Victoria Sponge Cake is soft, fluffy, and tender, and a British classic! Two deliciously simple cakes are layered with raspberry jam and homemade whipped cream, making the perfect cake for tea time or dessert.
Learn to Make Queen Victoria’s Favorite Dessert!
With all of the delicious, fancy, modern desserts available now, I’m always impressed when a recipe like this one stands the test of time.
This easy-to-make sandwich cake dates back all the way to the mid-1800s. It was known as the “Victoria Sandwich” and was traditionally served with afternoon tea, which is now a well-known tradition that Queen Victoria made fashionable.
Sometimes, I like to imagine what it would have been like to have tea with the queen all those years ago! She is said to have had a sweet tooth, so I think we would have gotten along famously.
The simplicity of this cake makes it very similar to an American pound cake, in that it consists of equal parts butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. The addition of baking powder, and the method of mixing the cake batter give the cakes a lighter texture than pound cake, though.
I always add a generous amount of homemade whipped cream and some sweet raspberry jam in between the layers, and decorate the cake with a simple sprinkle of powdered sugar.
Enjoy a taste of years past that still hits the spot!
Victoria Sandwich Cake Ingredient Notes
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Flour and Baking Powder: Many older recipes for Victoria sponge cake call for self-rising flour, which is just flour with baking powder added to it. I don’t usually have that in my pantry, so I’m using all-purpose flour and adding the baking powder myself.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar provides the purest, sweet flavor, and is creamed with butter to give the cake a fluffy texture.
- Butter: I always use unsalted butter for baking and add the right amount of salt separately. Let the butter sit out at room temperature for a while so that it’s soft enough to whip with your electric mixer.
- Eggs: Three large eggs should also be added to the cake batter at room temperature. Cold eggs don’t incorporate as easily, and the extra time that it takes to mix them in could make your cake tough.
- Vanilla Extract: Use a good quality pure vanilla extract for the best flavor. For even more flavor, add the seeds of half a vanilla bean or some vanilla bean paste to the cream.
- Heavy Cream: Called “double cream” in the UK, it is whipped with powdered sugar and vanilla to make a lightly sweet and creamy cake filling.
- Raspberry Jam: Choose a jam that is fairly thick so that it won’t ooze out of the cake. Mix the jam well with a fork or a tiny whisk before trying to spread it. I sometimes make this recipe with strawberry jam too, or you could try lemon curd or orange marmalade for a twist on the classic.
- Powdered Sugar: We call this “icing sugar” or caster sugar in the UK. It’s the perfect delicate finishing touch for our regal tea cake.
Tip!
In the recipe card below, the measurements for this recipe are given in grams and ounces, as the recipe originates from the UK, where cups are not commonly used for baking. I’ve included approximate imperial cups/tablespoons measurements as well, but you’ll be most successful using a kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients.
Recipe Tips
- You might have noticed that this is not a true sponge cake. It’s actually a butter cake that is made using the creaming method. For an airy, sponge-like texture, it’s important to cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale in color and fluffy.
- Grease your cake pans well, and line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds to make the cakes easy to remove from the pan after they’ve baked. This recipe will work best with two 8-inch round cake pans (20 cm).
- It will be best to enjoy this cake on the same day that you make it, as the cake will start to absorb the whipped cream and raspberry jam as it sits.
- To keep the fillings from seeping out of the cake, be sure to use a thick raspberry jam. I also find it very helpful to chill the cake for about an hour before slicing it.
Perfect for Tea Time!
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You don’t need to be enjoying a traditional English afternoon tea to make this traditional British cake! Victoria Sponge Cake is a wonderful light dessert for birthdays or any celebration you might be planning.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Classic Victoria Sponge Cake
Equipment
- Two 8-inch (20 cm) round cake tins
- Mixing Bowls
- Electric Mixer or Whisk
- Cooling rack
- Offset spatula
Ingredients
For the sponge
- 6 ounces (170 g) unsalted butter softened (1½ sticks or ¾ cup)
- 6 ounces (170 g) granulated sugar (7/8 cup)
- 3 large (170 g) eggs about 6 ounces (170 g) total
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 6 ounces (170 g) all-purpose flour (plain flour in the UK) (1½ cups)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
For the filling
- 6 ounces (170 g) raspberry jam (thick, not runny)
- 1 cup (240 ml) cold heavy cream (double cream in the UK)
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar (icing sugar in the UK)
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
To finish
- Powdered sugar for icing (icing sugar in the UK)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and line two 8-inch (20 cm) round cake tins.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract.
- Gently fold in the dry ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix the batter.
- Divide the batter evenly between the tins, smooth the tops, and bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the cream filling: whip the cold heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form.
- Place one sponge on a serving plate. Spread with raspberry jam.
- Then top with whipped cream.
- Place the second sponge on top and dust with icing sugar.
Notes:
- British baking is typically done by weight, so here I’ve given the measurements by ounces and grams. Imperial cup measurements are included as well, but the recipe will work best if you use a kitchen scale to measure everything out.
- To keep things simple, this recipe uses 170g (6 ounces) of each flour, eggs, sugar, and butter.
- For a stronger vanilla flavor, add the seeds from half a vanilla bean to the cream, or use vanilla paste instead of extract.
- Use a thick raspberry jam or conserve to prevent the jam from soaking into the sponge. Stir the jam well to loosen it up before spreading it over the cake. Strawberry jam is also delicious!
- The cake is best enjoyed the same day it’s made, but leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep in mind that the cake will start absorbing the jam and cream and can become soggy in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
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