Classic Victoria Sponge Cake With Cream And Fresh Strawberries Food

VICTORIA SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Line the bottom of a 9-inch (23 cspringform pan with parchment paper, but do not grease the pan.
• Whip the eggs and sugar using electric beaters or in a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment on high speed until they are almost white in colour, have more than tripled in volume, and hold a ribbon when the beaters are lifted, about 5 minutes. While mixing on medium speed, add the lemon zest and juice.
• Sift the flour and salt and, still mixing on medium speed, add this to the bowl. Spoon about 1 cup (250 mL) of the batter into a bowl, and stir in the melted butter and vanilla. Add this all back to the main batter and stir until blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes, until the centre of the cake springs back when gently pressed. Cool the cake completely in the pan on a cooling rack.
• For the cream, whip the cream using electric beaters or in a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment on high speed until it holds a soft peak when the beaters are lifted. In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese by hand to soften it, and beat in the sugar, lemon juice, zest, and vanilla. Fold in the whipped cream in two additions. Chill until ready to assemble.
• When ready to assemble the cake, stir the berries with the jam to coat them. Run an offset spatula around the inside edge of the cake pan to loosen it, then remove it from the pan and peel off the parchment paper. Slice the cake in half horizontally. Spread half of the cream over the cake and top with half of the berries. Place the top of the cake over the berries, and top this with the remaining cream and berries, leaving an inch or two of the cake exposed around the outside edge. Dust this edge with icing sugar and chill until ready to serve. The cake can be assembled up to 4 hours in advance and refrigerated. The cake can be made (up to the end of step 3) up to a day in advance and stored, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature.

CLASSIC VICTORIA SPONGE CAKE WITH CREAM AND FRESH STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• Grease two 20 cm (8 in) baking tins. Sprinkle some flour and invert the tins to tap out the excess: make sure the sides of the tin are evenly floured. Line the base of each tin with parchment paper.
• Preheat the oven to 170°C.
• Measure the butter, sugar, flour, eggs, flour and baking powder in a large mixing bowl.
• Beat it at medium speed with a hand mixer until the ingredients are fully blended as a thick butter mixture.
• Divide the mixture evenly between two tins. Use an offset spatula to level out.
• Bake in a preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
• Leave the cakes to cool in the tins for about 5 minutes then turn out; peel off the parchment paper. Allow them to finish cooling completely on a wire rack.

TRADITIONAL VICTORIA SPONGE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 7-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper.
• Sift self-rising flour into a bowl; add sugar, margarine, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Crack in eggs. Beat with a wooden spoon or an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Divide batter between the cake pans; smooth the tops with the back of a spoon.
• Bake in the preheated oven until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• Sift confectioners' sugar into a bowl; add butter and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat with an electric mixer until frosting is light and fluffy.
• Spread raspberry jam over 1 cake layer. Cover jam with frosting. Place second cake layer on top.

ULTIMATE TRADITIONAL VICTORIA SPONGE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line the base and sides of two 20cm sandwich tins.
• Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl with an electric whisk for 8-10 mins, or until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt, and fold in using a large metal spoon. Add just enough of the milk to create a dropping consistency.
• Divide the batter between the prepared tins and smooth the tops with a spatula. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 25-30 mins, or until golden and firm to the touch. Leave to cool slightly in the tins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the macerated berries. Mix the sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and mint together until the sugar has dissolved. Gently stir in the strawberries and raspberries until coated in the mixture. Transfer to the fridge and chill for 30-45 mins until softened.
• To make the crème diplomat, put the custard, vanilla pod and sugar in a pan set over a medium heat and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. Mix the custard powder with 3 tbsp water to dilute and stir until smooth. Whisk into the boiling custard, then reduce the heat to a simmer and continue whisking for 2-3 mins until thick. Put in a heatproof bowl and leave to cool slightly, then chill until cooled completely. Whisk the double cream to soft peaks, and when the custard is cool, remove the vanilla pod and whisk in the cream until the mix is thick enough to pipe.
• Drain the macerated berries, reserving the liquid. To assemble, spread half the crème diplomat over one of the sponges, then top with three-quarters of the berries. Invert the second sponge on top, so the flat base of the sponge is facing up, and dust with some icing sugar. Put the remaining crème diplomat in a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe rosettes around the edge of the cake. Dot the rest of the berries between the rosettes of cream, and serve with the reserved macerating liquid alongside - don't pour it over before serving as it will split the crème diplomat. Will keep in the fridge for up to three days.