the secret to a classic Victoria sponge?
The key to a delicious Victoria sponge is all in the mixing process. You need to get as much air in as possible when beating together your ingredients to create a light, fluffy sponge that rises high in the oven.
How to create a fluffy light sponge:
The right ingredients are key. Use room temperature butter and eggs, believe it or not, cold eggs will make it harder to beat air into your mixture and cold butter can cause lumps. We only use caster sugar when baking sponges as the finer grains of sugar make a lighter, fluffier cake. Be sure to ‘cream’ (beat) your butter and sugar until it is pale in colour, try not to rush this process as the lighter in colour the fluffier your sponge will be. Another top tip is to sieve your flour (some bakers even sieve theirs twice) this removes lumps and incorporates air into the flour making it lighter and easier to blend with the other ingredients.
What's the difference between Victoria sponge and other sponge cakes?
Victoria sponge cakes are usually made up of two sponge layers that sandwich together a filling of jam and buttercream and finished with a dusting of granulated or icing sugar.
Sponge cakes follow a similar recipe but can be adapted to use for different bakes and desserts - for example, they can be used as trifle bases, fairy cakes or butterfly cakes.
How to keep a Victoria sponge moist in the oven?
To make sure your sponges don’t dry out too much during baking, place a cake tin or roasting tin filled with water in the bottom of the oven while it’s heating up. The water helps maintain an even heat in the oven and keep your bake crisp on the outside and moist inside.
Alternatively you can spray water on the sides and base of your oven before baking to create moisture.
How do I store a Victoria Sponge?
The best way to store your Victoria sponge is in an air tight container or cake tin. If you are wondering how long can you store a Victoria Sponge for, we would say up to 3 days (if you can resist eating it all before then). Ensure that your cake is fully cooled before storing and if your cake is filled with fresh cream then you will need to keep it in a refrigerator.
Can I freeze a Victoria Sponge?
Yes, you can. Sponge cakes can be frozen for up to 3 months, ideal for baking in advance of special occasions, or always having a sponge cake to hand. Fully cool your undecorated sponges and double wrap them in cling film (if you are wrapping the sponges together use a sheet of parchment paper in between the sponges to separate them) Finish by wrapping in tin foil and writing on the foil, what the sponge is and the date so that you know when you froze it. When you defrost your cakes, bring them out the day before you require them and thaw in your fridge for around 8 hours whilst still wrapped to prevent moisture forming on the cake.
How to make a Christmas Victoria Sponge?
For a festive twist on your Victoria sponge, turn it into a snowy centerpiece with an icing sugar star! Start by cutting out a star-shaped stencil using baking paper. Place the stencil gently on top of your fully assembled cake, making sure it’s centered. Then, sift a generous layer of icing sugar over the entire surface. Carefully lift the stencil to reveal a crisp, snowy star against the cake’s golden top. For extra sparkle, add a ring of fresh red berries and a few rosemary sprigs around the edge to mimic holly, creating a simple yet stunning Christmas showstopper.
13 ingredients9 steps
Vegetarian
For a fantastically fluffy Victoria Sponge
Method
Step 1
Set your oven to 180°C (160°C for fan ovens, or gas mark 5).
Tip to create moisture in the oven: While the oven heats up, place a roasting tin filled with water in the base of the oven. This will help keep the cake moist while it bakes.
Lightly grease two 8"/20cm circular sandwich tins. Use melted butter and a pastry brush, or rub a knob of softened butter around the inside edges and base of each tin. Cut two circles of baking parchment to fit the base of each tin. Place the parchment at the bottom of the tins to prevent the cakes from sticking.
Step 2
In a mixing bowl, add the softened, room temperature butter and caster sugar. Using a wooden spoon, electric hand whisk, or a food mixer, beat them together until they are well combined and form a pale, fluffy mixture.
Tip: The longer you beat the butter and sugar, the paler and fluffier the mixture becomes. This step may take a few minutes, but it helps create a lighter and airier cake
Ingredients for this step
200gUnsalted butter (softened)
200gSilver Spoon White Caster Sugar
Step 3
Gradually add the four room-temperature eggs, one at a time. After adding each egg, beat the mixture well to ensure it's fully incorporated before adding the next.
Tip: If the mixture appears a little lumpy after adding the eggs, don't worry! Simply add a spoonful of flour to help smooth out the batter.
Once the eggs are mixed in, add the vanilla extract and milk. Mix again to combine everything smoothly.
Ingredients for this step
4Free range medium eggs
200gAllinson's Self-Raising White Flour
2 tbspWhole milk
1 tspNielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract
Step 4
Sift the flour and baking powder into the wet mixture. Using a spoon, gently fold the dry ingredients in until it is just combined, and no dry flour is visible. Avoid overmixing! This process helps create a smooth, airy batter for your recipe.
Ingredients for this step
200gSelf-raising flour
2 tspBaking Powder
Step 5
Evenly divide the prepared sponge mixture between the two greased and lined sandwich tins (you can weigh the mixture in the tins if you want to be precise). Use a spatula or spoon to gently spread the batter out. Place the tins on the middle shelf of your preheated oven and bake for around 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Step 6
Once baked, remove the tins from the oven and let the sponges rest for a few minutes in the tins.
Top tip: To loosen the sponge from the sides, run a knife gently around the edges of the tin. Then, turn the cakes out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Allow the sponges to cool slightly before carefully peeling off the baking parchment. If the cakes are too warm, the parchment may pull off some of the sponge, so let them cool a bit before removing it.
Step 7
To make the buttercream: In a mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter and icing sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla extract, and if the buttercream is too thick, add a splash of milk to adjust the consistency.
Tip: The longer you beat the buttercream, the lighter and fluffier it will be, so don’t rush this step!
If you prefer, whip 150ml of cream until it forms soft peaks for a lighter filling. You can also add sliced strawberries in the centre of the cake instead of using jam, for a fresh, fruity twist.
Ingredients for this step
75gSoftened butter
175gSilver Spoon Icing Sugar
1 tspNielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract
Step 8
Place one of the cooled sponges on a serving plate. If the top of the cake is domed, use a bread knife to gently slice off the raised ‘bump’. Move the knife horizontally with slow, smooth cutting motions to create a flat, even surface.
Once the sponge is even, you can start adding your filling of choice—whether it's buttercream, whipped cream, or a combination of jam and strawberries. Spread the filling evenly on top before placing the second sponge on top.
Step 9
Finish by dusting the top of the cake with icing sugar. For a decorative touch, you can add some fresh strawberries on top. Now your cake is ready to serve!
