Tag: how to make butter icing

This lusciously rich Victoria Sponge cake, topped with creamy butter icing and sandwiched with homemade strawberry jam, is an ideal creation for any occasion.

Victoria Sponge, named after Queen Victoria,  who was known to enjoy a slice of this cake with her afternoon tea, is now a classic teatime favourite in England.  Traditionally, this cake is round in shape and the top is dusted with icing sugar. 

Remember to smear butter icing generously on the top to make the cake irresistible!

Ingredients needed to make the sponge :

Self Raising flour / Cake flour	250 g
Margarine or melted butter under room temperature	250 g
Caster sugar	250 g
Eggs under room temp	4
Milk	3 tbsp
Lemon juice and Vanilla essence	1  tsp each
Salt	2 pinches
Baking powder	1 tsp

Let’s start :

Let’s make it: Set the oven to 180 C.

Cream the batter

• Cream butter and sugar together until smooth and creamy,  using an electric hand mixer.  Go clockwise  (3 – 4 mins)
• Add eggs, one at a time. Make sure you beat  after each addition ( Beat 15 seconds after each egg)
• Add vanilla essence,  lemon juice, salt, milk and whisk two rounds (1 min) 
• Mix baking powder to flour and sieve onto the cake batter
• Fold the flour gently with a wooden spoon until everything comes together as a creamy batter

Into the tray

• Divide the batter equally into two parts ( If you have two similar trays, both cakes could go to the oven at the same time. Otherwise, bake one and use the same tray to bake the other)
• Line up the bottom of the  baking tray with a parchment paper cut according to the shape and rub butter and dust flour on the sides
• Spoon one part of the batter into the baking tray and flatten with a spatula.
• Lift up the tray and drop it twice onto your kitchen-top gently, allowing the batter to spread and settle evenly on the try

Oven

• Place the tray in the middle/bottom shelf of the oven (If your oven heats up too soon, set the temp. for 160 C degrees and bake the cake on the lower shelf)
• Bake for 20 mins or the top turns golden yellow  (Never open the oven door in the initial 10 mins.  If the top is browned and the middle is not baked, do not worry, just cover the top with parchment paper and continue to bake for further 10 mins)

Take out / Bake the next

• After 20 mins, insert a skewer into the middle of the cake and if it comes clean,  your cake is ready

• Take it out from the oven and let it rest for 10 mins
• Slowly remove from the tray and place the cake on a cooling rack
• Now bake the rest of the batter in the same tray and let both cakes cool off completely
• Meanwhile, whip up the butter icing

Delicious Butter Icing Recipe

Icing sugar (sieve before use to get rid of hard bits)	300g
Margarine	150g
lemon juice	1tsp
Vanilla essence	1tsp
Milk	2tbsp

Let’s make the icing;

• Cream up all together using an electric hand mixer
• The icing should have no lumpy bits but a very smooth creamy texture

Let’s ice the cake

• Scrape the tops gently off

• Smear strawberry jam generously on the bottom layer

• Then spread buttercream icing on the jam layer
• Place the other cake on top  and sandwich the cakes
• Spread a layer of buttercream icing on the top and decorate with strawberries or raspberries
• Leave in the fridge for 1/2 hr before serving
• Dip a long knife in boiling water, wipe clean and gently cut dainty pieces
• Serve with more strawberries on the side
• Enjoy!