Fan Oven Temperature For Victoria Sponge Recipes

RECIPES

Steps:

• Step 1:Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan, gas mark 5). Top Tip: Put some water in a cake tin or roasting tin and set in the bottom of the oven. This will help your sponges to stay moist and prevent it from drying out. Prepare the sandwich tins (2 x 8in sponge tins) by lining with baking parchment.Step 2:Cream together the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon or electric hand whisk, until pale and fluffy.Step 3:Add the eggs in 4 parts, beating well after each addition so that the egg is well incorporated. Add the vanilla. Sift the flour into the mixture and fold in lightly with a metal spoon, until the mixture is even. Add the milk and mix.Step 4:Spoon the mix into tins and bake for 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove and cool on a wire rack.Step 5:To assemble the cake, put a dab of cream in the centre of the serving plate, and top with one of the cakes. Spoon the whipped cream all over the base and sprinkle over the halved strawberries. Top with the other cake and decorate with strawberries. Sift over the icing or caster sugar (whichever you prefer) and serve. If you like this recipe, why not try our cupcakes in a jar idea? Cupcakes in a jar

VICTORIA SPONGE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
• Grease and line 2 x 18cm/7in cake tins with baking paper.
• Cream the butter and the sugar together in a bowl until pale and fluffy.
• Beat in the eggs, a little at a time, and stir in the vanilla extract.
• Fold in the flour using a large metal spoon, adding a little extra milk if necessary, to create a batter with a soft dropping consistency.
• Divide the mixture between the cake tins and gently spread out with a spatula.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden-brown on top and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and set aside for 5 minutes, then remove from the tin and peel off the paper. Place onto a wire rack.
• Whip the cream with a whisk or electric handheld mixer until it forms soft peaks when the whisk is removed.
• Sandwich the cakes together the whipped cream and berries. Dust with icing sugar.

ULTIMATE TRADITIONAL VICTORIA SPONGE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line the base and sides of two 20cm sandwich tins.
• Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl with an electric whisk for 8-10 mins, or until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt, and fold in using a large metal spoon. Add just enough of the milk to create a dropping consistency.
• Divide the batter between the prepared tins and smooth the tops with a spatula. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 25-30 mins, or until golden and firm to the touch. Leave to cool slightly in the tins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the macerated berries. Mix the sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and mint together until the sugar has dissolved. Gently stir in the strawberries and raspberries until coated in the mixture. Transfer to the fridge and chill for 30-45 mins until softened.
• To make the crème diplomat, put the custard, vanilla pod and sugar in a pan set over a medium heat and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. Mix the custard powder with 3 tbsp water to dilute and stir until smooth. Whisk into the boiling custard, then reduce the heat to a simmer and continue whisking for 2-3 mins until thick. Put in a heatproof bowl and leave to cool slightly, then chill until cooled completely. Whisk the double cream to soft peaks, and when the custard is cool, remove the vanilla pod and whisk in the cream until the mix is thick enough to pipe.
• Drain the macerated berries, reserving the liquid. To assemble, spread half the crème diplomat over one of the sponges, then top with three-quarters of the berries. Invert the second sponge on top, so the flat base of the sponge is facing up, and dust with some icing sugar. Put the remaining crème diplomat in a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe rosettes around the edge of the cake. Dot the rest of the berries between the rosettes of cream, and serve with the reserved macerating liquid alongside - don't pour it over before serving as it will split the crème diplomat. Will keep in the fridge for up to three days.

VICTORIA SPONGE

Steps:

• You will need 2 x 20cm / 8-inch sandwich tins Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/350°F. Grease the sides of the tins with a small amount of butter and line the bases with baking parchment. You can make the sponge with a processor - in which case just blitz all the ingredients together (except for the 2 teaspoons of sugar and the milk) including the extra half-teaspoon of baking powder, until you have a smooth batter, and then, with the motor running, pour in 2 tablespoons of the milk slowly down the funnel until the mixture has a soft, dropping consistency, adding the third tablespoon only if necessary - or you can make it with an electric mixer and, indeed, the old-fashioned way, by hand; and if either of those is this case, start by creaming the butter and sugar, that's to say, beating them vigorously together until very light and fluffy. Add the teaspoon of vanilla extract and beat that in, too. In another, smaller, bowl mix together the flour, cornflour, baking powder and salt. Beat one egg into the creamed butter and sugar, followed by one tablespoon of the flour mixture and, once both are absorbed, continue in this manner until all 4 eggs are used up. Give a good scrape down, and then, gently, gradually but thoroughly beat in the rest of the flour mixture. Once everything's smoothly combined, start beating in the milk, one cautious tablespoon at a time (you shouldn't need more than 3) until your batter drops easily off the beaters, paddle or wooden spoon when lifted up out of the bowl. Divide the cake batter evenly between the two prepared tins, and smooth the tops a little. Place side by side in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the deep burnished gold tops of the cakes are delicately springy to the touch and a cake tester comes out clean. Take them out of the oven and leave on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before turning them out and removing the parchment. Choose which cake you want on top - generally when I bake, I choose the thicker cake for the bottom layer, but with a Victoria Sponge, I go for the one which I think will look most appealing - and place that layer with the top uppermost to stop the rack leaving an impression. The bottom layer should be cooled top-side down, so as to help diminish any doming. Allow the cakes to cool completely. If needed, you can keep the cooled cakes on the wire rack, draped with a clean tea towel, for a couple of hours before sandwiching. When you are ready to serve the cake, put the bottom layer on its serving plate, top side down, so that you are sandwiching the two flat sides together. Beat the jam in a cup or small bowl, just to make it easier to spread, and then duly spread it over the waiting cake. Put the raspberries onto a plate and lightly fork to crush them a little and add them evenly to the layer of jam. Whip the cream until it's thick but still with a little softness to it, and spread it gently over the jam and fruit. Place your second cake on top, and then sprinkle over the 2 teaspoons of sugar to give the cake a light, sparkly dusting. Eat immediately and with joy in your heart.

CLASSIC VICTORIA SANDWICH RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Butter two 20cm sandwich tins and line with non-stick baking paper.
• In a large bowl, beat 200g caster sugar, 200g softened butter, 4 beaten eggs, 200g self-raising flour, 1 tsp baking powder and 2 tbsp milk together until you have a smooth, soft batter.
• Divide the mixture between the tins, smooth the surface with a spatula or the back of a spoon.
• Bake for about 20 mins until golden and the cake springs back when pressed.
• Turn onto a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.
• To make the filling, beat the 100g softened butter until smooth and creamy, then gradually beat in 140g sifted icing sugar and a drop of vanilla extract (if you're using it).
• Spread the buttercream over the bottom of one of the sponges. Top it with 170g strawberry jam and sandwich the second sponge on top.
• Dust with a little icing sugar before serving. Keep in an airtight container and eat within 2 days.

CLASSIC SPONGE SANDWICH

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Grease and base-line 2 x 20cm non-stick round sandwich tins with baking parchment, then lightly grease the parchment. Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl, then tip in all the other sponge ingredients. Using an electric whisk, beat everything together until smooth. Divide the mix between the cake tins, then bake for 20-25 mins until cooked and golden. When cool enough to handle, remove the cakes from the tins, then leave to cool completely on a rack.
• To make the filling, whip the cream with the caster sugar and vanilla until it holds its shape. Build the cake by spreading one sponge with jam and the other with cream. Sandwich the whole thing together, then dust with icing sugar.