Victoria Sponge – Celebration Cake!
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A delicious classic bake – a Victoria sponge. Soft & light cakes, strawberry jam, vanilla buttercream & fresh strawberries!
Victoria sponge
Strawberry season isn’t quiiiite here yet, but I bought a packet anyway and they were surprisingly tasty! This led me to think I should 100% do something with them, but definitely not overdo them. So… I thought I would bake a classic! Funnily enough it is one of the simplest and yet most delicious classic cakes around!
When I was younger I used to think that this type of cake was boring – why would I want it if it’s not chocolate? But oh how naive was I. This cake is SO GOOD and one of the best cakes in the world. However, sometimes the simplest of things can be the most difficult to get absolutely perfect!
Layers
I find that with a Victoria sponge, it’s all about getting everything perfectly in proportion. Such as, if you’re making a two layered cake, everything should be 300g (i.e. the sugar, flour, butter and eggs) and same for if you were doing a larger cake – everything should be 400g! It makes it far simpler and generally provides a foolproof cake. This recipe is for a three layer, 8 inch cake – so for a smaller cake (two layers), simply reduce the cake ingredients to 300g, split the mixture into two tins, and bake for 20 minutes!
Eggs
I weigh out my eggs when making a cake like this so I have no doubts it’s going to work, and once you know your oven well enough you will know when is the perfect time to take the cake out of the oven and when it might need a tiny while longer in the oven!
Cream or buttercream?
This cake is traditionally served with fresh fruit and whipped cream, or jam and buttercream – its entirely up to you! Personally, when i’m making it last a bit longer, I use buttercream so that it stays fresh for longer – whereas the cream may go a bit icky, especially on a hot day!
Assemble
I tend to pipe my buttercream around the edge of each layer, then a bit more in the middle with my jam sitting on the top, it tends to not slide around this way! It also stops jam sliding down the sides so you keep the nice clean edges of the 3 layers of sponge. I use strawberry jam in this recipe however if you would prefer raspberry then why not?! Enjoy!
Victoria sponge - Celebration Cake!
Ingredients
Cake
- 400 g unsalted butter (softened)
- 400 g caster sugar
- 400 g eggs (roughly 8 eggs)
- 400 g self raising flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 4 tbsp whole milk
Decoration
- 150 g unsalted butter
- 450 g icing sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 175 g strawberry jam
- fresh strawberries
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 190ºC/170ºC fan and line three 20cm/8inch cake tins.
- In a large bowl, beat together the unsalted butter and caster sugar until combined.
- Then, add your eggs, whole milk, self raising flour and baking powder, and beat until combined again - but be careful to not over beat.
- Divide the mixture equally between the three tins and smooth it over.
- Bake for 25 minutes until the cake is golden and springs back (a skewer should also come out clean).
- Turn the sponges out onto a cooling rack and leave to cool fully.
Vanilla Buttercream
- Beat the unsalted butter with an electric mixer until it's smooth and loose.
- Then, gradually beat in the icing sugar & vanilla extract.
- If the icing is too stiff, add 1 tbsp whole milk at a time to get your desired thickness!
Decoration
- Spread or pipe the buttercream onto the top of one of the sponges, then spoon on half of your jam.
- Place the second sponge on top and repeat the process - finish with the third sponge, and any left over buttercream on top!
- Add some fresh strawberries, perhaps a sprinkle of icing sugar and serve!
Notes
- When decorating the cake, I like to pipe a small amount of the buttercream around the edge of the sponges, then put a little more in the middle with the jam on top - this stops it falling out all over the place, but this is simply my choice! 🙂
- This cake will last in an airtight container for 3 days, or you can freeze it for up to 3 months!
- I use this piping bag
- I use this Medium 2D Closed Star Piping Tip
- I use these 8" Cake Tin
ENJOY!
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J x
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Hi Jane, I used your recipe to bake the victoria sponge cake for my dad’s 60th and poured some lemon dizzle. The cake turned out very soft and spongy. I used a single tin for my two layered cake. Thanks for a very good recipe. I also, used your lemon loaf recipe which went down well with my family it was my first time.
