An absolute showstopper... this classic Victoria sponge is delicious as it looks.
Content continues after advertisements
Royal Victoria sponge
Summer fete coming up? Getting together with friends and family? Then a Royal Victoria Sponge from Baking Mad will go down a treat!
Brought to you by Baking Mad
Ingredients
For the sponge
- 4 medium free-range eggs
- 225 g unrefined golden caster sugar
- 225 g self-raising white flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 225 g unsalted butter, softened
For the buttercream
- 2 China rose tea bags
- 80 g butter, unsalted
- 50 ml whole milk
- 250 g icing sugar
For the filling
- strawberry jam
- 200 g strawberries
For the meringues
- 4 free-range egg whites
- 125 g white caster sugar
- 125 g icing sugar
For the topping
- 100 g blueberries
- 100 g raspberries
- 100 g strawberries
- 100 g cherries
Instructions
1
To make the meringues; preheat the oven to 110°C/Gas Mark 4 and line several baking trays with non-stick paper.
2
In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until they become fluffy with stiff peaks. Gradually spoon in the caster sugar, mixing for a few seconds between each addition. This should thicken the mixture and add a sheen.
3
With a metal spoon or spatula, fold in the icing sugar in four amounts. Transfer into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle, then pipe small circles of meringue onto your baking trays.
4
Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, then turn off the oven and leave the meringues to cool inside, ideally overnight.
5
To infuse the milk; in a small saucepan, heat 50ml (2fl oz) milk with two teabags of China rose tea for 10 minutes (be careful not to boil).
6
Squeeze the teabags, remove and leave the milk to one side to cool.
7
Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. Grease and line two 20cm (8in) sandwich tins with baking paper.
8
In a bowl, beat together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add each egg to the mix, one by one, mixing between each addition and adding 1 tbsp flour to keep the mix smooth.
9
Add the vanilla extract, baking powder and flour and continue to mix until these ingredients have been fully incorporated.
10
Carefully split the mixture evenly between the two cake tins and bake for 25 minutes until cooked throughout. Remove the cakes from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.
11
To make the buttercream, beat together the icing sugar and butter, then gradually pour in the tea-infused milk.
12
Once the cakes are cooled, spoon a circle of strawberry jam in the centre on the bottom sponge, leaving a gap around the sides for the buttercream.
13
Slice a handful of the strawberries thinly and layer around the edge of the jam circle.
14
Fill a piping bag with the buttercream and pipe blobs around the outer rim of the bottom sponge.
15
Place the other sponge on top of the filling and spread a thin layer of the remaining buttercream over the top of the cake.
16
Top the cake with a circle of meringues, then fill the centre with a selection of fresh berries.
Last updated 11 months ago
Related recipes
More in Victoria Sponge Cakes
