Chocolate Victoria Sponge

Following several email requests for a basic chocolate cake, I have modified my Victoria Sponge recipe to create a light chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream.

To watch a video of this cake being made please click on the image below:

Victoria Sponge Ingredients 
285g butter or margarine (at room temperature)
285g caster sugar
240g self-raising flour
45g cocoa
2 teaspoons (12.5ml) baking powder
5 Eggs

Buttercream Ingredients 
150g softened butter
300g icing sugar
40g cocoa
3 tablespoons (45ml) warm water

Equipment required 
2 greased 8-inch (20cm) sandwich tins
Sieve
Large mixing bowl
Electric whisk

This cake uses the all in-in-one method so first sieve the flour, cocoa and baking powder into a large bowl and then add all the other ingredients into the bowl.  Using an electric whisk beat the ingredients together, starting slowly then on medium speed until you get a smooth, creamy consistency.  Ensure it is all mixed together.

Divide the mixture between the two sandwich tins and bake at 180 degrees centigrade (350 degrees fahrenheit) for 30-40 minutes. The cake should be springy to the touch.  When cooked leave to cool for a few minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Once the cakes are cool make the buttercream - first soften the butter by beating slowly and then gradually add the sieved icing sugar and cocoa and the water.  Slowly beat together until smooth.  If the buttercream is still thick then add a little more water.

Spread the buttercream on one half of the sponge and sandwich together. Sieve icing sugar and cocoa on top

Mini Victoria Sponges

The Victoria Sponge recipe on my blog has been the most popular entry and so I thought i would share this recipe for mini versions of them. It makes a great change from cupcakes and everyone gets their own individual cake! In the 'Equipment required' section below I have also given a link to get the cake tin I used which is perfect for these.

Mini Victoria Sponges

Mini Victoria Sponges

Mini Victoria Sponges

Watch a video of how to make Mini Victoria Sponges:

Sponge Ingredients
180g self raising flour
180g unsalted butter (at room temperature)
180g caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
pinch salt 
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Equipment required
Large mixing bowl
Electric whisk
Deep bun tin (this one from Lakeland is perfect)


Preheat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade on a conventional setting (170 fan)(350 fahrenheit or gas mark 4).  First cream together the butter and sugar until light and creamy.  Then add the eggs one at a time and add a small amount of flour with the last egg to stop the mixture from curdling.  Add the vanilla extract and stir in.  Once all mixed, add the rest of the flour with the baking powder and salt (sieved) and fold in.

Put the mixture into the tin and fill about three-quarters full and bake for about 12-15 minutes. Leave them in the tin to cool and then take them out and put them on a wire rack to completely cool.


Buttercream filling
150g unsalted butter (at room temperature) 
300g icing sugar 
1 teaspoon valilla extract

Plus strawberry jam

Soften the butter first and then add the sifted icing sugar and vanilla essence and mix together slowly until fully mixed and creamy.

With the jam mix it in a bowl first to soften it to make it easier to spread.

Once the cakes are cooled cut them in half and spread jam on the top of the bottom sponge and some buttercream on the bottom of the top one and sandwich together. Sprinkle the top with icing sugar.

Back to Basics - Victoria Sponge

The most popular recipe on the blog so far is this traditional and evergreen classic for Victoria Sponge.

To watch a 10 minute video of how to make the cake on YouTube click here, or on the blog posting:

Victoria Sponge

The traditional British Victoria Sponge was named after Queen Victoria of England (1819 – 1901). One of Queen Victoria’s ladies-in-waiting Anna, the Duchess of Bedford, is said to have been the creator of ‘teatime’. Because lunch was traditionally served at midday, the Duchess often became peckish about four o'clock in the afternoon. 

The Duchess spent most summers at Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire. It became common practice for friends to join the Duchess for an additional afternoon meal in her rooms at Belvoir Castle. The menu consisted of small cakes, bread and butter sandwiches, assorted sweets, and, of course, tea. This summer practice proved so popular, the Duchess continued it when she returned to London, sending cards to her friends asking them to join her for “tea” The practice of inviting friends to come for tea in the afternoon was quickly picked up by other social hostesses. 

Queen Victoria adopted the new craze for tea parties. By 1855, the Queen and her ladies were in formal dress for the afternoon teas. Rather than having lots of small individual cakes this simple large cake became on the Queen's favourites. After her husband, Prince Albert, died in 1861, Queen Victoria spent time in retreat at her residence Osborn House on the Isle of Wight. According to historians, it was here that the cake was named after her.


Today the Victoria Sponge is seen to be a simple basic cake to make. Traditional English fetes and Women’s Institutes often have a ‘bake-off’ for the best Victoria Sponge. I believe that a good Victoria Sponge is one of the best cakes but all too often they are not made well and is just a flat heavy sponge rather than the light and fluffy sponge that it should be, sandwiched together with strawberry or raspberry jam and buttercream. I have tried a number of recipes and have come up with the one I think works the best. It is a simple all-in-one recipe that uses a higher quantity of ingredients than most other recipes. With the right amount of baking powder you end up with a well-risen light sponge that looks great.

Victoria Sponge Ingredients
285g Self-raising flour
2.5 teaspoons (12.5ml) Baking powder
285g Margarine
285g Caster Sugar
5 Eggs
Raspberry or Strawberry Jam

Buttercream Ingredients
150g Softened Butter
340g Icing Sugar
3 tablespoons (45ml) Warm water

Equipment required
2 greased 8-inch sandwich tins
Sieve
Large mixing bowl
Electric whisk

Cake
- Sieve the flour and baking powder into a large bowl
- Add all the other ingredients into the bowl
- Using an electric whisk beat the ingredients together, starting slowly then medium until you get a smooth, creamy consistency
- Divide the mixture between the two sandwich tins and bake at 170 degrees centigrade (340 degrees Fahrenheit) for 30-40 minutes. The cake should be springy to the touch.
- When cooked immediately turn out onto a wire rack.

Buttercream
- Soften the butter and beat until smooth
- Gradually add the icing sugar, beating well
- Add the water and beat until smooth

Spread some jam on one half of the sponge and buttercream on the other and sandwich together. Sieve icing sugar on top

Tips
My tips for a good Victoria Sponge are:
1) Use good quality 8-inch sandwich tins. Line them with greaseproof paper to avoid the cake sticking
2) If you have a fan oven, do not use the fan feature. Cakes cook much better on the traditional oven setting
3) Be careful not to use too much jam or buttercream otherwise the cake may slide apart when sandwiched together. Do however spread the jam and buttercream to the edge of the sponges as this will enhance the appearance of the cake
4) When turning out the cakes onto the wire rack, try turning one out onto a solid surface (like a chopping board) and then put it on the wire rack so that the top of the cake does not get the marks from the wire rack. This will make it look much better.

Victoria Sponge