Hiya. I was looking to bake this cake for my nephews birthday but cover the cake with the buttercream and not use the jam.. I am not sure if this will work but for the icing if I was to double it would it be enough for a two layered 9 inch cake please? Also do you think it would work with just the basic sponge and vanilla buttercream? Thank you xxx
Hey! Yes I would double it for a 2 layer 9″ – and yes it would be lovely!! x
Hi Jane, Love your recipes, they are amazing. I would like to make this cake for my nephew’s birthday as he loves Victoria sponge however he can’t have egg, what could I replace the eggs with if I was to make this? Thank you.
I would have a look at my vegan Victoria sponge recipe as that is egg free (but use full-fat dairy milk in place of the vegan milk) x
I made this cake and it was delicious! The only problem I had was the middle sunk in / collapsed when I was cooling it, any idea why? I was told if you leave it to cool in a draft this can happen?
This usually happens because it hasn’t finished baking, so it will sink. Next time it needs longer in the oven xx
Hi Jane, love making all your recipes and going to
Attempt this one. I always have issues with Victoria cakes but confident with your recipes. Question it says approximately 8 eggs which is 400g, it may be silly but is that in the shell or already cracked?
Hey! When weighing eggs you weigh in shells, and then match the rest of the ingredients to the eggs. So 398g of egg, you’d use 398 sugar/butter/flour x
I’d like to make your beautiful Victoria sponge, but can I clarify something first please? The recipe is for three layers / 400g, and you state that the ingredients can be halved for a two tier. However, under the tips section, you say reduce to 300g for a two tier. For two tier, should I reduce to 200g or 300g? Plus, what should I reduce the baking powder and milk to? Sorry for the questions, but I’m new to baking and wish to get things correct.
It’s an example of you can half it if you wanted, but generally I prefer 250g/300g mixes for two layers which is why I have put that. You can just leave the baking powder/milk out as it’s not essential x
Hi Jane, this cake was amazing! Everyone enjoyed it so much. I’m planning to make it again but cover the outside in buttercream as well. Could you please tell me how much buttercream I should make and the quantities of the ingredients i’ll need for the icing please?
Personally I would just double it! x
Hiya! I’m looking at doing this as four layers, would the ingredients go up to 500g ?
Thank you x
Hey! Yes I would do 500g x
Hi Jane!
I’ve just made this for my sister’s 13th Birthday tomorrow, how is best to store this overnight as I don’t have an air-tight container talk enough for it!
Thanks,
Elysia
Ideally it would need to be in a container of sorts so it doesn’t go stale – maybe cover as best you can with cling film/foil x
Hi, just a quick question looking to do this for my dad for Father’s Day and wanted to make it pretty like you have, for this middle did you just spread it out then pipe the edges and pipe the top and also which nozzle did you use for all of it if you don’t mind me asking. Thank you!!
I usually pipe all over, but you can use a nozzle just for the outsides if you want! X
Hi this is probably a stupid question. But when you say line the time do you mean fully or just the bottom? Also which guns are best to use, loose bottom or normal?
All your recipes are amazing by ❤️
I usually just line the bottom personally, but you can line the sides if you wish! And for cakes I generally use loose bottomed as it’s easier to get them out! x
I’ve tried making vic sponge so many times over the year’s and they always come out flat and heavy. So I’d given up.
But I am a huge fan of your recipes and everything I’ve made has been a success so I thought I’d try your version. It’s amazing! I’m so grateful for this recipe. Please keep up the good work! X
Hi Jane have you ever used Swiss meringue buttercream as I find normal one very sweet
Hey! I have, I just haven’t got a blog post yet on it!
Hello. All your recipes look incredible. I have recently started baking cupcakes for friends and family and trying to make sure I have the ingredients correct. I have been using unsalted butter in the cakes but have been told by someone it can make them too rich. So should I use stork instead for the actual cakes/cupcakes? Thank you .
Hiya – I don’t think unsalted butter makes them richer personally, I usually swap between the two for cakes/cupcakes depending on what I have, but stork is amazing for sponges so it’s completely up to you! x
if i were to try and do this 3 layer cake in a 6” tin, what temperature should I bake it at with a fab oven and how long would you recommend?
Hiya! I would reduce the recipe to maybe a 250 or 300g mix and split between the three tins – bake at a lower temp for longer, or same temp for shorter! I’m not 100% sure on the timings though I’m afraid as I don’t often bake sponges like this in this size!