Victoria Sponge Cake is an easy from-scratch cake filled with fresh whipped cream and strawberry jam. It's a British favorite that makes a delicious treat for any occasion.
Are you looking for a beautiful cake that’s slightly different from the norm? The Victoria sponge cake is a light and fluffy choice that’s sure to be a showstopper. Best of all? It’s easy to make!
Every year I like to bake a cake for my wonderful husband’s birthday. I love a good excuse to bake! And guess what?! It’s that time of year again! Yup, the love of my life is turning another year older. So today, I'm busy baking up a storm! I’m making his FAVORITE: Victoria sponge cake.
There are so many cake recipes I could bake for him. I always suggest something different—my favorite chocolate birthday cake? Nope. How about those delightful mini lemon cheesecakes? Nope. OK, how about something entirely different, like a pie!? Nope.
He asks for the same cake every single year, and his choice is not complicated. It's nothing elaborate. There's NO chocolate (which, in my book, is birthday cake sin!).
In fact, it’s a remarkably simple cake with simple ingredients. It’s also a traditional British/Irish cake—the Victoria Sponge Cake (also known as a Victoria Sandwich Cake). The raspberry-filled sponge cake is light and fluffy, stunning when topped with a dusting of powdered icing sugar, and his very favorite birthday cake recipe.
Don’t worry if you’ve never heard of it—he hadn’t either until he met me. Now he can’t get enough of the Victoria sponge cake.
What is Victoria Sponge Cake?
Since the majority of you reading this are in the U.S, you may not have heard of this cake. There’s nothing fancy or complicated about it, but it’s very popular in Great Britain and Ireland. The raspberry-filled sponge cake has been around for many years and is considered a classic across the pond.
While Victoria sponge cake might not be what comes to mind when you think of the best birthday cake ever (my husband’s words!), it’s a pretty, festive cake. It’s so simple but so delicious. It's an excellent choice for parties, bridal or baby showers, and even brunch.
The Victoria sponge cake, or "Victoria sandwich cake," is said to have been a favorite of Queen Victoria. And I cannot fault her taste in cakes! Moist sponge cake layered between raspberry (or strawberry) jam and thick freshly whipped cream makes this cake a winner every time (and explains the sandwich cake moniker).
Paired with a cup of tea (or coffee), it also makes a perfect afternoon treat!
How to Make Raspberry-Filled Sponge Cake
The great thing about Victoria sponge cake is that you can use the “all-in-one method.” That means putting everything into a bowl at once and mixing it until smooth. It couldn’t be easier!
The simple mixing method also means it’s also a foolproof cake for a baking novice. If you’re a beginner looking for a simple cake recipe, this is a perfect choice. Now put down the boxed mix, grab some real ingredients, and try your hand at baking from scratch. Like the Great British Baking Show, the Victoria sponge cake doesn’t disappoint!
That said, if I do happen to have time to spare when baking this cake, I’ll cream the butter and sugar first. Then I’ll add the eggs and vanilla and finally fold in the dry ingredients into the batter.
The resulting cake is a little lighter than the all-in-one method, but both ways work great for this recipe. If you don’t have time to take the extra steps, don’t worry. You will still have a beautiful cake for any occasion.
The batter for the Victoria sponge cake is very buttery. While the buttery flavor is delicious, the cake tends to stick to even the most perfectly greased cake pans. As a precaution, I always recommend cutting out some parchment paper and lining the already greased pan.
If you grease and line the pan, the cake will pop right out of the cake pan once baked. You should then allow the cake to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes and then peel off the parchment paper. Waiting will keep the sponge cake from sticking to the parchment paper.
Every time I've forgotten the extra parchment paper step, I have left a considerable chunk of cake in the pans. So, you’ve been warned—grease and line your cake pans before you attempt the Victoria sponge cake!
Quick & Easy: A Perfect Cake for Any Occasion!
Even if you take the time to mix the wet and dry ingredients separately, you’ll have this delicious sponge cake in the oven within 10 minutes. Don’t you love quick baking? All the taste without any effort!
For the raspberry filling, all you need is a good quality jam—I like the Hero brand—and some heavy cream. As I said before, raspberry is traditional, but strawberry also works well. You can get creative and use blueberry, peach, or any other jam for the cake filling too.
In this Victoria sandwich cake, the jam is layered with delicious whip cream, rather than the traditional “birthday cake frosting.” I think the cream makes this feel extra indulgent and festive. Plus, it’s a lighter filling than frosting.
While your cake is cooling, it's a good time to make the whipped cream. To whip the cream for the cake filling, add it to a cold bowl along with a teaspoon of vanilla. Set the mixer to high and mix until stiff peaks form. Usually, I would also add sugar before whipping cream, but since the jam is already really sweet, you’re not going to need the extra sugar. I promise the cake is sweet and perfect without it.
Once the sponge cakes have completely cooled, it’s time to assemble the Victoria sponge cake. Spread a layer of jam on the bottom sponge, then spread the whipped cream on top, and finally, sandwich the second sponge right on top of the cream. You’ll want generous layers of filling and cream, but the cake is still the main star of the show.
To finish off this festive cake, I keep it simple. I like to decorate with some powdered sugar and either fresh strawberries or raspberries, depending on what flavor jam I’ve used in the filling.
While my husband loves this cake for his birthday, it’s really the perfect sweet treat to whip up for any special occasion. It’s light and fluffy, delicious, and elegant. It would be perfect for a tea party or any other get-together.
Have you tried this Victoria sponge cake recipe? Please vote for it on the recipe card so that everyone else knows how much you enjoyed it!
You Might Also Like These Dessert Recipes:
- Summertime Peach Cake
- No-Bake Lemon Mousse Cheesecake
- Cranberry Orange Cream Cheese Bundt Cake
- Lemon Curd and Raspberry Tartlets
Traditional Victoria Sponge Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 cup Butter at room temperature
- 1 cup Extra Fine Sugar Put granulated sugar in a food processor/blender and just make it finer
- 1 ½ teaspoons Baking Powder
- 4 Eggs beaten
- 2 tablespoons Milk
Filling
- Half Pint Whipping Cream
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- Jar of good quality Raspberry Jam (or strawberry)
- Confectioner's Sugar for dusting
Instructions
For the cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 8 inch cake pans and line with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together.
- Slowly add the eggs and milk.
- Gently fold in the dry ingredients until you form a smooth soft batter.
- Divide the mixture between the prepared pans and smooth the top with back of spoon.
- Bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown and the cake springs back when pressed.
- Turn onto a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.;
Filling
- Chill a large bowl.
- In the chilled bowl, beat the cream and a drop of vanilla until soft peaks form.
- Spread the jam over the base of both sponges. Smooth whipped cream over the jam. Sandwich the two cakes together.
- Dust with confectioners sugar before serving.
