Victoria Sandwich

A Victoria Sandwich cake is cake at its best: simple good flavours and easy to make. Use the recipe as the basis for chocolate, coffee or lemon cakes.

A Victoria Sandwich isn't a particularly fashionable cake and it certainly isn't elaborate. In fact, it's quite a plain cake, jazzed up with jam and/or buttercream. There are many 'definitive' versions, so it's a case of 'you pays your money and takes your choice'. Since I joined the WI, I thought I'd take a look at what they say and see how my preferences differ. Suffice to say I probably won't be winning a prize for mine - but it tastes great anyway.

Key Ingredients in a Victoria Sandwich cake

• What size eggs? Well, that is a whole topic in its own right. I use large eggs for baking and the rule of thumb for a Victoria Sandwich is to weigh the eggs in their shells and use the same weight of butter, sugar and self-raising flour
• Vanilla extract or not? I do because I like vanilla, but only a little in this cake. In this, I do depart from family tradition (and the WI recipe)
• Butter or margarine. Put it like this, one is a natural, whole food that you can make yourself (although after the age of 6 you probably haven't), the other is a concoction of chemicals and fats that may or may not be good for you

Fillings and toppings

Caster sugar or icing sugar on top? My mother always used icing sugar, so that's what I do, but if you prefer some crunch, use caster sugar (the WI preferred option).

What flavour jam? Some say raspberry (the WI), but growing up we always had strawberry, because that's what Mum made

Buttercream filling or not? For me, this is totally dependent on time and occasion. For tea at home, it's mostly just jam. If anyone's coming - and I have a few extra minutes - buttercream makes this a bit more special

Deep or shallow tins?

Do you make it one deep one or two shallow ones? I prefer 2 shallow tins because the cakes cook more quickly and more evenly. To be honest with a small cake like this it doesn't make much difference but, once you're making a 20cm cake, the centre might be underdone or the edges overdone so I almost always use 2 tins for that.

I suspect that, like most people, my choices are mostly made because of what I'm used to and, of course, what I like. So to anyone who thinks their version is better, you're probably right - for you it is, but I think mine is the tops. Having said that, I do vary my jam choices a bit. Currently, I'm loving lemon curd with cherry jam.

Quantities for a bigger cake

Use the same method for bigger tins:

• 18cm (7-inch) tins - 3 large eggs
• 20cm (8-inch) tins - 4 large eggs

If you want a square cake, use this formula:

• 18cm (7-inch) square cake = 20cm (8-inch) round cake
• 15cm (6-inch) square cake = 18cm (7-inch) round cake

What equipment do you need?

You will need 2 15cm (6-inch) shallow cake tins. I like loose-bottomed non-stick tins and I always line them with a baking parchment circle.

Partly to reduce cleaning time, but mostly to be completely sure that the cake doesn't stick. A multi-size pack lasts for years.

If you like this...

...Why don't you try:

Everyday Chocolate Cake

An 18cm (7-inch) everyday chocolate cake - not too rich, still yummy.

Coffee Cake

A simple coffee cake with coffee buttercream and walnuts or pecans. Ideal for the tea tent or any afternoon tea.

Lemon Drizzle Cake

This 18cm Lemon Drizzle Cake is based on a Victoria Sandwich, it is a moist cake with a slightly crunchy lemon topping.

Stockists

15cm (6-inch) shallow round cake tins

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Baking parchment circles

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Recipe

Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Victoria Sandwich

A 15cm (6-inch) Victoria Sandwich cake - not too rich, just yummy.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Teatime

Cuisine: British

Servings: 8 slices

Author: Susie@Everyday Cooks

Ingredients

For a 15cm (6 inch) cake:

• 2 large eggs - weighed in their shells

The same weight (approx. 150g) of:

• Caster sugar
• Butter
• Self-raising flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder (5ml)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (2.5ml)
• large pinch of salt

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Equipment

2 x 15cm/6-inch shallow round cake tins

Baking parchment circles

Splatter lid

Instructions

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 190°C/ 170°C fan/ gas mark 5/ 375°F
• Line the tins with a paper liner. Grease the tins (if they need it) with butter paper (or a little butter on kitchen paper)

For the cake:

• Mix all the ingredients together thoroughly

  (Butter, caster sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla extract)
• Evenly divide the mixture between the tins. Smooth the top with a palette knife and make a slight dip in the centre
• Cook for 20-25 minutes until the cake surface springs back when you touch it lightly with your fingertip
• Remove from the tin and leave to cool on a cooling rack. Leave the paper in place if you don’t intend to fill the cake immediately
• Once the cake is cool, fill with jam or buttercream and sprinkle icing sugar on top.

Notes

Everyday Cooks tips:

• Use a splatter guard over your mixing bowl to keep mess to a minimum

Storage:

• The cakes keep well for up to a week in an airtight box – preferably in the fridge.
• The un-iced cakes can be frozen for up to a month