Victoria Sandwich Cake Recipe

This is a classic cake recipe that is perfect for birthdays, special occasions or simply for afternoon tea. I've used strawberry jam and fresh strawberries because I love the taste, but feel free to use raspberries or blackberries instead, or even a mixture of all three.

Ingredients

• for the sponge
• • 225g unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
• • 225g self-raising flour, sifted, plus extra for dusting
• • 225g caster sugar
• • 4 large eggs, preferably free-range or organic
• • 1 lemon
• for the filling
• • 250g fresh strawberries
• • 1 vanilla pod
• • 150g good-quality strawberry jam
• • 150ml double cream
• • 1 tablespoon caster sugar
• • icing sugar, for dusting

To make your sponge

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• Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4
• Grease the bottom and sides of two 20cm sandwich cake tins with butter
• Line the base of each tin with greaseproof paper, then dust the sides lightly with flour

To make your sponge

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• You can make your sponge like this (by hand), or in a food processor
• Beat the butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon, until very light and fluffy
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating each one in well before you add the next

To make your sponge

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• Sift in the flour
• Finely grate over the lemon zest then fold it into the mixture (halve the lemon and save it for later)

To bake your sponge

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• Divide the cake mix into the prepared tins and spread it out using a spatula
• Bake in the hot oven for around 20 minutes, or until lightly golden brown and risen
• You can check to see if the cake is cooked by sticking a cocktail stick or skewer right into the middle of the sponge

To bake your sponge

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• Remove it after 5 seconds and if it comes out clean the cake's cooked; if slightly sticky it needs a bit longer, so put it back into the oven
• Allow the cakes to cool slightly in the tins, then carefully turn them out on to a rack to cool completely

To make your filling and finish the cake

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• Hull and slice your strawberries
• Carefully score the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape out all of the seeds
• Gently warm the jam in a pan over a low heat

To make your filling and finish the cake

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• Remove from the heat and stir in your sliced strawberries
• Add the cream to a bowl with the sugar and vanilla seeds, and squeeze in the juice from your zested lemon
• Whip until you have nice soft peaks

To make your filling and finish the cake

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• Pick the least attractive sponge to go on the bottom and put it in the middle of your serving platter or cake plate
• If it's a little rounded on top, simply trim and flatten it off by using a sharp knife and rotating the plate and sponge as you cut

To make your filling and finish the cake

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• Smear over the jam and strawberries, then spread the sweetened cream over the top
• Place the second cake, with the pretty side facing up, on top and dust it with icing sugar