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–+ servings
A simple British classic, the Victoria sandwich has two layers of light and fluffy vanilla sponge cake filled with soft vanilla buttercream and tart raspberry jam. Finish with a dusting of icing (powdered) sugar for the ultimate tea time treat! Recipe by movers and bakers
5 from 1 vote

The BEST Classic Victoria Sandwich Recipe

Master the classic Victoria sandwich cake, the quintessential British sponge featured on the Great British Bake Off. This failsafe recipe yields two light, airy vanilla sponges sandwiched with strawberry jam and silky buttercream for a truly traditional afternoon tea.
Servings 12 servings
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

For the cakes

  • 225 g (1 cup) unsalted butter
  • 225 g (1 cup + 2 tbsp) caster sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 225 g (1 ½ cups + 2 tbsp) self raising flour
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tbsp milk

For the filling and decoration

  • 150 g (½ cup + 3 tbsp) unsalted butter
  • 300 g (2 cups + ¼ cup) icing (powdered) sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 150 g (½ cup) jam

Instructions

For the cakes

  • Preheat the oven to 160C/320F. Grease and line two 8" loose bottomed cake tins, then set these aside whilst making the cake.
  • Beat the butter until soft and paler. Add in the caster sugar and beat until pale and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.
  • In a small jug, beat all the eggs together. Gradually add the beaten eggs to the butter mixture, beating well between additions until all the egg has been added and the mixture is light and well mixed.
  • Sift in the flour and baking powder. Fold this into the egg mixture until combined.
  • Finally, tip in the vanilla and milk and fold in again until completely smooth and mixed through.
  • Divide the cake mixture evenly between the prepared tins, then pop in the preheated oven and bake for 23-25 minutes until the cakes are golden, springy to touch and a wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool for five minutes in the tins before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

For the filling and decoration

  • To make the buttercream, beat the butter for 4-5 minutes until really pale and creamy. Tip in half the icing (powdered) sugar and mix to combine, then beat in the vanilla and milk until smooth. Add in the remaining sugar and beat slowly to mix in. Once combined, turn up the speed and beat on high until really pale, fluffy and soft. Pop into a piping bag, if using.
  • Place the first cake on a plate or cake stand. Pipe or spread the buttercream in an even layer over the cake, creating a slight lip if you wish to hold the jam inside the cake.
  • Give the jam a little stir to loosen it so it spreads more easily. Tip it over the buttercream layer and spread out evenly.
  • Place the second cake layer over the jam, pressing very gently to encourage it to level the filling and sit flat on the fillings.
  • Dust the top of the cake with a layer of icing (powdered) sugar before serving. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

  • Use ingredients at room temperature when making the cake. The reason for this is simple: ingredients all at room temperature will combine better and make for a better bake! So this means the butter, eggs and milk should all be at room temperature before you start any mixing.
  • Beat the butter well at the start of making the cake. You want it light and smooth and pale for the best results.
  • Add the beaten eggs a little at a time to the butter mix. If you feel the mixture looks curdled at any point, simply add in a tablespoon of flour and mix through, then continue gradually adding in the eggs.
  • Fold the dry ingredients into the cake rather than beating them in. This is to prevent over working the gluten, which will result in a tough cake texture.
  • If you can't find self raising flour where you live, you can substitute for plain (all purpose) flour with a little extra baking powder too. If using plain flour, use same amount of flour as per the recipe, but add an extra 2 tsp of baking powder to the mix.
  • When making buttercream, working with soft (not melted) butter is key. Beating it up until pale and light and then adding the rest of the ingredients is pure magic!
  • You can either pipe or spread on the buttercream. Try to create a little dam in the buttercream for the jam to sit in. This will help prevent it sliding out from within the cake, so you will always have all the jam waiting to be scoffed in the cake!
  • Enjoy this cake within 2-3 days of making it for it to be at its best.
    • Author: Andrea
    Calories: 385kcal
    Course: Afternoon tea, Dessert
    Cuisine: British
    Keyword: Cake for Afternoon Tea, Classic British Victoria Sandwich, Fluffy Victoria Sponge, Mary Berry Style Victoria Sandwich, Traditional Victoria Sponge, Victoria Sandwich Cake, Why Victoria Sponge Sinks

    Nutrition

    Calories: 385kcal