Name: Classic Victoria sponge
Total time: 40 min
Yield: Serves 8
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 175g unsalted butter at room temperature; 175g golden caster sugar; 175g self-raising flour sifted; 1 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 3 eggs; 1-2 tbsp (optional) milk; 4 tbsp strawberry jam Tiptree Little Scarlett is lovely (see back page); 142ml double cream whipped; for dusting icing sugar

175g unsalted butter
at room temperature
175g golden caster sugar
175g self-raising flour
sifted
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
1-2 tbsp (optional) milk

VICTORIA SPONGE FILLING

4 tbsp strawberry jam
Tiptree Little Scarlett is lovely (see back page)
142ml double cream
whipped
for dusting icing sugar

Method

step 1
Heat the oven to 180c/fan 160c/gas 4. Line and butter 2 x 18cm sandwich tins.
step 2
Beat all the cake ingredients together in a large bowl, add the milk if the mixture is too stiff to drop off a spoon when tapped gently.
step 3
Divide the mixture between the tins and level.
step 4
Bake side by side for 20-25 minutes until the sponges are risen, slightly shrunk away from the edge of the tin and spring back when lightly pressed.
step 5
Leave to cool for 5 minutes then turn out onto a rack and peel off the paper. Cool completely before filling.
step 6
Spread the jam onto the base of one sponge. Spread the cream on top of the jam. Sandwich the other sponge on top. Dust with icing sugar.