Victoria Sponge

Makes 8 | Prep 10 mins | Cooking time: 25-30 mins

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Ingredients

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For the cakes:

175 g/6 oz butter, at room temperature, plus extra or greasing
175 g/6 oz. caster sugar
3 eggs, beaten
175 g/6 oz self-raising flour
pinch of salt

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For the filling:

3 tbsp raspberry jam
1 tbsp caster or icing sugar

12 ml double cream

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How to

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1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

2 Grease two 20-cm/8-inch sponge tins and line with greaseproof paper or baking paper.

3 Cream the butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl using a wooden spoon or a hand-held mixer until the mixture is pale in colour and light and fluffy.

4 Add the egg a little at a time, beating well after each addition.

5 Sift the four and salt and carefully add to the mixture, folding it in with a metal spoon or a spatula.

6 Divide the mixture between the tins and smooth over with the spatula.

7 Place them on the same shelf in the centre of the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until well risen, golden brown and beginning to shrink from the sides of the tin.

8 Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 1 minute.

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9 Loosen the cakes from around the edge of the tins using a palette knife. Turn the cakes out onto a clean tea towel, remove the paper and invert them onto a wire rack prevents the wire rack from marking the top of the cakes).

10 When completely cool, sandwich together with the jam and cream and sprinkle with the sugar. The cake is delicious when freshly baked, but any remaining cake can be stored in an airtight tin for up to 1 week.

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